Mirijam Pirc, Šolski center nova Gorica

I introduced cooperative learning in my physics lessons in 2006. Since then I have been using two different methods of cooperative learning: the original group compound and cooperative cards. When students use the method of original group compound, every member of the group does his exercise and then he presents it to other members of the group. Students exchange roles, so that they play a role of a student and a teacher alternatively, when they use the method of cooperation cards.

In the last year I upgraded the cooperative learning with the use of tablets. Cooperative cards were made on www.cram.com, where students can check their knowledge by answering the question which is on the front side of the card. Meanwhile the other student sees the answer on the back side of the card and checks and writes down notes on the performance of his colleague. When students use the method of original group compound I use interactive exercises where the data changes. Each student must solve correctly his exercise in the first lesson, then take a photo of it and send it to other members of the group. In the next lesson students explain their exercise to the rest of the group.

The use of tablets brings a change to our lessons. Students prefer learning with tablets to learning on paper. The learning material is always at hand and it is cannot be lost. That is a big advantage. The interactive exercises have two priorities. Students cannot copy exercises from their schoolmates and they can repeat the exercise several times because the solutions will always be different.