Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning  is when small teams of students work together to better understand a subject and solve problems.

Advantages of Cooperative Learning are broad and deep. A joint study conducted by CMU, MIT and Union College shows that the collective intelligence of groups exceeds the cognitive abilities of individual group members. Other works by M. K. Smith et. al. (Science, vol 323, p. 122, 2 January 2009) and Chandralekha Singh (American Journal of Physics, vol. 73, no.5, p. 446, May 2005) show that students who work in groups can solve problems that none of the individuals could solve on their own.

Successful cooperative learning occurs when instructors put into place structures and processes that ensure the following:

• Students feel they need, depend on, and value each other for success.

• The students directly engage and communicate with each other.

• No student gets a 'free ride' at the expense of others.

• Groups reflect on and improve their ability to work cooperatively.

Part of the purpose of collaborative work is to help students become aware of, and develop, the kinds of interpersonal social skills required to work productively with others.

In addition to the above considerations, important issues must be considered before implementing cooperative learning.

• Getting started

• Some important general information

• Forming groups

• Group types

• Assessing group work

• Effective group work (to be assigned to students to read)

• Group communication inventory

Collaborative Learning explores important issues around cooperative learning, and offers valuable suggestions.