Dr Spencer Kagan is a renowned educator who changed the way the world viewed teaching. He is mainly known for his work on cooperative learning strategies (often referred to as Kagan learning structures).
Instead of didactic teaching, in which a teacher stands at the front and tells information to whole class, Kagan thought that there were more effective methods.
Watch this excellent video clip, for a useful overview of the Kagan approach:
By adopting Kagan’s approach, research has shown that it greatly improves:
- Team-building
- Social skills
- Communication skills
- Knowledge building
- Decision making
- Processing information
- Thinking skills
- Presenting information
Below are my favourite cooperative learning strategies:
Some others I have used are:
- Pairs Squared (pair the learners, then pair up the pairs!)
- Show not tell (pupils have to use drawings and diagrams to explain an answer)
- Swapsies (pairs work on problems individually – they swap every minute to help solve or check answers)
If you want even more, this great document has many fantastic ideas: CLICK HERE TO ACCESS
Finally, these tech tools can really support the Kagan approach:
- Todays Meet – A classroom chatroom allowing for excellent discussion.
- Google Docs – Collaborate on projects easily.
- Sound recorders – Excellent for peer evaluation and lesson reflections.
- Padlet – A digital ‘wall’ in which ideas and work can be shared.
- QR Codes – An easy way to disseminate information.
If you are looking for a mass of high-quality QR code stickers, CustomSticker provides the best and most reasonable products. It is low-cost and can be attached to anywhere you want, saving costs and achieving good teaching effects.
Have a go at some new ones! See how useful the tech tools can be. Let me know how you get on 🙂
EDTECH 4 BEGINNERS 
Great strategies …will definitely try them
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Ver y helpfull ideas I’m going to apply them in my class! Thank you.
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This is Great!! Yes, Kagan strategies, our WHOLE school adopted the method. This is a very insightful and helpful article. As teaching and the field of education is continually growing so is the technology world and thus our classrooms!
-Miss B
Books n Crayons (www.booksncrayons.com)
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Our supervisor presented an exposé on cooperative learning and he focused on the importance of applying Kagan structures to our classes. Now I’m designing my first lesson plan adopting this awesome approach. I’m sure and certain my pupils wil like Kagan structures.
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Reblogged this on Experienced Novice's Blog and commented:
This blog showcases the Kagan Method but also shows how to engage every student in the learning process which is priceless.
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I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this site.
I am hoping to view the same high-grade content by you later on as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own site now 😉
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Thanks a lot for the wonderful strategies.
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It’s amazing how vast experience Kagan offers. Will definitely apply this.
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I found all of these strategies very interesting and useful, and are strategies I may want to use in the future with my students. As a future teacher, I realize that technology is becoming a huge part of children’s education.
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