Karen Allard

To cite this article: Allard, K. Student Comments on Cooperative Learning and Multiple Intelligences Structures. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing. Kagan Online Magazine, Spring 2000. www.KaganOnline.com

Editor's Note: Karen Allard is a Nationally Certified Kagan Trainer. We invited Karen to share the results of her recent study on the of effects of implementing Kagan Structures in her own classroom.

I wanted to share something with you that I thought you might find interesting. For my Master's in Adminstration Program we had to complete an ethnographic study for an assignment. I decided to use my top five students who scored the highest on the SAT9 (more on SAT9) last year. One of the questions I asked them was:

"Do cooperative learning and multiple intelleigence strategies help you study for quizzes, review information, and or help you discuss ideas and concepts about reading, writing and social studies?"

I wanted to know what my "cream of the crop" thought. I think I came back with some good feedback about how CL and MI satisfies these gifted students. Below are their responses. One preferred to remain anonymous and one preferred not to be included. I just thought you might be interested, because I was!

Joey Bowler, Scores on SAT9: Total Reading 99 Math 97
I feel challenged by the new learning strategies my teacher has introduced.
Give One, Get One has done wonders for my test scores.
Flashcard Game helps me to re-memorize words in a fun way.
The use of music has really helped me focus when writing in class.
Mix, Music, Match is my favorite because it helps to exchange infromation and it's a lot of fun. I love to boogie!

Anonymous Student, Scores on SAT9: Total Reading 99 Math 99
Sharing different opinions when doing RallyRobin and RoundRobin may change my point of view.
I can now understand where other people get their answers.
I have learned there is more to school than just sitting in my seat and being quiet.
I am much more well-rounded as a student, because I understand there are many ways to learn one thing.
I love working with my shoulder and eyeball partner.
Find Someone Who is educational but I'm not sitting down, I'm moving.

Kyle Christenson, SAT9 Scores: Total Reading 96 Math 99
Cooperative learning helps me generate ideas.
RoundRobin helps me learn about things that I did not know in our groups, and a teammate may bring up something I forgot about.
Mind Maps have been incredibly helpful as far as learning and exams go.
RoundRobin is my favorite part of CL because everyone is able to speak and it has to be about one subject, so no one should be off topic.

Erica Dessenberger, SAT9 Scores: Total Reading 93 Math 94
I think Mind Maps have helped me learn more things and remember them at the same time.
When we learn content through song, I enjoy it and I know I will remember it forever.
Cooperative learning helps me for tests because even if I think the content is simple and easy, I can forget it, and CL helps me to remember.
Interacting with other students and studying at the same time helps me because two heads at times are better than one.
When we discuss what has happened in a book, some people who may have forgotten something will probably remember it a week to a month later.

Thanks For Letting Me Share,

Karen

NOTE:
Kagan is compiling data on the effectiveness of the Kagan methods. If any of you have any action research from your own classrooms or any comments you would like to share, we would very much appreciate hearing from you. Please E-mail Kagan at: Research@KaganOnline.com

The SAT9 is CA's new, required (two years now) standardized test for all students. It is always taken in April and student and teacher results are posted on the Internet and schools are then ranked. The state believes students who are at the 50th percentile or above are at grade level, and my district and many others use the SAT9 as a multiple measure for retention or promotion to the next grade. It really is a big deal, so those students' responses that I shared with you who are scoring in the 99th percentile are incredible learners.

CA also now has the API index where schools are required to use their test scores to rank their schools with others in the state.