What Are The 5 Elements Of Cooperative Learning?

There are several different teaching styles when it comes to academia. From the student’s point of view, there are also various learning styles as well. The main teaching styles that are most often used are formal authority and the demonstrator model.

In both styles, teachers are essentially providing information through either lecture or demonstrations for students to learn. While this method is often used because many students’ styles of learning can adapt to it, not all learning methods work well with this form of teaching. One such learning method, known as cooperative learning, is something that needs to branch off from more “traditional” styles of learning in order to be effective. 

What is cooperative learning in education?
Cooperative learning is a style of learning that relies on cooperation between students and teachers as well as students and their peers. To learn the information at hand, a strong focus is placed on group work and putting together groups of students as a way to further their grasp on the subject matter.

The teacher implementing the group learning practice acts as more of a guide than a teacher and gives students autonomy over their own educational experience.

What are the characteristics of cooperative learning?
The main characteristic of cooperative learning revolves around group learning. For cooperative learning to function properly and for learners to get the most benefit, they must be open and willing to have critically thought-out discussions based on the lesson at hand. The students not only take responsibility for their own learning, but for the learning of their peers by being an active participant in the educational process.

Independent learning is also part of cooperative learning because students are not being strictly guided and directed. They are taking information and guidance from the instructor and running with it, so to speak. Their ideas and knowledge regarding the lesson can be shared openly to help further their own grasp of the topic, along with how well the others in their group understand the material.

What are the 5 principles of cooperative learning?
When looking at cooperative learning, there are five key elements or principles involved. These elements work symbiotically to make up the learning experience. These five principles are:

1. Positive interdependence
Positive interdependence is a facet of cooperative learning that relies on a team mentality. The students in each group, whether there are a few or many, function as one unit in the sense that they only succeed if they do so together.

There are various parts of cooperative learning that foster positive interdependence, such as setting mutual goals together with the group, dividing labor in a fair and effective way, taking on different roles within the group for the best possible outcome, and grading the group as a whole as opposed to each student separately.

2. Individual accountability
While cooperative learning is done in a way that promotes group accountability, individual accountability has to be present as well. In this style of learning, students have to perform on their own while also learning as a group.

This is so that each student pulls their own weight to ensure that the entire group succeeds together. Through cooperative learning, both the group and the individual must be able to understand the material for it to be a positive learning experience for all.

3. Promotive interaction
Promotive interaction, otherwise referred to as face-to-face interaction, is part of cooperative learning and helps students promote learning between group members as opposed to on their own. Discussions, oral explanations, and using what they already know during the lesson is helpful in furthering knowledge of the new subject.

By building a connection with one other through face-to-face interaction, the students develop a mutual goal that includes a commitment to their own learning as well as the learning of others.

4. Interpersonal and small group social skills
While cooperative learning is a great way for students to grasp class material, that isn’t the only lesson being taught. The social interaction aspect of this learning style provides them with the skills needed to work as a team with others. Interpersonal skills needed for group work spill over into other areas such as leadership, trust, communication, decision-making, and conflict management.

These skills can be used across various facets of a person’s life, and through cooperative learning, they are building them without even realizing it. The more cooperative learning tasks a student participates in, the better these skills will become.

5. Group processing
Group processing is part of cooperative learning but comes after the “learning” part is finished. Essentially, students are able to assess how well they are learning together as well as what social skills they have used during the lesson.

This final element of cooperative learning gives students the ability to see what went right and what went wrong, and gain a better understanding of the improvements that can be made on future projects.

What are some cooperative learning activities?
There are various activities that work well when implementing a cooperative style of learning. Those can include:

• Group answers: This activity divides the classroom into groups and asks them to work on one specific problem together. Each group can work through a different question and then present their findings to the rest of the class.
• Blackboard problem: Splitting the class in two groups, each with their own blackboard problem, gives students the opportunity to work together on one problem while learning how to share the space and work together towards the end goal.
• Jigsaw group project: Students working on a group project can each take a chunk of the assignment and work on it independently. Later, the students come together to collate their respective pieces as a full project.

Cooperative learning, when done properly, can help further the knowledge of each student, as well as sharpen life skills that will make them better able to work alongside others in a variety of settings.

 

Featured image by Ismail Salad Osman Hajji dirir on Unsplash