Planner-coach pairs in cooperative learning [engineering education]

The author outlines the planner-coach formal cooperative learning strategy which is one of many pair problem-solving models. Instead of helping one person solve a problem, the emphasis is on helping one member create a plan. The plan may be an outline for a paper or project, schedule for studying, or any other plan that is required to be done well. Clarification of the organisational roles is essential to success. The coach must remember that it is not their lesson; the coach´s role is to clarify, encourage, question, etc. The planner makes all the decisions about the topic, text, etc. Both members record the plan to ensure careful listening and checking for understanding. They then switch roles and the coach gets a turn preparing a plan. After each group has completed the task, they are then asked to process their work together, perhaps by listing what they did well and what they could do even better next time