Effectiveness of Working Individually Versus Cooperative Groups: a Classroom-Based Research Project
Effectiveness of Working Individually Versus Cooperative Groups: A Classroom-Based Research Project
Eilisha Joy Bryson, Research Practitioner University of Pennsylvania Masters in Science Education Program EDUC 545-631~Leadership for Middle School Science April 7, 2007
Research Practitioner’s Contact Information: ebryson@phila.k12.pa.us http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~jbryson/
Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 2
Abstract This purpose of this mathematics classroom-based research study is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? I have been at a crossroads trying to determine if and when to allow students to work together or to make them work alone because students do not always manage the social aspects of group work so that it will be advantageous to them. Half of the class was instructed that they would complete their work by working in groups; the other half of the class would complete their work by themselves. I compared students’ pretest results to their post-test results. In both categories there was not much change in understanding from the beginning of the unit to the end of the unit, making it difficult to conclude which student category showed better improvements in understanding. Finally, conclusions about further research are discussed.
Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 3 Background This study investigates students’ understandings about mathematics. The purpose of the research is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? This idea of group dynamics has been studied and researched, but in my experience, I have had mixed results. In some situations, students help each other, their time is spent on task and they benefit from peer interactions. At other times, students spend their time chatting
Eilisha Joy Bryson, Research Practitioner University of Pennsylvania Masters in Science Education Program EDUC 545-631~Leadership for Middle School Science April 7, 2007
Research Practitioner’s Contact Information: ebryson@phila.k12.pa.us http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~jbryson/
Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 2
Abstract This purpose of this mathematics classroom-based research study is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? I have been at a crossroads trying to determine if and when to allow students to work together or to make them work alone because students do not always manage the social aspects of group work so that it will be advantageous to them. Half of the class was instructed that they would complete their work by working in groups; the other half of the class would complete their work by themselves. I compared students’ pretest results to their post-test results. In both categories there was not much change in understanding from the beginning of the unit to the end of the unit, making it difficult to conclude which student category showed better improvements in understanding. Finally, conclusions about further research are discussed.
Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 3 Background This study investigates students’ understandings about mathematics. The purpose of the research is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? This idea of group dynamics has been studied and researched, but in my experience, I have had mixed results. In some situations, students help each other, their time is spent on task and they benefit from peer interactions. At other times, students spend their time chatting
References: Haahr, M. (1998). Randomized sequences. Retrieved February 2007 from http://www.random.org/sform.html Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 15 Kulik, J Mills, R. (1997). Grouping Students for Instruction in Middle Schools. ERIC Digest, Retrieved January 2007, from http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-1/grouping.html Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon., (2005)