Cooperative Learning… What is it???

Recently I have written a lot about how PRECE is helping to transform not just the lives of individuals in Pentecoste but the entire public education system in the state of Ceará via the methodology of Cooperative Learning. In fact, this week Prof. Manoel Andrade and other leaders from PRECE and SEDUC (State Secretary of Education) will be leading a conference for professors around the state who are interested in learning the methodology. 3 weeks ago leaders traveled to the state of Mato Grosso to present the methodology at the Federal University. And, 2 weeks ago leaders were in the city of Jaguaribe teaching students from the high schools how to use the PRECE Cooperative Learning methodology. Below is the translation of an article written by SEDUC regarding the training. Read below to hear what the Brazilians themselves are saying.

The Second Cooperative Learning Seminar Promoting Student Leadership in the 11th Region
The Cooperative Learning conference for all high school students in the public schools within the 11th Region happened on the 3rd and 4th of April and carried with it the objective of promoting student leadership. 86 additional people also participated.

The event included the Coordinator of the regional SEDUC office in Jaguaribe, 7 representatives from the Regional Center of School Development, and directors and professor from the region.

The leaders of the seminar included 14 facilitators, 11 from the Office of School Development and Learning as well as 3 from the EEEP Professional High School in Pentecoste. According to the Coordinator, Elizabete Araujo, the group was very competent and available.

“The receptivity of the youth and directors showed us what we were hoping: this initiative is indeed the way to strengthen our youth” declared Elizabete.

At the time, a special thanks was given in the name of all the schools to Prof. Manuel Andrade, the Coordinator of Student Leadership at SEDUC and the entire team.

“The work will continue with a visit to the Professional High School in Pentecoste and the implementation of Cooperative Learning Cells in the schools of the region, beginning with a call for membership to be begun soon”, concluded the coordinator.

Cooperative Learning: is a methodology in which the students work in heterogeneous groups to resolve academic problems concluding in a project or another academic objective. For the development of these activities the students should rely on the guidance of a teacher or facilitator who is responsible for ensuring the presence of the 5 basic elements of cooperative learning which are necessary for proper use of the methodology.

These 5 basic elements are 1) Social Interaction (face to face), 2) Individual Responsibility, 3) Social Skills, 4) Group Processing, and 5) Positive Interdependency (Johnson and Johnson, 1998).