Cooperative Learning

K-12 Teaching in the 21st Century

Module 3 - Collaboration

Cooperation and Collaboration are cousins.  Is there is a difference between Cooperative Learning and Collaborative Learning?  Yes...and Wow!...what an interesting distinctions these two cousins make.  

In the video Cooperative and Collaborative Learning in the Classroom, produced by Education Portal, the distinction between these two cousins is spelled out for the viewer.  Cooperative Learning does involve collaborating with peers, but it remains unique in its own right as a method of collaboration.  

Let's look at one type of Cooperative Learning.  Jigsaw is a type of Cooperative Learning in which the assignment, or the group task, is divided amongst the members of the group by the teacher.  Each individual member of the group is responsible for learning, or completing a task, within the broader group task.  The work of each person only makes complete sense when the work of each person is brought together.  The contributions of each member of the group complete the task at hand and provide a comprehensive work product, just like a jigsaw puzzle.  Each piece is separate from the others, but needs to be in place and connected to the others so that the viewer can see the picture on the puzzle in its entirety.  You can learn more about Jigsaw as their is an official website dedicated to this practice.

I love this concept.  It is similar to the types of learning environments in some graduate school programs that I have tried to emulate in my undergrad classrooms as an instructor at Henry Ford Community College.  Unfortunately, I didn't carry this concept all the way through, which I think would have made all the difference.  The idea here is that the structure of accountability is built into this system.  With Collaborative Learning, often one or some members of the group can end up carrying the workload for the entire group and the entire group's grade is singular.  In Cooperative Learning, specifically, Jigsaw, the group as a whole is dependent on the work of each individual because the entire project, goal or task of the group, cannot be completed without the unique contribution of every member.  Each member of the group has a job to do.  If one member fails to perform his or her job, then the assignment  won't make sense.  But, each individual's work can be measured and assessed in its own right because the job of each individual is distinct and separate from the job of the other members of the group.  Thusly, and unlike Collaborative Learning, the bulk of the work cannot fall on just one or some members of the group.  All of the work is divided evenly among the members.  All are accountable to each other.

I'm definitely going to keep the concept of Jigsaw Cooperative Learning in mind.  It seems like it can have a very positive impact on the learning process.