In a talk by Carol Bolduc at a Math Renaissance Conference, a teacher of gifted and talented students, she stated that there was the need to engage all students in creative problem-solving and researching activities that tap into oral and visual communication skills. Students who listen, observe, perceive, interview, survey, research information, organize and analyze data learn to use higher-order thinking skills and develop expanded expectations in terms of their own learning (Bolduc, 1999).

Bolduc was describing what cognitive psychologists refer to as an active and highly individualized process called constructivist learning. The constructivist model of learning is based on the concept that learners actively construct new knowledge based on their own individual experiences and understandings. The teacher becomes the guide and facilitator of learning rather than the director of instruction, and the student becomes the producer rather than the consumer of information. Goals are set and rubrics are established. The learner is assessed through authentic measures such as evaluating a product or examining a collection of work samples that are assembled in a portfolio (Parker, 1996).

This project focused on a constructivist model using small cooperative groups in a web-based learning environment. The authors choose a 6^th grade class within a middle school that had relatively little experience navigating the Internet and using presentation software such as PowerPoint. Students were given guided instruction on the use of PowerPoint and Internet Explorer prior to the beginning of the project.

Throughout the process of making their PowerPoint presentations students conferred with one another, evaluated one another’s work, offered suggestions and helped one another troubleshoot problems that occurred. There is always a great sense of accomplishment when the end "product" is presented and displayed for the rest of the groups to see. Assessment of the product was informal and occurred at the end of week 1 and week 2 with students obtaining comments and feedback from fellow classmates.

The purpose of the research was to determine if students placed in cooperative groups based on their personality traits were more likely to be successful on a collaborative project versus students that were placed in-groups randomly. Education remains a fiercely competitive enterprise, and individualistic notions of professionalism predominate. Despite the continued importance of independence, initiative, and personal achievement, today's schools are experimenting with consideration, sharing, collegiality, and commitment to group goals (Brandt, 1996). Educators are constantly reviewing, discussing, and analyzing how students learn. As educators gain experience with students working in-groups collaboratively, they are faced with how we might be able to have them work more productively. Discussions around the issue of how to group students for maximum productivity lead to grouping techniques. This study will help educators to identify the benefits or hindrances by placing students in predetermined groups based on their personalities. Educators will receive feedback relating to classroom management, group assignments, and student’s retention of curriculum. Students will discover issues related to group dynamics, task completion, and overall project grade.

The authors became intrigued with the idea of looking at the process of learning that occurs when students work in cooperative groups. For this activity, the authors choose a 6^th grade Social Studies unit utilizing a constructivist approach involving student-directed learning that follows the 6^th Grade State standards of curriculum goals and objectives. The authors decided to conduct a teacher research project to investigate what happens when students have the opportunity to work cooperatively with common objectives, and work together researching a topic on Ancient China. The authors wanted to closely look at the student interactions, the cooperative learning skills the students exhibit and reflect upon the WebQuest experience within the realm of the constructivist philosophy of teaching.

• The varying motivation of the students.
• Student interpretation and how they approach the project.
• Adequate resources available to the students.
• Student knowledge of group interaction skills.
• The time that the lesson is taught as well as how it is taught may affect student outcome.

• Will the motivation of the students participating in the group have a positive/negative impact on the group’s performance?
• Will the group’s performance be affected by their approach to the given problem/task?
• Will students prior knowledge of computers and Internet search skills affect their group’s outcome?
• Will students reading level have an effect on the group’s outcome?