scholarly journals Strengthening Teaching Effectiveness Through Cooperative Learning Activities

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-257
Author(s):  
Elsa Sánchez ◽  
Richard Craig
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Plant Systematics ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
State University ◽  
Pennsylvania State University ◽  
School Students ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Laboratory Examinations

A variety of cooperative activities are part of the plant systematics course at The Pennsylvania State University: a learning fair hosted by the students enrolled in the course for elementary school students, applied laboratory examinations, and applied laboratory exercises. Each activity was constructed to engage students in the learning process as well as to aid in developing useful skills for future employment. A survey administered to students enrolled in the course from 2003 to 2005 revealed that most students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that they liked working in cooperative groups and learned from other group members. Student participation in the lecture portion of the course increased as cooperative activities were completed. Organization and planning were vital to using these activities, as were small groups and adequate incentives for completing activities.

scholarly journals Increasing Teaching Effectiveness through Collaborative Learning Activities

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 974A-974
Author(s):  
Elsa Sanchez ◽  
Richard Craig
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Plant Systematics ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
School Students ◽  
Penn State ◽  
Laboratory Examinations

The Plant Systematics course at Penn State University was reformatted in 1995 based on a three-dimensional model. It now includes several collaborative learning activities: a learning fair hosted by the enrolled students for elementary school students; applied laboratory exercises; and applied laboratory examinations. Each activity has a specific objective and was constructed to strengthen teaching effectiveness and to aid students in developing useful skills for future employment. A survey was administered to students enrolled in the course from 2003 through 2005 in part to assess the collaborative learning activities. Most students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that they liked working in collaborative groups and learned from other group members. Students preferred working in groups for laboratory examinations more than for the Asteraceae Fair and learned more from their peers while completing the laboratory exercises than in laboratory examinations. Student participation in the lecture portion of the course increased as collaborative learning activities were completed. Camaraderie with peers through group work may have created an atmosphere conducive to participation and/or involvement during lectures. Organization and planning were vital to the success of these activities, as were using small groups and providing adequate incentives for completing activities. These activities engaged students to become active participants in the teaching and learning process.

scholarly journals Students Teaching Students: Undergraduate Students as Laboratory Instructors

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-261
Author(s):  
Elsa Sánchez ◽  
Richard Craig
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Plant Systematics ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
State University ◽  
Pennsylvania State University ◽  
Teaching Methodologies ◽  
Positive Item

Undergraduate students teach laboratory sessions in the plant systematics course at The Pennsylvania State University. To assess student-taught laboratory sessions, surveys were administered to student instructors and students enrolled in the course. Benefits to student instructors included increased technical knowledge, new perspectives on teaching methodologies, and acquiring a positive item to add to résumés. Student instructors also practiced leadership skills. Enrolled students generally assessed the laboratory sessions favorably. Organization and planning were vital to the success of this teaching method. This teaching method also required increased departmental funding relative to other courses.

A Cooperative Species

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Bowles ◽  
Herbert Gintis
Keyword(s):  
Common Good ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
Social Emotions ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Group Competition ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Shame And Guilt ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Common ◽  
Ethnographic Data

Why do humans, uniquely among animals, cooperate in large numbers to advance projects for the common good? Contrary to the conventional wisdom in biology and economics, this generous and civic-minded behavior is widespread and cannot be explained simply by far-sighted self-interest or a desire to help close genealogical kin. This book shows that the central issue is not why selfish people act generously, but instead how genetic and cultural evolution has produced a species in which substantial numbers make sacrifices to uphold ethical norms and to help even total strangers. The book describes how, for thousands of generations, cooperation with fellow group members has been essential to survival. Groups that created institutions to protect the civic-minded from exploitation by the selfish flourished and prevailed in conflicts with less cooperative groups. Key to this process was the evolution of social emotions such as shame and guilt, and our capacity to internalize social norms so that acting ethically became a personal goal rather than simply a prudent way to avoid punishment. Using experimental, archaeological, genetic, and ethnographic data to calibrate models of the coevolution of genes and culture as well as prehistoric warfare and other forms of group competition, the book provides a compelling and novel account of human cooperation.

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