From Group-based Learning to Cooperative Learning: A Metacognitive Approach to Project-based Group Supervision

Abstract

Group-based learning creates an environment in which students can practice, gain, and improve soft skills such as leadership, communication, social, and conflict resolution skills. However, simply placing students in groups and creating group-based assessment tasks will not necessarily result in students developing and practicing these skills. Instead, specific approaches, such as cooperative learning in this case, need to be followed to ensure students develop theses skills. Of the six principles of cooperative learning, the first four (positive interdependence, accountability, team formation, and team size) can be addressed in the manner in which the groups are formed, its size, group assessment tasks, and the way in which the tasks are assessed. The remaining two principles, cognitive development and social development, can be addressed through a metacognitive approach to group supervision, which are detailed in this paper.

Student Centered Approach to Teaching: What Does it Mean for the Stakeholders of a Community School in Karachi, Pakistan?

“…To achieve this group performance, learners can seek help of peers in group and teachers on the site for "guidance, wise counsel, critique and encouragement" (Weimer, 2002, p. 20) and collaboration. Therefore, the role of a learner becomes more responsible to be a partner in learning that is a paradigm shift, which is missing in teacher centered approach where students remain passive learners (Cheong, 2010;O"Neill & McMahon, 2005).…”

Alternatives for Pragmatic Responses to Group Work Problems

“…However, the educational context includes a less obvious flow from student-to-student as it occurs in the context of group work (Cheong, 2010). Project-based group work is a complex informing situation in which student-to-student informing is critical since much of the work and learning occurs between students when not in the presence of the instructor.…”

“…The framework also captures the need or task that drives the communication, as well as the contextual envi- This transdiscipline initially focused on the direct information flow from an informer to a client. Within an educational context, the framework obviously relates to information flows between an instructor and a learner (Cheong, 2010). These dynamics mirror any learning situation wherein the informer is the educator, the client is the student, and the educational process both informs and is informed by interaction with the client (Murray & Pérez, 2015).…”

“…Project-based group work is a complex informing situation in which student-to-student informing is critical since much of the work and learning occurs between students when not in the presence of the instructor. The transdiscipline has matured and broadened its focus to include these complex informing situations (Cheong, 2010). Project-based group work requires students to act alternately as "client-senders" or "clientrecipients" (Gill & Cohen, 2008).…”

Learning and Instruction: Social-Cognitive Perspectives

“…Thus, children may withdraw their participation to avoid the possibility of being exploited by 'social loafers' within the group (Liden et al 2004). Second, it is accepted that tasks should be inherently group based and not amenable to completion by individuals working independently What is needed is a task that requires resources (information, knowledge, heuristic problemsolving strategies, materials, and skills) that no single individual possesses, so that no single individual is likely to solve the problem or accomplish the task objectives without at least some input from others (Cheong, 2010). Third, tasks should be challenging relative to children's current level of understanding (OFSTED, 2012).…”