Cooperative learning in a PGCE classroom.

I have been a lecturer in Further Education (FE) for sixteen years; twelve of these as a business lecturer, and four in teacher education where I teach on the PGCE PCET (Post-Compulsory Education and Training). I have recently completed an MSc in Learning and Teaching, researching continuous professional development (CPD) in FE colleges. During my masters level studies I began to develop a deeper understanding of cooperative learning, working as a group with team goals, a method that Salvin (1989) argues has a significant effect on student achievement and socialisation. Cooperative learning focuses on group interaction, as opposed to collaborative learning that emphasises the development of shared meaning. In order for cooperative learning to be successful consideration needs to be given to the structure of the groups(Johnson and Johnson, 2009) and the ways in which students talk to each other (Mercer et al, 2004)I designed a group exploration activity where students focused on discovery of a topic of theirchoosing via the internet. They used the classroom space to exchange ideas and resources, and were set a team goal of peer teaching their colleagues at the end of the activity. I modelled the types of high level cognitive talk discussed by Gillies (2016); probing feelings, bringing in other students’ views and challenging ideas. By facilitating students working together to achieve shared goals I aimed to explore and broaden their understanding of curriculum and pedagogies, in particular the ways in which group interaction can benefit learning.

(PDF) Cooperative Learning in the PGCE classroom. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319532414_Cooperative_Learning_in_the_PGCE_classroom [accessed Apr 23 2025].