Welcome to another online addition of the Arizona Promising Practices forum. For those new to this service, each issue, which will now be sent to you on a regular basis, will focus on: (1) Recommended National Educational Websites; (2) A Local or Arizona Website/Practice of Importance; and (3) One promising practice article in condensed form. We welcome your recommendations for improvement to this forum or suggestions on future topics (these will be wide ranging to if nothing in this update interests you, hold on for future editions!) The Arizona Promising Practices Forum and website, www.azpromisingpractices.com is a FREE resource of the Arizona Department of Education.

Mary Urich, ACPE Director murich@mail1.ade.state.az.us

In this issue we focus on Promising Practice Research geared towards improving cooperative learning in technology infused classrooms. Cooperative learning has been proven to be an effective way to promote learning among children at different academic levels concurrently. Given the fact that more and more technology is being used in classrooms and schools daily, this model offers research aimed at improving results.

But first:

National Website focusing on Promising Practice - Ever wondered what numerous states across the nation regard as the best of the best when it comes to teaching? The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has been applying rigorous criteria in certifying a select number of educators who demonstrate superior teaching skill and ability. Check to see how you match up at http://www.nbpts.org/

Arizona Website of Importance - The Exemplanary Teachers of Arizona is a program co-sponsored by Bank of America and Arizona State University that features lesson planning, support, and best practices among other things. Check out their site at: http://teachers.ed.asu.edu/

Promising Practice Research and Tips

Using Cooperative Learning in the Technology Infused Classroom

Cooperative learning is a classroom management strategy in which small groups of students (consisting of between three to six students) are assigned meaningful tasks. Cooperative learning has been successfully used in a wide range of classrooms over many years, and many studies attest to its effectiveness both in the academic as well as the affective domains. Students enjoy well-structured cooperative learning activities, as it provides an environment for social interaction as well as academic engagement.

Technology infused lessons naturally benefit from a cooperative learning lesson structure because the range of student experience and ability related to using computer technology may range widely within any classroom (mostly depending upon access outside of the classroom) and cooperative learning provides the academic support needed for all students to meet with success. Also, classroom resources are generally not sufficient for each student to have access to their own computer, and cooperative learning results in efficient sharing of the resources. The division of roles which cooperative learning requires provides students with meaningful tasks that support them as they learn to use technology.

Research has overwhelmingly indicated that cooperative learning improves academic achievement, improves behavior and attendance, increases self-confidence and motivation, and increases liking of school and classmates. However, to be effective, all cooperative learning tasks must be carefully structured so that:

·        individual students are held accountable for their work;

·        groups are held accountable for the learning of each member of the group;

·        the project assigned must be an authentic problem (that is, must have a level of complexity which engages the students and cannot be more effectively solved by one student);

·        students are encouraged to talk to work out solutions to problems; and

·        students have a clear understanding of academic and social goals for the lesson.

Typical designs for cooperative learning lessons include:

·        Group Investigations: students work to produce a group project, which they may have a hand in selecting. The projects are structured to emphasize higher-order thinking skills such as analysis and evaluation.

·        STAD (Student Teams-Achievement Divisions): students are grouped heterogeneously by academic abilities and study what has been initially taught by the teacher to help each reach his or her highest level of achievement. Students are then tested individually. Teams earn certificates or other recognition based on the degree to which all team members have progressed over their past records.

·        Jigsaw: students meet in "expert" groups to learn one topic, and then go back to their own cooperative group and share their knowledge.