Cooperative+Learning

 Cooperative learning involves groups of students interacting and working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. Cooperative groups learn at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than individual learners. Grouping students with different abilities allows students to learn through discussions and shared experiences with peers. Pitler (2007) shares Thomas Friedman notes in //The World is Flat// (2005) that “we are living in a time when learning and innovation are increasing global. To be prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will inherit, today’s students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively.” Technology lends itself to this learning strategy. Multimedia projects, such as producing videos, working on Webquests, creating Web sites, playing simulation games, and communicating through blogs and wikis allow for collaboration and cooperative learning. I actually shared the link to Revolution ( [] ) with my Instructional Technology Specialist since she helps our 5th grade Social Studies teacher integrate technology into his classroom. The 5th graders are currently studying the American Revolution, so this caught my eye. As I read about the game online, I realized, to my disappointment, that Revolution is a “mod” of the game //Neverwinter Nights Gold// and requires the user to download the latter at a cost. The game itself seems interesting and a great example of using technology to promote cooperative learning in the classroom.