Cooperative Learning yes or no

[jktb]

hi ..

as a part of my project, i want to ask you, Do you think that co-operative learning is the best teaching method for nursings subjects ?

yes or no ( please say your opinion to help me with my project )

- Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning.

Class members are organized into small groups after receiving instruction from the teacher. Then they work through the assignment until all group members successfully understand and complete it.

[MsBruiser]

Maybe this belongs on a nursing student thread.

No, I think it is a complete waste of time. Too many people bring too many perspectives, and that makes it incredibly difficult to tease out the important points that we have so little time to learn. I know the "book" answer is that we all live in a warm and fuzzy world and teamwork is wonderful. At least not in my experience. It is a lot more efficient to work on my own, and reinforce that with class lectures. Most group work becomes social time in my experience. I see the students in my class who are deeply involved in study groups - they hardly have the best grades despite "hours and hours of sleepless nights studying together."

[Wendy_RN]

I definitely do not feel that it is the best method for learning. We did have group projects in school, and by no means were they cooperative efforts. There was always those who never contributed anything.

[jktb]

thank you wendy and stop nik , iwant more responses please from others

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

No. My own experience has been that only some of the students in the group do the work while the others sit back and watch. I do not like that and I find myself generally more motivated then some of my other class mates when it comes to doing projects etc.

swtooth

[jktb]

thank you swtooth

[BlueEyedRN]

Groups don't work for me personally, but I just learn differently than a lot of people. And I found that I spent a lot more time explaining to others than learning from them because I would actually read the assignment and try to understand it beforehand. Therefore, they were a waste of my time, but it sure helped out the other people in my groups. :) Okay, that sounds stuck up. I really didn't mind explaining because it helped me to understand it even better. Group projects, on the other hand, were assigned simply because our teachers have contracts with Satan to make us miserable. Group learning is fine, group projects stink like tube feed poop. Okay, that was gross. I'm coming off two weeks of night shift and I don't make any sense. How do you learn to sleep during the day? This morning I was trying to rewrite a sliding scale insulin order and I couldn't add 2 to 4. (Don't worry, I had someone else check it).

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Moved to Student Forum

[sunnyjohn]

No.

Through trial and error I have discovered I am an independent learner. Read/write would best describe my learning style.

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp

I rarely join study groups. I have tried groups that are dedicated and focused and STILL I get little of the material this way.I MUST read the material and think my own way thorough the scenario in order for anything to sink in.

I have developed some patience as I have matured, but I might still get annoyed with weaker students I perceived as not trying. This is not to say I do not make myself available to fellow classmates. I am usually the first to share notes/tips/insights and suggestions.

I also have a tendency to take on the lion's share of the work in situations like this.

Another of my concerns would be that I (or my fellow groupmates) were giving incorrect information. Even though I recognise that most nursing students are particularly brilliant, I would be nervous if my understanding of a crucial topic was based on the knowledgebase of my groupmates (even WITH the intervention of the professor).

[nurse4theplanet, RN]

neither.

Depends on the project. Group learning can be an effective way to expand the student's learning by utilizing teamwork and gaining others perspectives. However, it has its cons as well: poor participation by a member or so, an overly dominant self appointed leader that shadows others opinions/perspectives.

One thing is for sure...your nursing education is an individual process and obtaining/maintaining licensure is the same. While group learning should be an additional teaching method used in the classroom setting, it is hardly the BEST choice/route. Each student learns differently and the most appropriate types of instruction include a variety of teaching methods to reach all learning styles.

[sunnyjohn]

In writing my first post I realised how much it showed my nature. I am a maverick to the nth degree. My dislike of group work (especailly the type of group you describes) may have a to to do with that independent streak.

I have a bossy Know-it-all streak I have had to learn to tone down as it hindered my acheivement. With my bossy nature I'd might end up doing harm in this type of situation

Although I am still fiercely independent, I realize that no man/woman/nurse is an island, we don't operate in a vacuum and we sure can't get through something as tough as nursing school without help.

I still vote No.

[RNfromMN, BSN, RN]

Here lies Jessica...she hated group activities:banghead: . R.I.P.

I absolutely adore working in teams! What a great way to get to know your classmates & draw from their knowledge & experiences! :barf01: Seriously, does anybody actually feel this way? I'm admittedly pretty anti-social, so I really would be curious to know. Don't get me wrong...I understand the reasoning behind group activites...so we can learn to work together as a team, manage conflicts, whatever. That being said:

My experience since I started nursing school with group activities is that they always tend to turn into b**** sessions:argue: about how hard school is:bluecry1: , how the teacher's a total jerk, etc. Either that, or its, listen to what I did this weekend, doesn't my boyfriend sound like a jerk, I think my kid's got strep - what do you think, etc. When I showed up to participate in the first group project we had in nursing school, the conversation started with, "So, what are we going to do about Instructor SoandSo? Don't you all hate her?" After fifteen minutes of listening to my group discuss their strategies about going to the dean, trying to get this teacher fired, & BLAH BLAH BLAH, I finally said, "Look, if we're not going to talk about this project, then I'm going home."

I recently completed a group project & there was some confusion about the due date. We got one point on a 40 point project for turning it in on time. One member of the group absolutely freaked out, emailed the rest of the group 5 times & had us spend an hour outside of class trying to figure out how we were going to get this project in on time to get this one freakin point.

The thing is, most of us have had to participate in group project since we were in elementary school. We know how to work in teams. For those of us that get to college & still don't know how to work as a team, it's not going to change now & if working together as a team is going to be an essential part of whatever job you're going to school for, you'll figure out how to do it once you get that job.

My .