There are several things you can do on the first day of class that will make it easier to use cooperative learning throughout the semester. First, start getting students acquainted with each other and with you. Students are more likely to feel comfortable in participating if they know something about their classmates. Learning names as quickly as possible is imperative to making it all work and you can get a good start on the first day. Previous instructors used a variety of methods for learning names. Mort Brown took pictures of the students:

"I really worked on memorizing their names. On the first day I took a picture of each student, they were either sitting or coming in the door--usually in bunches. By the time I'd written all the names out at the bottom of the pictures, I knew most of them already because those candid pictures really brought the person across. It really made a big difference. "

Other instructors use a variety of ways to start learning names including using name tags and having the students introduce themselves to each other and/or the class.

It is also important to get students working in small groups in a cooperative assignment on the first day. Phil Hanlon, a faculty member in the Department who uses collaborative groups says:

"I find it important to start building a good learning environment on the first day. I learn names and I start out on the first day using groups. On the first day I split them into groups of four and give them a problem they are to grapple with as a group. I do this toward the end of class so they must finish the problem on their own and report back later. "

Having students engage in a cooperative task on the first day gives them a chance to get to know some fellow students right away. It also helps build expectations that this class will be different in the sense that students will be required to actively think and participate.

Getting students acquainted with each other quickly

For the first few weeks remind students to introduce themselves to each other whenever you put them in a different group. This helps students become acquainted and comfortable with each other. Using names when you call on students in class also helps everyone become acquainted.

Choosing appropriate group problems

The type of problems that you choose for in-class work can make or break an activity. The type of problem you use will of course be different depending on how much time you have. Problems that work best are interesting and challenging and have a clear purpose as a group assignment. In other words, the students' understanding of the material will be enhanced by working in a group on the assignment. If the problems are too easy students don't take them seriously--they tend to feel as if it is "busy" work.

Some instructors, have found it helpful to sometimes have homework teams start working on one of the more difficult homework problems and finish the problem outside of class. This is especially useful at the beginning of the semester. Students like it and it gives the instructor a chance to see how the different teams are working together. The instructor can go around to the groups and give hints and ask questions that help the groups get started and help model problem-solving strategies. Groups that are on the right track can be asked to share with the others how they decided what to do. Since most students are not used to working together and may not have a clue on how to approach these more difficult homework problems, making sure they are on the right track will make their first meetings more focused and productive.

Forming in-class groups

Instructors have found that in-class groups work better if students are required to get up and move to form the groups. Students are either asked to get into their homework teams or the instructor has them count off with the different numbered groups being spaced around the room. There are reasons for using different groups (than homework teams) for some of the in-class work. It gives students a chance to get acquainted and work with different students and it may help to break up patterns that tend to form when a group works together for an extended period of time.

Communicating the guide lines for an exercise

Being very clear about group assignments so that every student knows just what to do is crucial. Some instructors found it useful to have the problem(s) written on a piece of paper, giving each group only one piece of paper. This is a good technique to use to help students start thinking that you are on their side. The paper becomes associated with "them" outside of the class and the instructor becomes and ally against "them"---Mort found students even saying "They want us to do ________." Also, with only one sheet of paper students can't go off and work the problem individually. Variation is important. Other possibilities are writing the problem on the board, or if you are going to have each group do a different problem, writing each problem on a different board and having students fill in the solutions.

Other things that need to be communicated are any roles that are required (e.g., a scribe to write down the solution, etc.), how much time students have to finish the assignment and what is to happen with the product.

Using a variety of methods for getting students to work together keeps the class interesting.

• Small problem solving groups (groups of three or four students). With small groups fairly sophisticated problems can be used. This works best when you have enough time for the groups to reach a solution. Here again it is advisable to give the students a few minutes to individually read through the problem and think about it before they have to talk about it. For variety you could have some groups go up to the board and work the problem together as they are standing at the board.
• Think-pair-share. Individual students work a problem or write about a process, in pairs students compare answers and reach a consensus, and some pairs are asked to share their results with the class. In this process each student does individual work before comparing with another student. (Whenever students are given time to do individual thinking before they are required to work in a group it will help distribute participation in the group.)
• Pairs. Using pairs to address short assignments can be used intermittently with mini lectures without too much moving around. These can be planned, short assignments or if no one can answer a question posed to the whole class, you can break them into pairs and have them try to come up with an answer.
• Group Quizzes. Students tend to like group quizzes, and a tremendous amount of learning goes on when they are hammering out the answers. Most groups tend to get everything right. More difficult questions can be used on group quizzes than can be used on individual quizzes. (It is, of course, important to have individual quizzes too. But using group testing 2 or 3 times a semester seems like a real treat for most students.) One idea that has worked well is to give students a 10 minute quiz individually, collect it, and then immediately give them the same quiz again as a group quiz.

Getting groups "unstuck"

As important as it is to have students grapple with a problem together, it is equally important that they don't spend a great deal of time frustrated. If no one in the group has any idea of how to get going, it is time for you to step in with a hint, or possibly a mini-lecture if several groups aren't getting anywhere. The rule of thumb here is class time needs to be productive, not threatening.

Giving feedback to the groups, and using the results of group work

Instructors have tried a variety of methods for using the results from group work. This is an important part of the learning process because it not only gives feedback to the groups it gives students the opportunity to see other students' work and different ways of thinking about the problem. It also makes group work an important part of the in-class learning. If you give students practice in analyzing each others' work, it will help them become better problem solvers. Some of the methods that have been used:

• Ask one or two representatives from each group to put a problem on the board and explain it to the class. Some instructors have the whole group go up. Since students have been working in groups and have had time to think about the problem you might call on students instead of asking for volunteers. Groups will tend to make sure everyone understands the solution if any one of them might have to represent the group. Getting students in the class to analyze the solutions increases their learning. Some questions you might ask (whether the solution is right or wrong) are:
  -Do you agree or disagree with this solution and why?
  -Did anyone get a different solution or a different way of reaching the solution?
  -Which way is best and why?
  -Do you agree with what has been put up on the board?
  -Does anyone have any questions for the people who put this up?
  -Could anyone tell me how to go about checking to see if this is a reasonable answer?
• Ask one group to put up its solution and then ask another group explain it to the class (if they agree with the solution) or tell the class how they might do it differently and why.
• Have the groups write their solution on an overhead transparency and have one or two students describe the results to the class. Or, you put up the transparencies and get students to comment on the results-that way the students who worked out the solution are distanced so others are more likely to be more open in analyzing it.
• Ask students to change papers with another group and critique and give feedback to the other group. If students know that other students will be seeing their papers they tend to be more careful and thoughtful. This process also helps students to learn how to critique their own papers, and allows them to see the thinking of another group.
• Have two groups get together and compare their answers, discuss the discrepancies, and come up with an agreed upon solution.
• Have students hand in the solutions for extra credit. (This takes little class time but takes more work for the instructor outside of class. It isn't always necessary to grade or make comments on these papers-just look them over and get an idea of where students might be having difficulties and then spend some class time addressing those areas. In this case students get the extra credit if they were engaged in the process.)
• Have students hand in their solutions as part of their homework assignment.
• Sometimes just discussing the problem as a whole group is enough.

Making sure the ideas are clear before students leave class

Students often have trouble understanding other students work. If the wrap-up of a group exercise isn't completely clear, many students will become frustrated and blame the group work itself. You need to be prepared to recap the session for them if necessary.

Further resources