Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Chapter 7 Cooperative Learning is full of wonderful strategies to use that incorporate the idea of Social Learning. Social Learning is defined by Dr. Orey as, "students who are engaged in constructing artifact and conversing with others" (Laureate Education, 2009). I totally agree that getting students involved and talking is very important to their learning. My first year teaching I was given a poster with this information on it and I have had it hanging in my room ever since:

We retain:

10% of what we read
20% of what you hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we talk about with others
80% of what we experience personally
95% of what we teach to others

I point this poster out at the beginning of year and explain to all of my kids how important it is for them to get involved in their education. "When students work in cooperative groups, they make sense of, or construct meaning for, new knowledge by interacting with others" (Johnson, Johnson, & Staane, 2000).

Chapter 7 has many wonderful ideas of how you can get students actively discussing their learning. One strategy is using Numbered Heads Together. This is a strategy that I am already using in my classroom. My school district has adopted the Max Thompson Learning Focused concept and using Numbered Heads was one of the big strategies that he focuses on. I have a picture of a clock on each of the students desks. There is a line at 12, 3, 6, and 9. On each line there is a students name. The 12 and 3:00 appointments are someone right at their table. The 6 and 9:00 appointments are someone in the classroom. When I want the students to work in partners I tell them which appointment to meet with and they know exactly who to go to. If I don't have a lot of time I'll choose 12 or 3 since the students don't have to move. This is a great way to get the students talking and moving when I want them to and it's done quickly and in an organized fashion.

In addition, it is important to have the students talk about and summarize what they are learning every so often during the lesson. You should not just wait till the end and then summarize what they learned. Max Thompson suggests you have them "do something" whether it be an activity or talking after their age plus two in minutes. So for example, if they are 9 and 10 years old, every 12 minutes or so they should be talking or doing something. This helps the students retain the information.

All of the suggestions that they gave in the book were excellent ways to get the students actively talking while being engaged at the same time. The more the students use what you are teaching them, the better chance they have at remembering it.