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Top 3 Collaborative Learning Activities
by Grant Zimmerman


 

“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” ~ Charles Darwin
Don’t Fret Over the Details
Teachers are always looking for activities that challenge their students’ thinking and, at the same time provide practice in building the necessary skills to successfully work in a collaborative environment. These are not “how to get along” activities. The top three collaborative learning activities teach the skills to learn and think collaboratively. These strategies work with all students—both kids and adults—in all classes. This is one of the major pluses of these top three collaborative activities.The Jigsaw
 This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Jigsaw, as developed by Elliot Aronson and his graduate students in 1971. At that time they needed to diffuse an emotionally charged situation in school. The Jigsaw has a “planning group” learning their material. The groups are divided again so that each member of the “planning group” becomes an expert on their topic and teaches their colleagues in the newly formed "teaching" group. The strategy is completely flexible. The numbers don’t have to work out perfectly. You can adjust both the numbers of students and the amounts of time they spend in the planning and teaching groups. The updated jigsaw version does not demand that only one person in the group have access to the materials. Remember, in the planning group everyone is talking and learning the material. Each person then takes what they have learned and teaches a member from the other groups what they have learned. Simple. This is one of those times when success arrives by not thinking about it too much. Use this recipe for the jigsaw.  
Paired DiscussionsThis is a two person activity. It concludes with a summary presentation of your partner’s answers. Each person becomes a Listener/Questioner and a Talker/Answerer. In a Paired Discussion each person takes notes on what they hear and asks follow-up questions to get more detail and understanding. Then the roles are switched. Short time frames make Paired Discussions work. Perhaps, allow five minutes for each person and two or three minutes for each person’s summary. The more complex or open-ended the question may mean more time is needed for thinking and talking. Once again, don’t fret over an exact time frame, but be prepared to call time to give each person opportunities to talk and listen. Use this recipe for Paired Discussions.
Save the Last Word for MeThis final top three collaborative learning strategy works well with any reading assignment—literature, science, social studies, math, engineering, art, etc. Students use the most appropriate writing application in Save the Last Word for Me. As the students read the assignment, they select four quotes (or other ideas) they believe to be very important. They also write what they think about the quote. If you use 4x5 index cards, write the quote on the front and what is thought about the quote on the back. The students are put into groups of three or four and read their quote. Others respond to the quote. The person who offered the quote gets the last word by stating why he or she selected that quote. Use this recipe for Save the Last Word for Me.
Grant Zimmerman is the Senior Education Consultant with Knowledge Network Solutions—Leaders in Technology Integration in Schools. Grant is also on the faculty of The National Paideia Center at the University of North Carolina. He leads educators in Professional Development sessions on the Paideia Seminar, the Paideia Project, and Technology Integration. You can reach Grant at gzimmerman@northcarolina.edu. 

 

 

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