Collaborative and Cooperative Learning in a High School Art Classroom
A guidebook for designing and managing a collaborative and cooperative art classroom
by Laura Lynne Sperry
Classroom Chaos? In my classroom, students needed to learn to connect with others and to know how to work together. They all came from diverse backgrounds and many did not have the social or communication skills to be able to function in our 21st century communities. During my last four years as an art educator, our faculty and sta have been called upon to encourage collaboration and cooperation in all of our subject areas. This has been educationally challenging for all of us, but it has enabled me to teach my art students to learn the collaborative skills which are vital to them as they move forward into their future educational endeavors and careers.
I have designed this guidebook to help educators who are ready to initiate collaborative and cooperative learning into their classrooms.
Enjoy planning your next collaborative and cooperative art projects!
Cooperative project in action
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success! -Henry Ford
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Why We Use Collaborative and Cooperative Learning
Collaborative and cooperative learning activities create opportunities for students to: • Engage in subject specific discussions with peers; • Learn how to work cooperatively and support each other; • Develop effective teamwork and communication skills (including interpersonal and cross-cultural awareness); • Assimilate multiple views to deepen knowledge and promote critical thinking; • Foster individual accountability; • Develop independent learning strategies; • Structure out-of-class learning; and • Mitigate learner isolation To read more about planning a collaborative and cooperative activity take a look at Curtin University’s Website.
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What does it mean to be Collaborative and Cooperative?
“The success of one student helps other students to be successful� -Anuradha A. Gokhale
When thinking of the terms collaborative and cooperative learning most people think they are the same, I remember when I first started researching these terms and incorporating them into lessons in my art classroom. I thought the only term used when students work together was collaborative, but I was wrong. Cooperative learning is just as important. These definitions helped me understand that the two terms were different and both can benefit learning in the high school art classroom.
Collectively analyzing staff desk for a furniture design project

Collaboration is a philosophy of interaction and personal lifestyle where individuals are responsible for their actions within the groups in which they find themselves. Cooperation is a structure of interaction designed to facilitate the accomplishment of a specific end product or goal through people working together in groups.
Collaborative Learning
Students collaborating on an expressive painting lesson.
Collaborative Learning has a common goal, all learners will contribute to the group. In collaborative learning, the teacher acts more as an organizer, facilitator, and mediator than as a transmitter of knowledge. Collaborative learning often involves challenging students with analytical problems which they must solve in teams by obtaining information or utilizing information given to them.
5 Characteristics of a Collaborative Classroom 1. Shared knowledge among teachers and students; 2. Shared authority among teachers and students; 3. Teachers as mediators; 4. Heterogeneous groupings of students; and 5. The perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of all students are important for enriching learning in the classroom. 4
Cooperative Learning
Working together for our Savannah community
In Cooperative learning the students are divided. Each has their own part of the problem. The interaction consists of supporting each other mutually. The teacher carefully designs meaningful tasks that require active participation of each student in the group toward a common end. At the beginning of a cooperative lesson, the teacher's role, often in cooperation with the class, is that of "task setter." As groups work on tasks, the teacher acts as a facilitator/coach moving from group to group to monitor the learning process. The teacher also provides students with on-going feedback and assessment of the group's progress.
4 Characteristics of Cooperative Learning: 1. Students work together on common tasks or learning activities that are best handled through group work; 2. Students use cooperative learning, pro-social behavior to accomplish their common task or learning activities; 3. Students are positively interdependent and activities are structured so that the students need each other to accomplish their common task; and 4. Students are individually accountable or responsible for their work or learning. 5
3 The Classroom Setup
“Classroom setup can dramatically affect students' attitudes toward and habits of learning” -Houghton Mifflin Company
Setting up my classroom for my 35 students is important when planning collaborative and cooperative art lessons. Creating a comfortable flow is always a challenge but can be done with careful planning.
Tables are grouped for Collaborative or Cooperative learning.
One of the goals of cooperative learning is to teach students initiative and self-reliance. Teachers want to see students seek out their peers for assistance. Materials should then be made available so students do not need to search for them or ask the teacher for help. Students also work more effectively in well-organized classrooms rather than one that is cluttered.
How to design a classroom to promote collaborative and cooperative learning
Collaborative Classroom
In the image above the classroom is setup for 4 or 5 students per table working on one project. Each table will be developing their project and will be using problem solving skills to create art.
Cooperative Classroom
In the image above the classroom is set up for 4 or 5 students per table creating their own work of art. The kidney shaped table is a common area where the students can bring their work together to discuss.
There is an approach to education that places emphasis on the classroom environment as an essential teaching tool. This philosophy is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in an enriching environment based on interests of primary school student. Even though this is designed for younger children, it is an approach that could be integrated for older students. To know more about this approach and how to bring the most out of your learning environment check out the Reggio Emilia Homepage.
Think about the project that your students will be creating before you set up your classroom. Become Your Own Classroom Designer by Clicking Here 7
4 Grouping your Students
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J.K. Rowling
Students in groups helping one another to succeed.
If given a choice, students prefer to learn in groups with their peers and friends (homogeneous groups), but they also appreciate getting to know and learn from other members of the classroom. This requires that we trust students to make good decisions, and sometimes organize students into groups we design.
ICE BREAKERS Teachers can use “icebreakers” within their classrooms to create a connected and comfortable learning environment for their students. Icebreakers are necessary for a successful collaborative classroom. Icebreakers allow a student to become emotionally connected with school and it will increase motivation.
Examples: Movie 4.1 Balloon Bust Caterpillar
Movie 4.2 Marshmallow and Spaghetti Tower
This is a great ice breaker when you have split your class up into 2 groups for a cooperative lesson.
This ice breakers is designed for a collaborative lesson. Works great with four or five people per group.
Music to Motivate!
Music is a wonderful way to keep your students working and motivated. I provided an example below. Lets Work-By Mick Jagger
The internet is a great way to find different ice breakers for different age groups. Check out these on Pinterest. 9
Types of Grouping
Working in groups helps the students understand the material that is being presented.
Informal Collaborative/Cooperative
Formal Collaborative/Cooperative
may be organized "on-the-fly" as an aid in
Groups are assembled for at least one
direct teaching. Breaking students into
class period and may stay together for sev-
groups after a discussions allows students
eral weeks working on extended projects.
to brainstorm their ideas. By having the stu-
Each student will bring their individual
dents share their ideas, it will increase the
skills and talents to the table. Sharing
amount of material retained by students as
ideas in the group helps balance learning
well as enhance the comfort level by work-
from one student to another.
ing with each other.
Individuals tend to give up when they get stuck, where as a group of students is more likely to find a way to keep going (Johnson & Johnson, 1990). Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1990). Social skills for successful group work. Educational Leadership, 47(4), 29 - 33.
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Issues to Think About While Grouping Collaborative learning can be more successful if the following words of caution are considered. Some of these suggestions apply to study groups arranged by students themselves, while others are more pertinent to instructors using cooperative activities.
For Students • Choose members of your study group carefully. • Be sure that your study group mutually decides on a way to check that all members contribute fairly and equally to the group. • At your first meeting, decide on penalties for not contributing fairly. • Stay on track at your study group sessions. The meetings are not appropriate times for chit-chat, gossip, or other non-productive activities. • Remember that study groups are not substitutes for learning all the required material yourself. In other words, the purpose is not only to split the work load but to make sure you understand all of the material.
For Instructors • Instructions and expectations for assignments should be clear. • Group activities should be related to course objectives. • Measure success by the amount of learning rather than by the completion of the task. • Take responsibility for forming groups. • Help build group cohesion by asking students to share personal information or experiences or incorporate icebreakers. • Use class time for group activities; they are easier to monitor than out-of-class group activities. • Provide students with the background information or resources necessary for completing the group activity.
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5 Conclusion Cooperative and collaborative learning enables students to work in an interactive group setting toward a common goal. When the teacher knows her students, and understands their specific strengths and weaknesses, grouping can be successful for learning to occur. Life-long learning skills can be assimilated by the students when positive cooperative and collaborative activities are accomplished. Every future employer would appreciate an employee that possesses such skills as positive interdependence, individual accountability, appropriate social skills and helpful group processing. The 21st century art educator is just the one to instill these skills in our 21st century students!
A cooperative project that incorporated student’s artwork within mural .
Bringing all students together for a completed project is nothing less than a masterpiece! 12