Progressing from small group work to cooperative learning: a case study from computer science

Although the industrial partners of academe are unanimous in their desire to hire engineering graduates who are experienced in working productively in small groups, implementing small group work in a computer science class can be difficult. The obvious assignment, a group programming project, proved to be a poor choice when implemented in the author's computer graphics class. An examination of the literature in this area shows that a group programming project has many features in common with a group term paper, the assignment which has been uniquely identified as the worst choice for small group work. Fortunately, there are better choices for cooperative learning in computer science. Assignments with "the three S's": same problem, specific choice and simultaneous reporting of group choices, work well. This was implemented in a class by having students work multiple choice quizzes designed to require high level learning skills. Quizzes were first worked by individuals, then by small groups. The small group answers are then compared and discussed in class. This generates the type of interaction between the professor and students which creates positive cooperative learning experiences. Promising preliminary results have been seen with this method, from both the student and the professor's perspective.