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60 Second-Strategy: Cooperative Learning Roles

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·         Allal, L., & Pelgrims Ducrey, G. (2000). Assessment of—or in—the zone of proximal development. Learning And Instruction, 10(2), 137-152. doi: 10.1016/s0959-4752(99)00025-0

·         Dyson, B., Griffin, L., & Hastie, P. (2004). Sport Education, Tactical Games, and Cooperative Learning: Theoretical and Pedagogical Considerations. Quest, 56(2), 226-240. doi: 10.1080/00336297.2004.10491823

Naylor, S. & Keogh, B. (1999). Constructivism in classroom: Theory into practice. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 10, 93-106.

·         Standage, M., Gillison, F., Ntoumanis, N., & Treasure, D. (2012). Predicting Students’ Physical Activity and Health-Related Well-Being: A Prospective Cross-Domain Investigation of Motivation across School Physical Education and Exercise Settings. Journal Of Sport And Exercise Psychology, 34(1), 56. doi: 10.1123/jsep.34.1.37

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Pupils' literacy skills will be developed through the following activities:

Learning key words and phrases associated with team challenges.

Communicating in groups and conveying the positives and negatives associated with choosing certain solutions.

Written tasks where students must convey what they have learnt.

Language of argument or persuasion will be developed through telling a group why their solution is the best option.

Pupils' numeracy skills will be developed through the following activities

Becoming aware of space available to them while trying to solve challenges.

Becoming aware of patterns that will solve problems.

Reflecting on pathways and distances covered.

Becoming aware of a routine and stages in a problem solving system.

Working against the clock while completing challenges will develop time management and time allocation.

Digital Literacy

Students will become more digitally literate through engagement with this scheme/instructional model through the elements of technology incorporated. There will be constant use of digital learning walls which will require the students to challenge their digital literacy skills each week. For their team challenges, there will be the school iPad’s available for the students for both peer and self-assessment, all with the cooperative learning instructional model in mind, i.e. peer assessment for team improvement and peer learning and support.

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Assessment throughout the six week block of work will come in the form of teacher visual and auditory observation, written tasks, higher order questioning and peer and self-assessment in the challenges. Introductions and conclusions will be used as ideal opportunities to recap on the lesson and link learning.

Assessment will be mainly carried out in a formative manner allowing students to learn from the challenges. During all team challenges the teacher will observe the group work to assess how students are working on their communication, working with others and problem solving skills. The teacher may assign students worksheets in conclusions in order to get them to reflect on their own learning. These worksheets may also be examined by the teacher in order to assess a student’s development. The teacher will check for understanding throughout lessons as a form of assessment. Students will be questioned inside their zone of proximal development (Allal & Pelgrims Ducrey, 2000) so that they are not given too difficult of a task- the instructional model of cooperative learning is in place to aid this. Furthermore throughout challenges teams will be given opportunities to reflect on why they succeeded or failed or indeed why the other team succeeded or failed. This will encourage peer and self-assessment throughout the theme.

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“the motivational and well-being benefits that students experience from interactions with autonomy-supportive teachers, who provide social conditions that are conducive to students experiencing support for their basic needs” (Standage, Gillison, Ntoumanis & Treasure, 2012, p.p 56)

The area of wellbeing is one we in Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál PE department have placed a huge emphasis on this year. In order to make wellbeing visible to the students, we have placed posters around the hall showing the indicators of wellbeing. This scheme will target wellbeing through the very nature of the instructional model in place. Cooperative learning instructional model is one which allows indicators such as feeling connected, respected and active to be hit with almost every activity. The rationale for combining cooperative learning and team challenges fosters the spirit of what wellbeing in a broader sense encompasses.

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The entirety of this six week module will be held in the hall. Students will be presented with the information through a variety of teaching styles including guided-discovery, peer learning and command style. Lessons will begin by students congregating around the learning wall. The roll will be called and any housekeeping issues will be tackled. Gear will be inspected and any illness/injury notes will be noted. The teacher will recap on the previous lesson in order to link the learning. This helps create continuity in the module. The teacher will then share the learning intentions with the students. By building on earlier skills and previous knowledge students are able to benefit more from learning process and progress further in their development (Naylor & Keogh, 1999, p.93).

The teacher will use a learning wall in order to introduce the theme for the day. The students will gather around the learning wall during the explanation. The teacher will then proceed into a short warm-up which is in some way related to the theme being covered. Then the teacher will move into the developments of the lesson which will provide the students with challenges and the apparatus to solve them. These will get increasingly more difficult as the students develop their problem solving skills. The students may refer to the learning wall at any point for further help in solving the problem. The students will be placed in teams/groups for all activities where possible, so as particular focus is paid to cooperative learning to be in line with the instructional model.

The lesson will conclude with a short cool down depending on the amount of activity undertaken in the lesson. The teacher will then recap on the lesson and readdress the learning intentions. The students will be questioned on the learning intentions to check for understanding. They also may fill in worksheets describing what key skills they used during the lesson.

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Team challenges is an excellent part of the J.C PE curriculum for third years to engage with. This is due to its emphasis on key skills such as communication and working with others. It can allow the students to become accustomed and relaxed with the idea of working with their class and showing the necessary level of maturity to do so as they progress beyond junior cycle stage. This will aid in conveying that PE will take place in a safe and enjoyable environment for all. Providing the students with suitable challenges also provides a range of positives. Students can develop leadership and group work skills. They can improve their independence and self-confidence by overcoming challenges. Also they will improve their critical analysis and problem solving skills. This will occur as groups discuss possible solutions to problems faced.

I hope my approach to this theme will allow students to be placed in an environment where many solutions to problems are possible and they must choose the most suitable. This will ensure that the key skills listed above must be developed throughout the lessons to overcome the challenges. Finally as well as allowing the students to become comfortable in their environment it also gives them transferable skills. The skills of communication, working with others and problem solving are immediately transferable to almost all other strands on the curriculum. This gives students a solid base to build on moving forward in the curriculum.

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Rationale for Selection of Instructional Model

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Rationale for Selection of Instructional Model

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“Cooperative Learning allows for participation to occur in a student-centered learning curriculum as opposed to a teacher-centered teaching curriculum” (Dyson, Griffin & Hastie, 2004)

This is a mixed ability, mixed gender third year group. In general, the majority of the class are motivated and enjoy physical education. However, there are a number of students who struggle with basic motor skills, both fine and gross, and therefore seem disengaged in physical education. These students generally seem uninterested when sports are played during physical education class. I feel this instructional model would suit this group as it will allow the students to see physical education as a means to support one another, both in the psychomotor and cognitive domains, as they seek to understand and complete the team challenges tasks. It will also highlight that physical education and physical activity are not solely confined to sports, but rather lifelong physical activity is attainable through alternative means in a social setting such as the cooperative learning instructional model environment. I feel this model will be effective at this time of the year and with team challenges as the third years face into the stress of the exams, this model aims to form a togetherness amongst the class to foster the spirit of unity during this important stage of their education.

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Prior Knowledge:

The students are now coming towards the end of their junior cycle PE curriculum and thus have completed many different strands and games. They have extensive experience in both team and individual games and sports. Students seem comfortable working in both individual dynamics and have a good knowledge of what is required for team games. However, they have not yet experienced a scheme solely focused on team challenges.

Prior Skills:

As stated above, the students have vast experience in almost of the strands on the PE curriculum for junior cycle. They have a competent level is fundamental movement skills for the most part, although some students struggle with basic movements and skills still. Having completed schemes in individual and team exercises, they have some teamwork skills, although further work is required in this scheme.

Prior Attitudes:

For the majority of the class, they are generally motivated to take part in Physical Education. As per the norm, there are some who are completely unmotivated by PE and are regular non-participants. However, this scheme focusing on team challenges will aim to help them through the co-operative learning model.