4 Strategies for Using Cooperative Learning for Review

Ideas in Education: Using Cooperative Learning for Review

While review games like Kahoot! and Jeopardy can be fun, they often only confirm the learning of some students and provide little help for students who haven't yet mastered the content. It's easy to use cooperative learning strategies for review and test preparation, and unlike review games or worksheets, you're able to build student knowledge, advance learning and build interpersonal skills. The below strategies can be competitive and cooperative, making them fun and productive where the success of each student depends on the teamwork and hard work of the other members in the group.

Strategy 1: Marketplace

1. Strategically split the class into groups. Each group is given one subtopic. Groups should create a poster-style presentation for their subtopic. 
2. One person from each group stays. The rest of the group goes visiting other groups. One student visits group B, one visits C, one visits D, etc. Visitors are responsible for taking notes. (Some teachers find it effective to require the person who stays only to answer questions after allowing the visitors to review the poster. This helps ensure that everyone is responsible for learning).
3. After a set amount of time, everyone returns to their original groups and shares their knowledge. 
4. Assessment: It is important to assess students soon after completing this activity. Assessment can be formal or informal: a quiz/test, a discussion, a learning activity, etc. Students are not permitted to view their notes or posters. A possible strategy is to have students check the work of their groupmates.

Tips:

• Limit the number of words that can be used on the poster. 
• Strategically grouping may mean grouping students by ability/readiness in this activity and providing least-ready students with the simplest topic. 
• Depending on your students or groups, determine whether or not you give students resources. 

Strategy 2: Snowballing 

1. Students are placed in groups (either randomly or teacher-selected) of 3-5. 
2. Students are given questions or problems to do, and students work individually on these.
3. After the set amount of time expires, students enter their groups and compare their answers, their thinking process, etc. This is an important focus for this stage as it makes the learning visible and focuses on the reasoning and why--not just the answer. 
4. The teacher then provides each group with exemplars to compare their group's answers to. 

Strategy 3: Numbered Heads Together 

This strategy is best used for reviewing information before a test. A high-functioning group supports each member and provides opportunities for practice and discussion.

1. Students are placed in groups and each person is given a number. 
2. The teacher asks/posts a question and groups are required to put their heads together to figure out the answer. Provide each group with a set amount of time to answer the question (more simplistic/closed answer questions require less time and open-ended questions, require more time). 
3. The teacher then calls a specific number to respond to the class. This ensures that each member is responsible for knowing the answer. They cannot receive help at this point. Some teachers like to have each group use a small whiteboard for the student in each group to write down their groups answer and then ask all the number 3's for example to show their boards at the same time. 

Tips:

• It may be helpful to keep track of the number of correct answers given by each group. This increases the accountability even if it's not entered into the gradebook. 
• Ensure that students have the correct answers. If you are pulling the questions from a review, encourage students to write down the answers to use for studying. 
• If you are using more open-ended questions (those without right/wrong answers), have students agree or disagree with the other group before sharing their answer. You may also require/encourage a clarifying or deep question as part of the process.

 Strategy 4: Showdown

1. Place students in groups. 
2. Provide each group with a set of problem cards. 
3. The group determines who the first leader is. 
4. The leader picks up a problem card and reads the question aloud before placing the card in the middle for everyone to be able to read. 
5. Without talking, students individually write down answers on a dry erase board. When finished, they turn their boards upside down. 
6. The leader then says, "Showdown!" and everyone flips their boards. 
7. The leader checks all of the answers. 
8. If the answer is incorrect (see tips), the group is responsible for correcting the error and teaching each other. The card is placed back in pile in this case. 
9. Rotate the cards and the leader. 

Tips: 

• Cards can have questions and answers, depending on the learning intention. The answers can be checked by providing an answer key. You may also choose to not provide the answers and require students to find the correct answer.
• The assignment can be varied based on student need. If for example, you have several students who have mastered the content, you can place them in a group with higher-order thinking questions for enrichment.  
• Since everyone will be a leader, use an icebreaker question to determine the first leader. This can be something as simple as Who woke up first this morning? to a more complex thing like What's the most bizarre food you've ever eaten? (groups then vote on the most bizarre...this is also a great opportunity for a conversation on what's bizarre is often cultural).

Always Debrief

With all assignments, but in particular cooperative ones, it's important to provide students with time to reflect and debrief. Encourage students to identify what they learned and where they fell short. Have them discuss what worked and what didn't work and why?

What are some cooperative learning techniques that you use for review?  

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