Benefits of cooperative learning

Cooperative learning, used effectively, provides unique learning experiences for students. Research evidence suggests that:

• It enhances students’ enthusiasm for learning and their determination to achieve academic success (Mueller & Fleming 2001; Roman 2007). It has proved such an effect even with students who were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Simplicio, 2007).
• Cooperative learning provides rich learning opportunities across content areas. Students can cooperate to research topics, write reports, read materials, write summaries, discuss and debate their ideas, study for tests, find information, answer questions, and engage in hands-on projects, school and community service projects. They can edit their peer work and give feedback and help.
• It is an aid to classroom management and instruction for teachers (Cohen, Brody, & Sapon-Shevin, 2004). Because it helps provide individualized assistance to students who have not understood a given concept, lack given skills, or have difficulty following directions and classroom routines.
• It has also been shown to improve interpersonal relations, strengthen conflict resolution skills (Gillies & Ashman,2003), and improve students’ emotional well-being, self-esteem, coping skills, and attitudes toward schoolwork (Patrick,1994; Patterson,1994).
• Using cooperative learning in classes can help reduce teachers’ workload and stress levels and maximize learning time. This is so because it encourages students to become responsible for their own and peers’ learning.

So, cooperative learning provides benefits to students beyond academics. It can enhance their social and emotional skills. It’s then worth integrating into our classes.

Still, to do so, it’s necessary to understand its main elements.

Key elements of cooperative learning

Most researchers agree that to use effectively cooperative learning in the classroom there are five essential elements to consider (Jacobs, Power, & Loh 2002; Johnson & Johnson,2004): positive interdependence, face-to-face interaction, individual accountability, development of social skills, and group evaluation.

1. Positive interdependence

In traditional classrooms, students are encouraged to compete with one another. Competition often forces students to focus on goals instead of on the process itself and it also causes them stress as research evidence shows (Lam et al 2001). So, students experience negative interdependence.

In cooperative learning, there should be mutual support or positive interdependence among students. Each group member has to contribute to the learning of the group. So, students are required to work together to ensure the success of each one.

By doing so, they are likely to feel more accountable for their roles. They will also learn that success depends on collective efforts since each member needs to be committed, supportive, and teaming up to complete the task.

But, how can you ensure positive interdependence?

Explain to your students that to complete the group’s task they need each other’s help. Encourage them to set mutual goals and plan together to achieve them.

Providing tasks that can only be completed jointly is also necessary to promote positive interdependence.

So, assign interconnected roles (such as researcher, facilitator, presenter, and so on) and be sure to explain clearly what is expected of each student.

You can also give each member of the group only a portion of the information, materials, or other necessary items so that group members have to combine their resources to achieve their goals (known as resource interdependence)

2. Face-to-face interaction

In cooperative learning, students need to interact, help one another, share opinions and ideas and work as a team to ensure each member’s success.

Face-to-face interaction allows for more communication, sharing, and common understanding among the group members and so more integration into the group and acceptance.

Such kind of interaction can also help in reviewing work, tracking progress, and identifying the necessary goals and action plan.

To facilitate face-to-face interaction, arrange classroom seating to help students work in groups. Use separate tables where students sit in small groups (three to four) facing each other.

Besides considering the physical layout of the classroom, it’s also important to foster thoughtful interaction among students.

For instance, graphic organizers (to organize information), think-pair-share, think-write-pair-compare (students jot down their thoughts before sharing with a partner), oral summarizing, and explaining to other peers can get students actively thinking.

3. Individual accountability

Cooperative learning is not just a matter of asking students to work in groups and assigning tasks. Tasks need to be structured to ensure that students are interdependent and individually accountable. So, each student has a role and is held accountable for his or her own academic progress and task completion.

In addition to developing that sense of responsibility to do the assigned job, each student needs to help the rest of the group to learn.

So, besides assigning roles, assess each student individually based on his/her academic achievement and social skills. Also, promote self-assessment and peer assessment of the student’s work.

4. Development of social skills

Cooperative learning supports students to develop the interpersonal skills needed to thrive both in their professional and personal lives. This is through learning how to interact with others, communicate effectively, understand and appreciate others, make decisions, solve problems, resolve conflicts, and compromise.

To help enhance students’ social skills, provide a safe learning environment where students are more willing to exchange ideas and respond without any fear of being ridiculed.

In addition, you need to teach those social skills on a daily basis, ask students to practice those skills within their cooperative groups, and have students provide feedback on group interactions and social processes.

Observe how students are interacting, monitor, and give the necessary guidance.

5. Group evaluation

Because quality work matters in cooperative learning, students in groups need to evaluate both their cooperation process and the achieved work. So, they can discuss how well they are meeting their goals, what actions help their group, what they should avoid for better interactions, and make the necessary decisions for improvement.

They can communicate those evaluations in class or provide you with a written report. Yet, you’d better inform your students to alert you to any problem the group is facing. You can talk it over and then provide a plan for engaging them in problem-solving and conflict resolution.

This is cooperative learning! We CAN make it a great learning opportunity for our students.

References

Cohen, E. G., C. M. Brody, & M. Sapon-Shevin, Eds. (2004). Teaching Cooperative Learning: The challenge for Teacher Education. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Gillies, R. M., & A. F. Ashman, Eds. (2003). Cooperative Learning: The Social and Intellectual Outcomes of Learning in Groups. New York: Routledge Falmer.

Jacobs, G. M., M. A. Power, & W. I. Loh. (2002). The Teacher’s Sourcebook for Cooperative Learning: Practical Techniques, Basic Principles, and Frequently Asked Questions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Johnson, D. W., & R. T. Johnson. (2004). Assessing Students in Groups: Promoting Group Responsibility and Individual Accountability. Thousand Oaks, CA:Corwin.

Lam, S., Yim, P., Law, J., & Cheung, R. (2001). The effects of classroom competition on achievement motivation. In: 109th Annual Conference of American Psychological Association.

Mueller, A., & T. Fleming. (2001). “Cooperative Learning: Listening to How Children Work at School.” Journal of Educational Research 94(5): 259–265.

Patterson, V. E. (1994). “Introducing Co-Operative Learning at Princess Elizabeth Elementary School.” Education Canada 34(2): 36–41.

Patrick, J. (1994). “Direct Teaching of Collaborative Skills in a Cooperative Learning Environment.” Teaching and Change 1(2): 170–181.

Roman, H. T. (2007). “Putting Student Enthusiasm to Work.” The Technology Teacher 66(5): 14–16.

Simplicio, J. S. C. (2007). “Achieving Higher Levels of Success for A.D.H.D. Students Working in Collaborative Groups.” Journal of Instructional Psychology 34(3): 140–141.