New forms of professional development are needed for teachers at all stages of their careers so that they can add insight, ideas and practical strategies to their repertoire of teaching strategies to improve student learning.

Following are 18 different strategies for cooperative learning teachers and principals who want to extend the use of cooperative learning in their school. Not all will work in all situations but they can act as a catalyst to your thinking. They are organized into five categories that offer a broad view of the strategies available to strengthen the implementation of cooperative learning.

In addition, educators can look at the specific purposes of individual strategies and the ways in which the strategies meet teachers’ developing and emerging needs.
For example, some of the different purposes for the strategies mentioned below include

•    Developing awareness: Introducing learners to new approaches or content through strategies such as professional networks, demonstration lessons, or study groups

•    Building knowledge: Developing content and pedagogical content knowledge through strategies such as case discussions, immersion experiences, workshops, technology for professional development, or partnerships

•    Translating new knowledge into practice: Building on new knowledge and learning to plan instruction and improve teaching through strategies such as coaching, mentoring, curriculum implementation, or demonstration lessons

•    Reflecting on teaching and learning: Examining cooperative learning practices and the impact this strategy for teaching has on student learning student. Approaches such as action research (teacher developed inquiries), study groups, lesson study, case discussions, or examining student work could be used.

A.Connecting with the Curriculum
These strategies emphasize using quality curriculum as the central focus for teachers’ learning:

1.  Have teachers review the curriculum and note where cooperative learning activities could be used  to help meet the academic and social expectations contained in that curriculum. 
2.  Have practical sample lessons or units that can serve as a stimulus for teachers to explore new ways of teaching and/or to implement several new cooperative activities.

    
B. Find other interested groups:
These strategies describe ways for groups of teachers to work together to strengthen their knowledge of cooperative learning:

4.  Establish partnerships with others in business, industry (especially those with programmes that provide training in team building), and universities to provide opportunities for teachers to work with experts to improve their use of cooperative learning.

5.  Connect with professional networks or organized professional communities that have a common theme or purpose and emphasize sharing and learning from each others' knowledge and experiences.

6.  Convene with study groups/lunch groups/reading groups that are collegial, collaborative groups of teachers to mutually examine issues of teaching and learning with cooperative learning.
    
C. Examining Teaching and Learning
These strategies emphasize teachers engaging in  professional learning experiences to examine their use of cooperative learning and its impact on students’ learning:

7. Develop action research projects (research done by teachers) to prove that cooperative learning does make a difference. Such activities can allow teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching practices by collecting and examining student data.

8. Reflect on teaching and learning by examining case studies that depict school, classroom, teaching, or learning situations involving cooperative learning.

9. Examine student work, assignments and reflection sheets, for the impact of cooperative learning on student achievement or student social skill development.

10. Facilitate the establishment of  planning teams that will plan lessons together and then examine and discuss the results of these lessons after they are taught.

11. Video tape lessons so that colleagues can see cooperative learning in action. Viewing such lessons can allow teams of teachers the opportunity to identify the  presence of the 5 basic elements as well as view the reaction of students to the lesson.

12. Review quality indicators that your school has been asked to investigate. Discuss with colleagues how cooperative learning activities might be used to extend, strengthen, or  improve the results of your quality review.
    
 
D. In School…In Class Support
These strategies provide opportunities for teachers to translate new learning and knowledge about cooperative learning into practice:

13. Partner up with another teacher who is interested in cooperative learning. Coach/support that teacher in a one-on-one learning experience that focuses on improving teaching and learning through reflection, dialogue and feedback.of cooperative learning.

14. Prepare demonstration lessons to provide opportunities for teachers to share their work with other teachers ….pre- and post-discussions could focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson .

15. Set up a long term mentoring partnerships that involve sustained. long-term learning with a colleague so that they receive the support they need to implement cooperative learning. This approach  could be used with new teachers or interested colleagues.
    
E. Training Ideas
These strategies are used as ways to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to implement cooperative learning in their classroom:

16. Develop other interested colleagues  by focusing on developing their knowledge, and skills, through sharing of cooperative activities on a regular basis. The idea is to introduce some simple cooperative activities to interested teachers and to encourage them to apply these activities in their lessons and share the results .

17. Use the new technology available on the internet to support and enrich professional learning…  this is an excellent way to investigate, communicate and share cooperative learning experiences (see www.learnhub.com)

18. Provide workshops, academies, courses, and seminars as structured opportunities for teachers to learn from  classroom teachers who have been trained in cooperative learning.
(German authors of cooperative learning books and articles are often available to share their ideas at reasonable cost