What is cooperative learning?

Cooperative learning is a way to study or work in a group to achieve same goal. Students will interact with each other to process the lecture lessons. Each student needs to take some responsibilities to help the group out. Some of the lessons can be hard, so students will have to communicate with other members and learn how to work together. The important thing of this method is trying to learn from your competitor and work with your opponent. This method is also a way to help students engage more instead of working by themselves. Nowadays, the society is likely pay attention to individual work so people will be less likely to work together. According to the theory in 1900s, Kurt Koffka found that interdependence is existing among more than one person involve and impact on each other. More people involve will increase the motivation on cooperative and competitive behavior (David W Johnson and Roger T Johnson). Cooperative learning will base on the teacher’s lesson and expand the idea more in a small group. People will be more comfortable to share the ideas in small group.

Cooperative learning in Visual art:

Cooperative learning can be hard for visual art depend on what is the project. Because of the individual thinking, everyone will have their own creative idea. However, it will be helpful if people do step by step. For example, when one person has no idea what to do, the group can do brainstorm together. And figure out the best way to express the whole feeling. Visual art involves full of knowledge and creativity, so when the small group have different ideas, they can share their ideas with each other. Different background and different imagination may help to gain knowledge through this activity. Visual art is a big piece to achieve like sometime students need to draw an art on wall. This method can reduce individual pressure, and everyone have chance to work on something. People will learn how to draw with other people and take the responsibility to support other members. I believe if people use more cooperative learning, the art will be much different and mixture due to new ideas.

Use cooperative learning in learning resource:

I think this cooperative learning idea will help our group project. My group project is focusing on grade 6 to 8 students and teach them how to use painting to express their feeling in a collaborative mural assignment. This method can be really helpful because grade 6 to 8 students do not have full of experience so they can learn a lot from other group members. Learning with same age students are actually quicker than teacher directly teaching lessons. Students will find more fun to share their stories and ideas. Cognitive and human interactive are developing fast during young ages. Students may build more self confidence and engagement through this project. If students are using this method repeatedly, it will be easier to help them build retrieval memory. When they attend work in future, they can use this knowledge to work with other people.

Reference:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341495725_Usage_of_Cooperative_Teaching_Method_in_Visual_Arts_Education

http://www.co-operation.org/what-is-cooperative-learning