The present book entitled “co-operative learning: a strategy for effective classroom teaching in social science” (An empirical study) has been specially designed to equip the teacher and teacher educators with as much knowledge on all aspects as per recommendations of NPE-1986, NCF-2005and 2011. Education is one of the most important factors in achieving the developmental goals of a country. Social Science is one among those subjects which is an essential element of education. Social Science is a subject which broadens the horizon of an individual and develops various skills and provides opportunity for the professional growth of an individual. Social Science has become a greater value in the present day; Social Science has spread its net on all over the fields of life. Before the days of early printing when books were not easily available, the knowledge was imparted by the teachers from their own store by lecturing and discussion. With the advancement of educational technology and educational research the educationists evolved many teaching skills and techniques, which resulted in effective teaching. The teachers are required to teach in such a way xii that the students should learn better, understand well and also feel interested while learning. The scope of the book has been made broad-based and comprehensive and the approach is practical and functional. Practical approach followed in dealing with topics such as model approach with reference to Cooperative learning model, currents trends in social science teaching-learning process like collaborative learning approach, methodology, analysis and interpretation of data and at the end findings of research along with educational implications of present study are discussed. The author, therefore hope that this book which is very informative for teachers working at secondary schools and teacher-educators. We hope that this book would meet the needs of both the students, teachers and teacher educators and especially would be researchers in the field of education. We look forward to and appreciate suggestions from the intelligentsia to improve the book.

"Gilles focuses the majority of the book on the relationship in the classroom between the individual teacher and the students. She gives teachers ammunition to overcome resistance to cooperative learning by presenting well-substantiated research on virtually every page of her book showing the benefits of having students study together." —Ted Wohlfarth, PSYCCRITIQUES "This text's greatest strengths are bringing together a range of powerful teaching strategies connected to students taking responsibility for their own learning and the learning of others. The focus on both teacher strategies to encourage effective group talk and student strategies to encourage effective discourse is helpful." —Nancy L. Markowitz, San Jose State University Although cooperative learning is widely endorsed as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning and socialization among students, teachers still struggle with how to introduce it into their classrooms. This text highlights the strategies teachers can use to challenge student thinking and scaffold their learning as well as the strategies students can be taught to promote discourse, problem—solving, and learning during cooperative learning. Key Features Presents cooperative learning in conjunction with national standards: The book situates cooperative learning within the context of No Child Left Behind and a climate of high stakes testing. Links theory with practice: Numerous case studies and small group exercises highlight how teachers can assess both the process and outcomes of cooperative learning. Emphasizes the key role teachers play in establishing cooperative learning: Guidelines are given on how teachers can establish cooperative learning in their classrooms to promote student engagement and learning across various levels and for students of diverse abilities. Incorporates the latest research on cooperative learning: An overview is provided of the major research and theoretical perspectives that underpin the development of cooperative learning pedagogy. Intended Audience This is an excellent supplementary text for several undergraduate and graduate level K—12 teacher preparation and certification courses regularly offered in schools of education. It can also be used as one of several texts in courses on cooperative learning and as a supplement in K—12 teaching methods courses. Talk to the author! [email protected]

This collection of theoretical and empirical research addresses the most recent advances in cooperative learning and its applications, implications, and effects on teachers and students at both the elementary and secondary levels. The central concern of the contributors is how a set of particular instruction methods affects people in classrooms and what this form of instruction contributes or fails to contribute to them. In their attempt to illuminate some of the major effects of cooperative learning methods, the contributors discuss a number of theoretical and practical issues not covered elsewhere, including the effects of cooperative learning on teachers, on high school science studies, on student motivation, and on the acquisition of group process and learning skills. Educational psychologists and researchers as well as teachers in training will find Cooperative Learning an illuminating source of information about a model of teaching that, the contributors argue, produces a wide range of positive effects on both the teacher and student populations. Taken together, these chapters demonstrate a wider applicability and more socially and psychologically important impacts of cooperative learning than have been documented before. Among the topics addressed are cooperative learning and achievement, treating status problems in the cooperative classroom, cooperative learning models, teachers' verbal behavior in cooperative and whole-class instruction, and the effects of cooperative learning on ethnic relations. The contributors are united in their belief that cooperative learning promises to provide a viable alternative to the predominantly verbal-presentation type of teaching that is still the norm in most Western classrooms. The research reported here will help establish a central role for cooperative learning methods in the training and practice of classroom instruction as we enter the 1990s.

Cooperative Learning In Social Studies provides practical assistance to both new and experienced teachers who are seeking effective small-group alternatives or additions to their current social studies teaching repertoire.

This bulletin provides a context for and an overview of cooperative learning addressing concerns and answering questions teachers, supervisors, and parents may have about this group approach to teaching and learning in the social studies. The intention was to help social studies educators construct a sound conceptual foundation for cooperative learning while eliminating misconceptions. Nine chapters detail building an adequate introductory conceptual framework for envisioning cooperative learning as a viable alternative approach to teaching in the social studies classroom. The first chapter introduces the concept, philosophy, and practice of cooperative learning. The second chapter focuses on the classroom environment and classroom characteristics with and without cooperative learning groups. Chapters 3 and 4 contain reviews of the literature that address effects of cooperative learning in classroom settings. Chapter 5, 6, and 7 focus on classroom teachers. In these three chapters teachers from first grade through secondary school discuss how cooperative learning has worked in their classrooms. They provide a unique perspective on how one can make the transition from using traditional teaching methods to becoming a successful user of cooperative learning. Practical ideas about how to implement cooperative learning in social studies classrooms are included, as well as some historical context for group learning. The final chapter features a dialogue of a group of teachers who are training to use cooperative learning. A position statement on ability grouping is included. (DK)

Research has identified cooperative learning as one of the ten High Impact Practices that improve student learning. If you’ve been interested in cooperative learning, but wondered how it would work in your discipline, this book provides the necessary theory, and a wide range of concrete examples.Experienced users of cooperative learning demonstrate how they use it in settings as varied as a developmental mathematics course at a community college, and graduate courses in history and the sciences, and how it works in small and large classes, as well as in hybrid and online environments. The authors describe the application of cooperative learning in biology, economics, educational psychology, financial accounting, general chemistry, and literature at remedial, introductory, and graduate levels.The chapters showcase cooperative learning in action, at the same time introducing the reader to major principles such as individual accountability, positive interdependence, heterogeneous teams, group processing, and social or leadership skills.The authors build upon, and cross-reference, each others’ chapters, describing particular methods and activities in detail. They explain how and why they may differ about specific practices while exemplifying reflective approaches to teaching that never fail to address important assessment issues.