Expanding Cooperative Learning Through Group Investigation

Group Investigation - a method for classroom instruction in which students work collaboratively in small groups, and take an active part in establishing their learning goals - continues to gain popularity. With increased interest has come the need for a comprehensive work on the subject - a thesis, a research review, and handbook. In this book, the authors provide an explanation of the philosophy, foundations, and current practice of Group Investigation. The authors give suggestions for ways of developing in a class the necessary discussion and cooperative skills, as well as detailed examples of projects in elementary and upper grades. In addition, they examine the experimental evidence of the method's effectiveness. The Sharans conclude with a presentation of two training programmes, one for teachers applying Group Investigation for the first time, and the other for those with some experience in cooperative learning who wish to expand and refine their techniques. This book should prove an indispensable tool for pre-and in-service teachers, staff developers, and other professionals dissatisfied with traditional "whole class" teaching and wishing to create with their students a learning environment where they are facilitators of cooperative inquiry, guides to acquisition of social skills, and active participants in a rewarding learning process.