CUHK :: Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research

Past Events

Stimulating Effective Student Interactions:
Cooperative Learning

Facilitator:	Professor David W. Johnson, University of Minnesota, USA
Bio:	David W. Johnson is one of world’s most foremost authorities on the pedagogy of Cooperative Learning. He presently holds the position as Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He received his doctoral degree from Columbia University and has published over 400 research journal articles, books and book chapters. Prof. Johnson has received awards for outstanding research and teaching from the * American Personnel and Guidance Association (1972) * American Psychological Association (1981) * American Society for Engineering Education (1984) * National Council for Social Studies (1986) * American Association for Counseling and Development (1988) * American Educational Research Association (1994, 2001) He held the Emma M. Birkmaier Professorship in Educational Leadership at the University of Minnesota from 1994 to 1997. For the past 40 years, Prof. Johnson has served as an organizational consultant to educational centres and businesses in North America, Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Region.
Detail:	Cooperative learning is a teaching method that challenges students to work harder, learn more, and support and assist each other’s learning. Research has repeatedly shown that students achieve more if they work in cooperative groups - discussing assignments, exchanging ideas and information, and explaining what they are learning. Working in cooperative groups results in students forming positive relationships with each other and gaining in self-esteem. The more students work in cooperative groups, the greater their teamwork skills develop. Professor Johnson clarified the nature of high performing cooperative learning groups and how they were different from traditional student groups. Participants had an opportunity to learn and then use the five basic elements of cooperative learning in their own classes, including teaching students the social skills they needed to work in teams. In order to help staff benefit from this world-renowned pedagogical expert , CLEAR has offered two workshops. The first were run over five lunch periods (noon to 2 pm, Monday to Friday) at Prince of Wales Hospital. The second workshop were run from 4 to 6 pm (Monday to Friday) on CUHK campus.
Date:	June 2002