BASIC COURSE OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING
The aim of this course is to organize, through the use innovative teaching and learning techniques, a continuous professional formation for teachers in active employment, considered integral part of the teaching and learning improvement process. This path consists of an intensive course taught by specialists concerning Cooperative Learning, guided tours of the companies of the area and guided tours of the most important historic and cultural locations of Apulia.
The meetings will be organized following the cooperative methods. It will give the opportunity to experience the real meaning of “active learning”, instead of “passive learning” of the frontal lesson.
Course Goals:
- put in contact the educators with the themes of the cooperative learning,
- analyse the characteristics of the cooperative learning,
- compare the own teaching experience with innovative educational methods to respond to the XXI century challenges,
- incisive exam of the educational units in cooperation and creation of new ones.
Covered Topics:
- characteristics of the cooperative learning,
- importance of the social abilities education,
- techniques to organize the work for student contexts as well as possible,
- examples of activities application of cooperative learning.
Duration: 1 week (7 days divided in: 4 course days (16 total hours), 1 guided tour to a different institute, 2 guided tours to companies of the area, 3 cultural guided tours, 1 cooking class of the typical Apulian products).
The formative path:
In this course, some work groups made up of teachers and educators will be formed, in order to experience new methods and techniques of teaching. In particular, favourable conditions will be created to test the cooperative learning with the opportunity to discuss, mutually oversee and activities monitoring.
The formative path activities include:
- planning of the short-term activities using cooperative methods,
- building-team creation,
- team work and trial,
- project work,
- case analysis,
- guided tour of an institute of the area and cultural tours.
Modules contents
Concerning the themes, the contents of the meetings taught by professionals will be:
- Day 1: Cooperative Learning principles (basic five elements of cooperative learning: promotional vis-à-vis interaction; positive interdependence; individual and group responsibilities; social abilities teaching; group evaluation and considerations [Group Processing]).
- Day 2: Cooperative Learning principles (social abilities teaching; structures as the practical codified forms of cooperative learning). Cooperative Learning principles (nine types of positive interdependence).
- Day 3: forms of a gradual and “delicate migration” towards the use of the cooperative learning in a class. Design of pair-work activities.
- Day 4: planning of actions with other complex structures. Examples of application of the cooperative learning methods to the studying method (cross element to every discipline) and to some subjects of the studying plan.