High Impact Teaching Strategies

This strategy is demonstrated when students:

• 
  understand the protocols for working collaboratively
  
• 
  accept individual responsibility for participating and contributing to group tasks
  
• 
  are skilled at providing feedback to each other.
  

Resources:

• 
  AITSL Videos:
  

A collaborative learning space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X58leKRgi3A
Managing student learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-XIdeotfq8

• 
  Jigsaw cooperative learning:
  http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/using-jigsaw-cooperative-learning-30599.html
  

• 
  Practice Principle 4: A supportive and productive learning environment promotes inclusion and collaboration
  

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/principlesexcellence.aspx

• 
  Pedagogical Model: Explain
  

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/pedagogical-model.aspx

examples tHAT illustrate the Strategy

Example 1: Primary – Years 5/6

Senior school teachers at a primary school in Melbourne’s outer east wished to encourage and develop collaborative learning in their Year 5/6 classes. After consulting their students the teachers decided to participate in the Victorian Solar Boats Challenge. The Solar Boats Inquiry Unit provides opportunities for all students to collaborate, negotiate and contribute to a real life assignment. Teachers structured participation around achieving clear goals and success criteria which included working collaboratively in groups. They used explicit teaching to teach collaborative learning skills, including negotiating and jointly contributing to the assignment. Expert mentors, including engineers and electricians from the school community, were invited to participate in the project and share their expertise, knowledge and skills. Thanks to these practices, students were supported to work collaboratively, and with success in mind. Throughout the unit, teachers continually monitored their students’ learning and progress. They modified practice when necessary and evaluated success of the unit by reference to data which showed improved quality of student learning. As a result of the scaffolding and guidance, the students organised themselves into small groups that functioned effectively, and they experienced sharing roles, responsibilities and project ownership. At the end of the unit all students had contributed to designing and constructing their team’s solar powered boat, with each group approaching the task by negotiating roles, responsibilities and outcomes. Students reported they learned to value the contributions of all group members, as everyone contributed to achieving their common goal.