CORP Groups Considerations

While each of these types of collaborative learning is valuable and appropriate in different contexts, in this session we will be exploring one particular type of collaborative learning, the Community of Reflection and Practice (CORP) model.

For the CORP model, we will use small groups size, and the long-term Community of Practice type.

Size:

Pairs
Small groups (3–5)
Medium/large groups (6+)

Type:

In the moment (pair share during a lecture)
Task-based (group assignment)
Community of Practice (long-term)

Format:

CORP groups can be face to face, synchronous online, asynchronous online, or a blend of formats.

CORP work involves a small group of students supporting each other to gain knowledge and skills, enact practices, and maintain a sustained shared focus on improvement over a long period of time, such as the length of one or more higher education courses.

In this model, educators support each other over time to improve together. CORP groups allow instructors to model and participants to learn to give formative feedback. They also provide social support by bringing together participants with similar career paths and interests. When participants engage together in authentic and useful conversations about their practice, they enact an important aspect of becoming a professional in the field.

A busy early childhood classroom displayed as a video being watched on a laptop screen

CORP groups that come together to analyze video of their practice and offer formative feedback support each member's improvement. During this session we will explore how instructors can facilitate video-mediated CORP groups effectively.

For the CORP model, we will use small groups size, and the long-term Community of Practice type. We will explore one particularly effective model, a video-mediated CORP group.

Video-mediated CORP groups will:

Learn about teaching practices
Enact those practices with children and capture their practice on video
Share those videos of their own practice with the group
Offer formative feedback to each other
Support goal-setting and improvement in practice over time