Critical Exploration of Cooperative Learning and its Application within

the Materials Technology Wood Classroom

Eoin Purcell G00321833

Submitted for the Award of

B.Sc. (Hons) in Education

(Design Graphics and Construction)

to
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterfrack

Research Supervisor: Susan Rogers

Readers: Dr. Pauline Logue, Mr. Anthony Clare

Programme: B.Sc. (Hons) in Education (Design Graphics and Construction)

Module Title: Dissertation

Date Submitted: 23/03/2018

PLAGIARISM DISCLAIMER
Student Name: Eoin Purcell

Student Number: G00321833

Programme: Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Education (Design Graphics and

Construction)

Year: 4th

Module: Dissertation

Assignment Title: Critical Exploration of the Impact of Cooperative Learning

and its application with the MTW Classroom

Due Date: 23/03/2018

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2
Title

Critical Exploration of the Impact of Cooperative Learning and its application

with the MTW Classroom

Abstract

The context of this research was to examine and explore Cooperative Learning and how it can
be applied in a classroom and its use in the subject of Materials Technology Wood. The author
chose this topic because of feedback given from support tutors while on School Placement as
part of the undergraduate programme for the award of Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Education
(Design Graphics and Construction). The feedback received by the author was to introduce and
implement cooperative learning strategies and to apply a more student-centered approach to
teaching. The main objectives are to conduct a literature review on the employment of
cooperative learning in the classroom, to conduct a literature review on establishing a link, if
any, between cooperative learning and the Materials Technology Wood (MTW) classroom and
to conduct a literature review on the employment of a more student-centered approach to
teaching Materials Technology Wood in secondary schools and explore different strategies of
cooperative learning and how they are applied and how useful they are. The research
methodology applied to this dissertation is secondary research because of the large volume of
material surrounding the topic. The main findings are that Cooperative Learning is an effective
teaching strategy that can be used in today’s classrooms. Cooperative learning can be used in
Materials Technology Wood and there was sufficient evidence to propose that there is a link
between the two. The research concluded that students will also benefit greatly from a more
student-centered approach to teaching Materials Technology Wood. Having considered various
theoretical positions on the topic of Cooperative Learning, the research presented in this paper
proposes how it can be widely used in teaching in general, and in teaching MTW in particular.

Key Words: Cooperative Learning, Materials Technology Wood, Student Centered Class,
Cooperative Learning Strategies, Theoretical Views

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 1. Introduction

The author is currently in his final year of study on the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in

Education (Design Graphics and Construction) degree programme at (GMIT) Letterfrack, the

successful completion of which will qualify the author to teach the subjects of Materials

Technology Wood (MTW) and Technical Graphics (TG) at junior cycle level, along with

Construction Studies (CS) and Design Communication Graphics (DCG) for senior cycle level

in Irish secondary schools.

Cooperative learning was chosen as a topic to explore and examine as a result of feedback

given from support tutors and cooperating teachers while the author was teaching, as there was

a lack of use by the author while teaching surrounding this area. Studies suggest that

cooperative learning can be used effectively with every year group, in most lessons and to

complete subject specific tasks. “Learning should be an active and dynamic process based on

children’s expanding curiosity in their world. It should be child centered and responsive to the

child’s own developing social interests and activities” (Adrian Ashman, 2003). From teaching

and observing classes in secondary schools while in schools on the School Placement module

assigned to the course, the author found that there is a lack of cooperative learning taking place

in the subject of MTW. Along with guidance from tutors and inspectors on school placement

visits, advice was given to establish a good knowledge of the topic of cooperative learning and

the student-centered classroom and to implement it effectively, as this would benefit the author

in the future along with any of the students being taught. As Arch Wong (2015) states, using

this strategy will improve the learning experience and students should progress to a better

knowledge of subject specific tasks, and as the case is in this paper, will improve the learning

experience in MTW.

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The aim of this study is to explore what cooperative learning is, how it is used in classrooms

in secondary schools, advantages and disadvantages associated and various theorist’s views

relating to the topic. It will examine various cooperative learning strategies; how effective they

are and how they could be used in classrooms today. The study is also centered around how

cooperative learning can be used in the subject of MTW and how teachers and students could

educationally benefit from using this technique. The study will finally look at a broader aspect

of how the subject of MTW could increase the levels of student centered activities in the

classroom.

The objectives of this dissertation, which form the structure of the paper, are to:

 Conduct a literature review on cooperative learning in order to establish its advantages

and disadvantages within a post-primary classroom.

 Explore how various methods of cooperative learning are used and assess their impacts

in a post-primary classroom.

 Establish a link between cooperative learning and the Materials Technology Wood

subject.

 Assess how effective the implementation of a cooperative learning approach would

have to the teaching and learning in Materials Technology Wood.

The research methodology used for this dissertation is secondary research. The research is

based around literary reviews, journal articles, critical analysis of literature reading and various

newspaper articles relating to the topic. While primary research would be applicable also, this

publication is limited to secondary research.

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 2. Cooperative Learning in the Classroom

This section will look at various definitions of cooperative learning, how it is used in

classrooms and how using cooperative learning, impacts and improves the students’ learning

experience.

According to David Johnson and Roger Johnson “cooperative learning is a relationship among

a group of students that requires five elements: positive interdependence, individual

accountability, interpersonal skills, face-to-face promotive interaction and processing out.

(2008). These ‘five pillars’ of cooperative learning are explained in (Fig. 1.) below.

Fig. 1. Johnson, Johnson and Smith’s Five Pillars of Cooperative Learning (Jones, 2008)

Sheila Wee and George Jacobs (2006), write that cooperative learning is an effective teaching

strategy to use in the classroom and can reduce the amount of teacher centered classes. They

also state that cooperative learning is useful as it makes the students responsible for their own

work and learning. The students are motivated to achieve as they are accountable for all

members in their group. According to Dahley (1994),

In cooperative learning students work with their peers to accomplish a shared or

common goal. The goal is reached through interdependence among all group members
rather than working alone. Each member is responsible for the outcome of the shared
goal.

This definition can be broken down into various parts. The first part meaning students can be

put into groups, usually three or four per group. The group is given a task and they must work

together to complete the task with each member having their own role within the group. The

6
final sentence is the most important, if one member in the group does not complete their task,

as a result the whole group will suffer.

Machiko Asakawa (2016), states that students can gain a greater knowledge of a certain topic

through cooperative learning because working with peers can motivate students to work

together and maximize their work output. Guyana defines cooperative learning in the following

way:

Cooperative learning in the classroom can help students enhance their knowledge to a
great extent. Cooperative learning involves working in a group and accomplishing the
given tasks in a given time. Nowadays, this learning method is being encouraged in
classroom activities to increase the students' depth of knowledge. (2015).
This definition looks at how cooperative learning impacts the students and how it benefits them.

This suggests that cooperative learning can be a positive aspect for the students and can help

further their knowledge on a certain topic. It also suggests that nowadays it may be becoming

more popular as it shows us how it impacts students in today’s classrooms. This paper discusses

some of the advantages of cooperative learning. Robyn M. Gillies (2016), says that in a

cooperative learning situation, the amount of work produced will be increased. It can speed up

the process of learning a new topic. It develops social skills as it ensures students are interacting

with each other and it also promotes values such as respecting classmates, problem solving and

team building.

Cooperative learning can also be a type of learner centered environment. As Bransford claims:

“we use the term ‘learner centered’ to refer to environments that pay careful attention to the

knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs that learners bring to the educational setting” (2000).

This term delves into what students are thinking in relation to the topic, discussing their

problems with the group and how they problem solve together to come up with a finished

solution.

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Using cooperative learning in the classroom can create a positive working environment.

However, there are several disadvantages and challenges to overcome for it to be of benefit to

teachers and students. One disadvantage of cooperative learning can be that the workload can

be uneven. According to Cummings (2000),

Having students work in small groups on a question and telling them to be prepared to
share their group’s thinking or answer is not sufficient. More often than not, the high
achiever will do the work while the others go along for the ride.
In a group of four, a case may arise where one student will take the sole responsibility of the

group. The others will not have a shared amount of input on the workload and therefore there

could be a discrepancy between the amount of work completed by each student. To decrease

the likelihood of this happening, it is better to give each student in the group a specific task to

complete. As Deniz Bostan (2017) states, giving students specific tasks and roles hands the

responsibility to the student and gives them ownership of their own learning.

Another challenge faced while undertaking this type of learning is classroom management and

behaviour problems with students. According to Christine Bartsch, (n.d.) when the students are

in their groups, noise levels can become increasingly loud and the discussions may not be on

topic and therefore it is not useful. This is where classroom discipline must be strict so that

students do not get distracted.

According to Bill Rogers (2011), for cooperative learning to work, it needs to be well structured

and taught over time when the students as a group are more relationally cohesive. From

experience on School Placement it can be a daunting task to move away from the more

traditional ways of teaching, such as students staying at their desks and working independently.

It may take a couple of weeks to become comfortable and use a cooperative learning strategy.

Cooperative learning can be used when there are many students in a class and when a teacher

has to get through so much information. Siti Mina Tamah (2014) states that it can be used so

8
that the students can learn for themselves along with help from their peers. It allows all students

with varying levels of learning, work together on the same curriculum and can progress

together while also building relationships. For this method to work successfully, specific

directions must be given to each group, students must do classwork only and only talk to people

in their specific group. Heather A. Remillard (2015) writes that, if it is seen that using

cooperative learning is successful, teachers should get students to reflect and evaluate their

work. This will get the students thinking about the work that they have done and will improve

on the next time they are doing a similar activity.

This section examined what cooperative learning is, how it is used and the various impacts it

has on students in the classroom. The next section will look at various theorist’s views on

cooperative learning and how they feel it should be used to help teachers and students.

2.1.Theoretical Views on Cooperative Learning

This section will look at theoretical views on cooperative learning and examine what these

theorists believe cooperative learning should be used for.

From researching the topic of cooperative learning, various theorists have developed their own

theories. Some of these theories will be explained in the following,

There are at least three general theoretical perspectives that have guided research on
cooperative learning: cognitive, developmental, behavioral, and social
interdependence. The cognitive-developmental perspective is largely based on the
theories of Piaget and Vygotsky.
(The Association for Educational Communications and Technology, 2001). This document

refers to how through the work of Vygotsky and other theorists that cooperative learning

improves student’s ways of learning, understanding and problem solving. The document then

states that “by far the theory dealing with cooperation that has generated the most research

9
is social interdependence theory” (The Association for Educational Communications and

Technology, 2001). This theory is centered around the two types of social interdependence:

cooperative and competitive.

One author that incorporates the formal and informal side of cooperative learning is Cynthia

Brame when it is said,

It can be formal or informal, but often involves specific instructor intervention to

maximize student interaction and learning. It is infinitely adaptable, working in small
and large classes and across disciplines, and can be one of the most effective teaching
approaches (2015).
This article states that cooperative learning can be great for students when facilitated properly

by the teacher. The task might not work properly if the instructions are not clearly laid out.

Cooperative learning can also be examined through Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal

Development. his theory explains how students can develop as individuals through

collaboration with their peers along with guidance from their teacher. “One major aspect of

Vygotsky's theory is the idea that the potential for cognitive development depends upon the

Zone of proximal development" (ZPD): a level of development attained when children

engage in social behavior. Full development of the ZPD depends upon full social
interaction. The range of skill that can be developed with adult guidance or peer
collaboration exceeds what can be attained alone (Ghaemi, 2011).
In the diagram below (Fig. 2.), it can be seen with the help of the knowledge from peers and

teachers, students can use the knowledge that they must progress to gain a better understanding

of more complex topics of a subject. Vygotsky believed that students had a certain amount of

knowledge but to get to the next level they would need the help of others who could guide them

along by prompting the students to figure out the learning for themselves rather than just simply

giving them the information.

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Fig. 2. ZPD and Scaffolding Diagram (EduGyan, 2017)

Rosenau (2015), considers the proposition: if teachers just use group work in their classroom,

do they know what each group is working on as they may be talking about something off topic

and what learning is taking place with the activity. Traditionally teachers did all the talking in

the class with the students becoming passive and as a result may not be learning any of the

information. In a video by Rosenau (2015), there is a quote from John Dewey that states “If we

teach students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow”. This is encouraging

teachers to expand and explore new ideas and ways of teaching because in the past students

have been listening to the teacher’s voice for most of a class and may not be learning as much

as they could.

As Karrie A. Jones and Jennifer L. Jones (2008) state, if teachers explore new ways of teaching

students it could progress student’s knowledge of different topics to a very high level. There is

another quote from the video, from Douglas B. Reeves’ “collaboration, it turns out, is not a gift

11
from the Gods, but a skill that requires effort and practice”. Cooperative learning can be a tough

teaching strategy to use if the task is not properly thought out and planned by the teacher.

Students if not directed properly can become disruptive and may cause behavioural problems

as they may be unsure of the task at hand so they may become bored and will want attention

from the teacher which distracts the other groups and may cause a breakdown in the activity.

Victoria J. Risko (2017) says, cooperative learning is more than just moving desks and

organizing students into groups. It is about scaffolding the student’s learning and making

connections between the teacher and the students and between students and their classmates.

One other quote from Rosenau’s video is by Spencer Kagan “If our students are to be successful

we must educate for social skills and ability to work with adversity”. With cooperative learning,

we should show students how to work together as a group and to give each other a lift. It also

gives students a place where they are accepted, that they fit in and are comfortable in the

classroom surroundings and with their peers no matter where they are from or who they are.

Gerri Maxwell and Marie-Anne Mundy (2012) write that, cooperative learning should also

improve communication, responsibility, collaboration and teamwork which are vital to

progress student’s in secondary school. Teachers must teach an important set of social skills

through reflections, images, videos, activities and games.

This section examined what cooperative learning is, its advantages and disadvantages

associated with its use. It also explored how it is defined by different theorists and looked at

how they feel it should be used in classrooms to help teachers.

The next section will explore how various methods of cooperative learning are used and assess

their impacts in a post-primary classroom.

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 3 Exploring Various Strategies of Cooperative Learning

This section will examine and define different cooperative learning strategies that can be useful

to teachers in classrooms today.

As Hanadi Chatila and Fatima Al Husseiny (2017) state, cooperative learning can be used as a

great tool for a recap at the beginning or end of a class or a different way for students to learn

a new topic together. According to Farrell (1990), “cooperative learning is a set of instructional

strategies that include cooperative student-to-student-interaction based on subject matter”

There are various cooperative learning strategies that can be used in the modern-day classroom.

Farrell (1990) states that the two most popular cooperative learning strategies are Jigsaw and

Co-op Co-op. Ataman Karacop (2017) states that the Jigsaw method is when a group of

students teach one another about a certain topic. Each student is assigned to a study group and

a learning team, the study group are also known as an expert group on their topic. Each member

must separate and join their learning team and teach the content they have learned in their

expert group. Finally, the whole class are tested and all are responsible to ensure that they know

the content passed onto them. Co-op Co-op is when students work together to further their

understanding of a topic and then share their findings with the class, the name comes from the

design because students are cooperating in small groups and then cooperate with the whole

class.

As Soetjipto Ningsih (2017) says, there are some key aspects of cooperative learning that

should be considered when setting up this strategy in a classroom. One is that establishing

group goals creates a success criteria with the class, having clear goals gives the students a

sense of purpose and shows them what they should achieve upon completion of the task. As

13
Danielle J. Camacho and Jill M. Legare (2015) state, establishing group roles gives each person

in the group a different role but each role is vital to the overall success of the group, such as:

group leader, time keeper and scribe. Using group roles also keeps the group on topic and

encourages the students to do their best work because they will feel that they are competing

against their peers in the opposite groups. Emily Bergquist and Rick Holbeck (2014) state that

using cooperative learning in the classroom should build trust and promote open

communication and debates among students which in turn progresses their interpersonal skills

and they become more comfortable with classmates and can learn more as a result. As Cedric

Linder (2015) says, to see the results of using a cooperative learning strategy a teacher could

record the progress made by each group. Asking each group what they know about a certain

topic at the start of the task and asking the same question after the task has been completed will

differentiate between what the students knew beforehand and what they know after completing

the excercise. Another important aspect to consider is the diversity of levels among the groups,

if possible the groups should have an equal spread of learning ability, girl/boy ratio. As Mayong

Maman and Andi Aryani Rajab (2016) state, this provides each group with various pools of

talent which the group can draw on for various information, learning styles/perspectives and

different backgrounds which all will help the overall progress and success of the group.

Another method is think-pair-share, according to Tolga Gok (2018), this is when students are

given a question, grouped into pairs and compare their answers and perspectives and finally

come up with one definitive answer and share their idea with the rest of the class. G.

Singaravelu (2010) says the question that the students are given should provoke and promote

student curiosity. Making the students present their findings to the class impacts the students

learning of a particular topic. It also promotes student on student discussion among the pairs

on subject matter and it also holds each student accountable to their peer. “Think-pair-share is

a cooperative discussion strategy that provides students with adequate time to think in order to

14
increase their quality of responses. Students become actively involved in thinking about the

concepts presented in their discussion”. (Kaddoura, 2013)

The next section will define what MTW is, what is covered in the subject and how students

benefit from doing the subject. It will explore how cooperative learning may be used to help

students progress in this subject and find a link between cooperative learning and Materials

Technology Wood.

This section examined and defined different cooperative learning strategies that can be useful

to teachers in classrooms today. It also explored how using these teaching strategies can impact

students’ learning and improve the learning experience in the classroom.

4 Establishing the Link between Cooperative Learning and Materials

Technology Wood

This section will define what MTW is, the coursework involved and look at how students are

examined at Junior Certificate Level. It will also establish a link between Cooperative Learning

and MTW.

Materials Technology Wood (MTW) is a junior certificate subject in post primary education

throughout Ireland. According to The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

(NCCA) guidelines, MTW provides junior cycle students in post primary education an

opportunity to explore their role in creating and shaping their environment. In students’ third

year of MTW as part of their Junior Certificate which involves a written examination paper

and a student project. In student’s third year of the junior cycle as part of their coursework,

they have to design and complete an artefact that will be examined and each respective grade

goes towards their overall mark for the Junior Certificate. It involves a design process, where

15
students undertake tasks that require the use of practical problem-solving skills and applying

this along with scientific and technological knowledge.. From experience on School Placement

appropriate measures could be put in place to ensure cooperative learning is employed more to

aid students learning in the MTW classroom.

In the third year of the MTW syllabus as part of the course work students must complete a

Junior Certificate design brief created by the State Examinations Commission. Students are

given a design brief with three various ideas for projects and must select one of the ideas to

base their project around. As part of the project, students must complete a design portfolio,

documenting analysis of the selected design brief, investigation/research relating to the

proposed solution, development of design ideas, their evaluation and preferred solution,

sketches, notations and working drawings required for the completion of the preferred solution,

evaluation of the design, its completion and the finished project. There are different briefs for

Higher Level and Ordinary Level. In the design process, an opportunity may arise where

cooperative learning could be used. Students will be designing their various projects but

difficulty may arise as they may be unsure on certain aspects of the design process. Students

can work together through the design process in a safe and controlled environment. This leads

to a positive and dynamic classroom atmosphere where students enjoy listening to the ideas of

their peers. Cooperative learning groups may be helpful here as the students could problem

solve together and help one another, this promotes self-directed learning, “The cooperative

mode is where power is shared and the trainer guides the group to be more self-directing and

collaborative” (Wilson, 2002).

In the MTW classroom the students must learn various theory topics such as timber seasoning,

identification of trees and applying finishes to pieces. Through conversations with cooperating

teachers on school placement it is believed students do not enjoy learning the theory as it can

become boring, students become passive as it is traditionally taught using a lecturing style

16
approach which places more emphasis on the teacher. This is where a student-centered

approach relating to cooperative learning could be used as the students will be more involved

in the class, they should enjoy it more and should learn more as a result. (Liu, 2017). According

to the NCCA, most of the coursework involved with MTW is practical based where there is

scope to enhance the student’s problem-solving skills. The finished artefacts should reflect

excellence in craft skills. However, as Susan Griebling (2015) states, through the experience

of the project and the design process will maximize the educational benefits of a dynamic and

developmental learning experience. It also states the importance and the value of group activity

in developing social skills.

Cooperative learning can be used in the theory side of the MTW course to promote active

learning as opposed to the more traditional, lecturing style methods where students are passive

in their learning. “Think-Pair-Share” can be used in the design process as students cooperate

to work through the design problems. Cooperative learning should be used to break up the

traditional style method of teaching the theory side of MTW where the teacher lectures for

most of the class and students sit in silence taking down notes in their copy, listening to the

teacher. As Van Dat Tran (2013) writes, students cannot learn by doing the same thing each

day, students should hear a different voice: a peer voice. Cooperative learning should be used

to show student’s thoughts and ideas about the subject matter as this improves student’s social

skills that they may need in future careers to work and communicate with others. According to

Teachings in Education (2017) “we are smarter together as a group than we are apart as

individuals” and “the best grouping scenario is the one where students are safe and learning”.

This shows that working together students can think better and ultimately become better

learners in a safe and controlled environment. From the video, random grouping is one of the

best ways to organize students into groups and assigning students roles and responsibilities

gives each student a sense of purpose in the class and should strive to succeed.

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“Think-Pair-Share” could be used in MTW in relation to students practicing project work

which is mosty carried out in first and second year. A project could be designed in small

learning groups where they are given a problem and would have to cooperate together to

finalise a solution to the problem. According to Eissa M. Alansar (2006), using this method

will improve and advance students’ ability to problem solve together to work through a

problem whilst also building student relationships which should increase work output and

create a positive working climate.

Another way in which Cooperative Learning could be used in MTW is in the theory based

classes. In first and second year the students will learn a range of topics to further their

knowledge and progress with the subject. These topics include types of trees, hand tools and

joints. From experience on School Placements as part of this programme and through dialogue

with cooperating teachers and peers, the theory classes in MTW can be disregarded by students

as unnecessary and tedious. As Mohammed Kawo (2017) states, this can create problems with

classroom management as students can lack motivation and are taught in a traditional way.

Students could become more engaged in these classes with a cooperative learning approach.

Students could be broken into peer learning teams, each member having a specific role in the

group. Each team would have to research a given topic, such as different types of trees, where

one group gets four or five types to research while the other groups get other trees to research.

Each team or group will have to examine and learn about the topic before presenting to the rest

of the class. As William Drakeford (2012) writes, this will help build relationships among

students while furthering their knowledge of MTW and will benefit them when they have to

do their MTW Junior Certificate Examination.

This section defined what Materials Technology Wood is, the coursework involved and how

students are examined at Junior Certificate Level. It also looked to establish a link between

Cooperative Learning and Materials Technology Wood.

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The following section will explore the employment of a more student-centered approach in the

materials technology wood classroom and explain how using student-centered approaches can

aid student development.

5 The Employment of a More Student-Centered Approach in the Materials

Technology Wood Classroom

This section will explore how the employment of a more student-centered approach to teaching

MTW will broaden student’s knowledge on the topic. It will also look at various student-

centered activities that could be used in the MTW classroom.

Most of the work students do in first and second year of MTW is designed by the teacher and

the students follow the step by step approach in most classes. This differs from the design based

project that the students must produce in third year for their Junior Certificate. There is not

much new learning taking place with the method of the students doing the work that the teacher

has designed. According to Brent (2010), student centered instruction is a large teaching

technique that substitutes a teacher centered classroom for one which holds students

responsible for their learning and using self-paced direction and learning. This article suggests

various other ways to incorporate students better in teaching such as open-ended problems,

creative thinking and involving students in role play.

The author also states how using one of these methods enhances motivation to learn and

retention of knowledge. When looking at the subject content of MTW, a large portion of class

activities involves students carrying out work by themselves. Hagman (1987) highlights the

importance of this when he says that” …for cognitive skill acquisition, practice is more

19
important than formal instruction”. In summary students are more inclined to learn better when

they are carrying out a task themselves rather than observing a teacher. However, while this is

effective, there is a lack of interaction with peers. Cooperative learning methods should be

introduced into the MTW classroom to improve interaction with students in the theory side of

the course. According to Ted Panitz,

Cooperative learning is defined by a set of processes which help people interact together
to accomplish a specific goal or develop an end product which is usually content
specific. It is more directive than a collaborative system of governance and closely
controlled by the teacher. While there are many mechanisms for group analysis and
introspection the fundamental approach is teacher centered whereas collaborative
learning is more student centered. (1996).
This explains the differences between cooperative learning and collaborative learning.

Cooperative learning concentrates more on the subject matter whereas collaborative learning

does not. As Karin Reinhard and Anna Pogrzeba (2016) state, cooperative learning is overseen

by the teacher while collaborative learning there is not as much emphasis on it. From the

writings of Deboer (2002), when looking at psychological justifications for student-centered

teaching, it is found that intrinsic motivation is more useful in affecting student’s behaviour

than extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation involves receiving the good feelings and

satisfaction that comes from engaging in a specific activity in the classroom while extrinsic

motivation is merely to seek approval from teachers and parents or to get good grades. As Elise

C. Lewis (2017) says, for students to be intrinsically motivated, the students must want to

succeed for themselves rather than doing a task just to avoid confrontation with teachers or

parents. According to David Jonassen (2012),

The ubiquity and widespread use of student centered learning environments poses
numerous challenges for learners. Learning with these non-linear, multi-
representational, open ended learning environments typically involves the use of
numerous self-regulatory processes such as planning, reflection and metacognitive
monitoring and regulation.

20
This shows that using student centered approaches to teaching can pose problems for some

students. Students are used to the teacher carrying out the various tasks to show students how

to do an activity but the shift of responsibility from the teacher to the student can become an

unusual one. If a student is shy they may not feel comfortable doing a task that will have them

talking in front of their peers. This is where students will need more support from the teacher

involving more explicit and direct instruction, smaller steps and more prompting. At first, the

task may seem overwhelming for a student but with the help of the teacher they can overcome

this and in turn learn more from the experience and gain some confidence around their peers

in the class. Students will also require levels of feedback and reinforcement to enhance their

learning and improve upon, with more active practice and a hands-on approach.

According to Devine (2017),

From students’ perspectives today, they want a post-primary education which

stimulates and interests them, which draws on active, hands-on approaches to their
learning, which supports them as they transition through their teenage years and which
values them as persons with a voice to be heard.
From this article, it can be seen that students today want to be heavily involved in the classroom

activities because it is more interesting and also stimulates them. This also ties into how

students want to be active in the class with student centered-activities involved. If teachers

introduce a more student-centered approach to their teaching it gives them time to enhance the

students’ holistic and child centered development and giving the students a voice in the class.

One of the ways where students can become more involved in a class is through Active

Learning (AL). Active Learning is a process which benefits the students in a significant way.

Active learning (AL) is a learning process where student learning is improved by the
utilization of the AL approach to learning. In the AL process, subject matter includes
audio, visual, kinaesthetic and hands on learning styles. (Fleming, 2006)
Using active learning creates student interest and curiosity in the subject matter. This promotes

students to critically think and problem solve themselves and with the help of peers through

21
learning groups. Active learning is an effective teaching technique that gets students involved

in an active learning environment.

This section explored how the employment of a more student-centered approach to teaching

Materials Technology Wood will broaden student’s knowledge on the topic. It also looked at

various student-centered activities that could be used in the Materials Technology Wood

classroom..

6 Conclusion

At the start of this paper, the aim was to explore what cooperative learning is, how it is used in

classrooms in secondary schools, advantages and disadvantages associated and various

theorist’s views relating to the topic. The first objective of this paper was to conduct a literature

review on the employment of cooperative learning in the classroom. The research found that

using cooperative learning in the classroom can create a positive working environment. The

research found that cooperative learning allows all students with varying levels of ability to

work together on the same curriculum. They can also progress together while building

relationships within the classroom. It is an effective and useful teaching strategy as it makes

students responsible for their own learning. Working with peers helps motivate students and

can improve work output. However, there can be disadvantages associated with using

cooperative learning, such as classroom management and behaviour problems with students.

For example, noise levels can become increasingly loud and the discussions may not be on

topic and therefore it is not useful. This is where classroom discipline must be strict so that

students do not get distracted and do not see it as an opportunity to talk off topic.

The second objectice was to explore different strategies of cooperative learning and how they

are used and seeing how useful they are. It was found that cooperative learning is an effective

and useful teaching strategy as it makes students responsible for their own learning. Working

22
with peers helps motivate students and can improve work output. There were different

cooperative learning techniques defined and explained such as ‘think-pair-share’ and the

‘jigsaw’ method. Making the students present their findings to the class impacts the students

learning of a particular topic. It also promotes student on student discussion among the pairs

on subject matter and it also holds each student accountable to their peer

The third objective was to conduct a literature review on establishing a link between

cooperative learning and the Materials Technology Wood classroom. It was established in this

paper that there is a strong link evident between cooperative learning and Materials Technology

Wood. It can be used in the theory side of the course to promote active learning as opposed to

the more traditional, lecturing style methods where students are passive in their learning.

Cooperative learning can be used in the theory side of the MTW course to promote active

learning as opposed to the more traditional, lecturing style methods where students are passive

in their learning. “Think-Pair-Share” can be used in the design process as students cooperate

to work through the design problems

The final objective was to conduct a literature review on the employment of a more student-

centered approach to teaching materials technology wood in secondary schools. It was found

that applying a more student-centered approach to teaching will benefit students in many ways

as it promotes students to critically think and problem solve themselves and with the help of

peers through learning groups. Using active learning creates student interest and curiosity in

the subject matter, which traditional styles do not provide. In relation to MTW, students can

work together through the design process in a safe and controlled environment. This leads to a

positive and dynamic classroom atmosphere where students enjoy listening to the ideas of their

peers.

23
It is recommended by the researcher that a follow-up study be conducted. The study should see

primary research as a means of assessing and seeing how effective cooperative learning is in

the classroom and to see how often teachers use it. Primary research could also have been used

to gain an insight into student’s opinions on becoming more involved in the classes. Having

the students’ opinions on becoming more involved in the class would show how students would

like to showcase their knowledge.

24
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