Incorporating Cooperative Learning and Active Listening Skills in Secondary-Level Science Classrooms
Term
Summer 2025
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAT
Facilitator(s)
Karen L. Moroz
Content Expert
Denee Kalkbrenner
Abstract
Middle school students are in a key stage of developing their social and emotional skills. Research emphasizes the importance of focusing on effective instructional strategies to support and enhance that development. In science classrooms, this means providing opportunities for cooperative learning and active listening skills, enabling students to interact and consider diverse perspectives while working in lab investigations, problem-based activities, or research projects. According to the NGSS framework for K-12 science education, students are expected to engage in scientific practices that foster scientific thinking skills. To support the development of these skills, this capstone project explored the question: How can cooperative learning and active listening skills be incorporated in a secondary-level science classroom? Current literature suggests that scientific practices are effectively supported through inquiry-based learning frameworks. These studies were guided by the importance of classroom management in increasing student engagement during inquiry-based learning. As a result, cooperative learning and active listening skills become essential components of inquiry-based learning. The research highlights the positive impacts of cooperative learning on improving adolescents’ peer relationships, which in turn enhance their academic achievements. The capstone also contributes to the development of strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to strengthen cooperative learning within the context of inquiry-based learning. Active listening is a key component of cooperative learning and plays a critical role in supporting engagement during inquiry-based learning. Therefore, the literature focuses on the impacts of active listening skills on students’ motivation and participation during group work. Insights gained from the literature on inquiry-based labs that promote cooperative learning and active listening skills guided the development of a lesson plan for the capstone project. The inquiry-based lesson lab was designed using the 5E instructional model, which consists of five phases: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Further, the project centered on a curriculum tailored to the intended student population, integrating cooperative learning and active listening skills through the lens of inquiry-based learning. Future research can build on the foundations of this capstone project by exploring challenges and opportunities associated with large group sizes in fostering cooperative learning and active listening during inquiry-based instruction.
Project Type
Curriculum
Keywords
Classroom Management, Curriculum, Science, Teachers/ Teaching
Recommended Citation
Kamatgi, Kaveri, "Incorporating Cooperative Learning and Active Listening Skills in Secondary-Level Science Classrooms" (2025). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1128.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1128
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects