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Cooperative Group Problem Solving in Physics Paperback – Dec 1 2004
- ISBN-10 0534377564
- ISBN-13 978-0534377564
- Publisher Brooks/Cole Pub Co
- Publication date Dec 1 2004
- Language English
- Dimensions 18.9 x 2 x 24.6 cm
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- Publisher : Brooks/Cole Pub Co (Dec 1 2004)
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 0534377564
- ISBN-13 : 978-0534377564
- Item weight : 331 g
- Dimensions : 18.9 x 2 x 24.6 cm
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Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups
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Patricia Heller , Mark Hollabaugh; Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups. Am. J. Phys. 1 July 1992; 60 (7): 637–644. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17118
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A supportive environment based on cooperative grouping was developed to foster students’ learning of an effective problem‐solving strategy. Experiments to adapt the technique of cooperative grouping to physics problem solving were carried out in two diverse settings: a large introductory course at state university, and a small modern physics class at a community college. Groups were more likely to use an effective problem‐solving strategy when given context‐rich problems to solve than when given standard textbook problems. Well‐functioning cooperative groups were found to result from specific structural and management procedures governing group members’ interactions. Group size, the gender and ability composition of groups, seating arrangement, role assignment, textbook use, and group as well as individual testing were all found to contribute to the problem‐solving performance of cooperative groups.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Cooperative-Group Problem Solving
For a more extended discussion of the following questions, see Heller and Hollabaugh (1992), Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups, American Journal of Physics , 60 : 637-644.
What is the optimal group size?
We have found that groups of three work a little better than pairs or groups of four. With pairs, there is often not enough physics knowledge to solve the problem. In groups of four, one member tends to be left out of the process.
When the class size is not divisible by three, however, we end up with a few pairs or groups of four. In general, we prefer groups of four over pairs.
Should students be allowed to form their own groups? If not, what should be the gender and performance mix of the groups?
We found that mixed-ability groups (based on past performance on problem-solving tests) worked better than homogeneous-ability groups. Therefore, we assign members to groups based on test performance (one from the top third, one from the middle-third, and one from the bottom third of the class).
We also found that groups of two men and one woman did not work well, particularly at the beginning of the course. The men tend to ignore the woman, even if she is the highest ability student in the group. Until instructors get to know their students well, we advise assigning groups of three men, three women, or two women and one man.
How often should groups be changed?
Formal cooperative groups need to stay together long enough to be successful. On the other hand, they should be changed often enough so students realize they can make any group successful -- that their success is not due to being in a "magic" group.
Our students work in cooperative groups for three hours each week (1 hour in discussion section, 2 hours in lab). In the first quarter, we change groups every two to three weeks (i.e., 4 times in 10 weeks). In the second and third quarter, we change groups only twice.
In the beginning of the course, it is important to give students a rationale for assigning them to groups and changing groups often. We tell our students that:
(1) We want them to get to know everyone in the class, so we will change groups often. By the end of the quarter, they will should have worked with almost everyone in their class (section). This helps build a sense of community -- we are all working together to help each other learn physics.
(2) No matter what career they enter, they will have to work cooperatively with many different kinds of people (not just their friends). So they should begin to learn how to work in successfully in groups.
How can problems of dominance by one student and conflict avoidance within a group be addressed?
We use three key elements of cooperative learning groups to alleviate these difficulties:
(1) One Group Product: To promote interdependence in discussion sections, we specify that only one problem solution can be turned in by the groups, and all members must sign the solution.
(2) Roles: Students are taught specific roles (Manager, Checker/Recorder, Skeptic, and Energizer/Summarizer). The roles were selected to correspond to the planning and monitoring strategies individuals must perform independently when solving problems -- the manager who designs plans of action; the skeptic, who questions premises and plans; the recorder, who organizes and writes what has been done so far; and the summarizer, who keeps track of decisions and reasons for different actions. In addition, each person has a responsibility to make sure the group functions effectively. The Manager must ensure that everyone in the group participates and contributes. The Checker/Recorder must ensure that all group members can explicitly explain how the problem was solved. The Energizer/Summarizer must energize the group when motivation is low.
We normally assign groups of three (Manager, Checker/Recorder, and Skeptic): the fourth role of Energizer/Summarizer is used when the size of the class is not divisible by three, so some groups will have four members. In groups of three, the Manager takes on the summarizer role, and all members are asked to energize the group when motivation is low.
The first time students work together, each member is assigned one of these roles. Each subsequent time the group works together, the roles must rotate . The groups stay together long enough so each group member has each role at least once.
(3) Group Processing: Set aside time at the end of a class session to have students discuss how well they worked together and what they could do to work together better next time.
At the beginning of the quarter, we do this every class session. After three to four weeks (i.e., after students have worked in two different groups), we do group processing every two to three weeks, as it seems necessary -- usually the first time new groups are working together.
How can individual accountability (hitch-hiking) be addressed?
We use five techniques to alleviate the "hitch-hiker" problem (one student relying on the other group members to do all the work):
(1) Assign a role to each student, and allow time for group processing (see above).
(2) Make sure the seats are arranged so students are facing each other, "knee-to-knee." This makes it much harder for a student to remain uninvolved with a group.
(3) In both discussion sections and lab, individual students are called on randomly to present their group's results. This person is not usually the Checker/Recorder for the group.
(4) In discussion section, occasionally a group problem counts as a test question. The group test problem is given the day before the rest of the test. If a group member was absent the week before the group test (i.e., did not get to practice with his/her group), then s/he cannot take the group test question. (Note: Towards the end of the first quarter, we let the rest of the group members decide if the absent group member can take the group test problem.)
In lab, each member of the group receives bonus points if all group members earn 80% or better on their individual reports.
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Primary DetailsCitation formats. %Q University of Minnesota %T Cooperative Group Problem Solving %D 1999 %U http://groups.physics.umn.edu/physed/Research/CGPS/CGPSintro.htm %O text/html %0 Electronic Source %A University of Minnesota, %D 1999 %T Cooperative Group Problem Solving %V 2024 %N 29 June 2024 %9 text/html %U http://groups.physics.umn.edu/physed/Research/CGPS/CGPSintro.htm The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual . The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References . The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation . The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ . Make a Comment Relate this resource Contact us Similar MaterialsContext Rich Problems: Teaching Introductory Physics Through Problem Solving Problem Based Learning for College Physics Resource Letter RPS-1: Research in problem solving Featured ByPhysics Front Jul 23 - Aug 22, 2007 home - login - register
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Cooperative Problem Solving at it is used by many professors teaching thousands of students and different institutions. Cooperative Problem Solving can be used as the major focus of a course, or as a supplement in combination with other teaching tools. What is Cooperative Problem Solving (CPS)? This book is designed to answer this question.
School of Physics and Astronomy * Supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the ... Cooperative Group Problem Solving at the University of Minnesota . . . . . . 171 A Short Bibliography of Articles and Books About Cooperative Grouping . . . . . . 172.
The University of Minnesota has created a free online archive of context-rich problems, where you can find problems for many topics in introductory mechanics and electromagnetism to use with cooperative group problem-solving. You can also use the cooperative group problem-solving approach with many other types of research-based activities.
Instructor's Guide to Forces Labs (p. 153) Example of Exploratory Problem: Magnets and Moving Charge (p. 160) Example of Importance of Predictions: Gravitational Force on the Electron (p. 163) 6. References 169. Cooperative Group Problem Solving at the University of Minnesota (p. 171)
Why Cooperative Group Problem Solving. Students in introductory physics courses typically begin to solve a problem by plunging into the algebraic and numerical solution -- they search for and manipulate equations, plugging numbers into the equations until they find a combination that yields an answer (e.g. the plug-and-chug strategy).
Problem Solving is Necessary. University of Minnesota Strategic Planning - 2007. At the time of receiving a bachelor's degree, students will demonstrate the following qualities: 1. the ability to identify, define, and solve problems 2. the ability to locate and evaluate information 3. mastery of a body of knowledge and mode of inquiry 4.
Why Cooperative Group Problem Solving? This brief summary explains why we use cooperative-group problem solving in our introductory physics courses, and what we see as the advantages and disadvantages of cooperative group problem solving (see also Heller, Keith & Anderson and Heller & Hollabaugh, 1992, American Journal of Physics, 60: 627-644). 39
solve a problem. Credit will be given only for a logical and complete solution that is clearly communicated with correct units. Partial credit will be given for a well communicated problem solving strategy based on correct physics. MAKE SURE YOUR NAME, ID #, SECTION #, and TAs NAME ARE ON EACH PAGE!! START EACH PROBLEM ON A NEW PAGE.
COOPERATIVE GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING IN PHYSICS is a teaching guide designed for use in any introductory algebra- or calculus-based physics courses. Built on a solid foundation of research from cognitive psychology, education, and physics education, this book enables instructors to integrate group problem solving into their classroom. ...
A supportive environment based on cooperative grouping was developed to foster students' learning of an effective problem‐solving strategy. Experiments to adapt the technique of cooperative grouping to physics problem solving were carried out in two diverse settings: a large introductory course at state university, and a small modern ...
Developed by: University of Minnesota Physics Education Research Group. Level middle school high school intro college inter-mediate upper level grad school other. ... Teaching Problem Solving Through Cooperative Grouping. Part 1: Group Versus Individual Problem Solving, Am. J. Phys. 60 (7), 627 (1992). Teaching Materials.
Cooperative Group Problem Solving Students in introductory physics courses typically begin to solve a problem by plunging into the algebraic and numerical solution -- they search for and manipulate equations, plugging numbers into the equations until they find a combination that yields an answer (e.g. the plug-and-chug strategy).
Group Structure. Problems are too difficult or lengthy for a typical student to handle in the time available. Students are assigned roles: Manager, Recorder, Speaker / Skeptic. Group product handed-in. Problem Solving Process. Places a strong emphasis on defining the problem and planning a solution, key skills which expert have and students lack
Cooperative Group Problem-solving Indicates a research-demonstrated benefit Overview Students work in groups using structured problem-solving strategy to solve complex, context-rich problems too difficult to solve individually. Type of Method Instructional strategy Level Designed for: Intro College Calculus-based Can be adapted for: Any Setting
An explicit problem solving strategy was taught in the course, and students practiced using the strategy to solve problems in mixed-ability cooperative groups. A technique was developed to evaluate students' problem solving performance and determine the difficulty of context-rich problems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Cooperative-Group Problem Solving. For a more extended discussion of the following questions, see Heller and Hollabaugh (1992), Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups, American Journal of Physics, 60: 637-644. What is the optimal group size?
Problem solving laboratories comprise an important part of our introductory physics courses at Minnesota. These courses emphasize learning fundamental physics through problem solving using cooperative groups. This paper outlines the structure and rationale for both the algebra-based and calculus-based introductory courses.
This research investigated the process of argument co-construction in 14 cooperative problem-solving groups in an algebra-based, college level, introductory physics course. ... The research was a qualitative, case-study analysis of each group's discussion of the "physics description" portion of the group's problem solution. In a physics ...
Cooperative group problem solving: Students are taught an explicit (and general) problem solving approach modeled after expert behavior (e.g., Visualize, Describe, Plan, Execute, Evaluate) Each of the steps is broken up into instructions (e.g., the Visualize step: draw a diagram, identify relevant information and add to diagram if possible ...
The Physics Front is a free service provided by the AAPT in partnership with the NSF/NSDL. Detail Page « Detail Page. Cooperative Group Problem Solving. written by the University of Minnesota . A five-step problem solving strategy to help students integrate the conceptual and procedural aspects of problem solving so they can become better ...
A supportive environment based on cooperative grouping was developed to foster students' learning of an effective problem-solving strategy. Experiments to adapt the technique of cooperative grouping to physics problem solving were carried out in two diverse settings: a large introductory course at a state university, and a small modern physics class at a community college.
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics: Tutorials in Thermal & Statistical Physics; Cooperative group problem-solving with Context-rich problems involves students working in small groups on short realistic scenarios giving them a plausible motivation for solving the problem; more complex than traditional problems, reflecting the real world ...