Definitions 

Cooperative learning is described as group learning activities organized so that learning is dependent on the socially structured exchange of information between learners of all levels of performance. In cooperative learning groups, each learner is held accountable for his or her own learning and is motivated to increase the learning of others (Olsen & Kagan 1992, p. 8). It is a set of highly structured psychologically and sociologically based techniques that help learners work together to reach a learning goal. Rather than working as individuals in competition, cooperative learning encourages students to negotiate, initiate, plan, and evaluate together. 

There are five elements of cooperative learning : positive interdependence, face to face interaction, individual and group accountability, group processing, and social development (also known as Interpersonal & Small-Group Skills). Cooperative learning is student centered.  The role of the teacher is to design meaningful tasks that will require active participation of every student in a group working towards a common goal. The teacher becomes a facilitator moving from group to group monitoring the learning process. The teacher also provides students with on-going feedback and assessment of the groups’ progress.

 Three theoretical perspectives have guided research on cooperative learning. The Social Interdependence Theory which in education refers to students’ efforts to achieve, develop positive relationships, adjust psychologically, and show social competence. The Cognitive developmental Theory grounded on the work by Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, in which Piaget suggests that when individuals work together, a sociocognitive conflict and disequilibrium occur that stimulates perspective-taking ability and reasoning; Vygotsky presents knowledge as a societal product. And the Behavioral Learning Theory which presupposes that cooperative efforts are fueled by extrinsic motivation to achieve group rewards (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998, p. 3: 18).

What do teachers need to know about cooperative learning?

Teachers need to know that there are three approaches that are frequently mentioned in cooperative learning research: lesson planning, the structural approach, and what can be referred to as the existing package approach. The lesson-planning approach, called Learning Together, organizes cooperative learning for use in any grade or age level with any subject (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1990, 1994). Interdependence, accountability, group formation, social skills, and structure are all built into the sequence and communicated to the students in multiple ways. The second approach, sometimes called the Structural Approach, is based on the use of sequences of organized, content-free, repeatable classroom behaviors, known as “structures” (Kagan, 1989; Oken & Kagan, 1992; Sharan, 1990; Sharan & Hertz-Lazarowitz, 1980; Slavin, 1990; Wade, Abrami, Poulsen, & Chambers, 1995). Multiple structures can sometimes be used within a given class period, depending on the learning objectives; Partners, Jigsaw, co-op cards, and solve-pair-share are all examples of structures. The third approach consists of using existing, published cooperative learning packages that address one or more aspects of the curriculum. For instance: Finding Out/Discubrimiento (De Avila et al., 1987), Comprehensive and Integrated Reading and Composition (based on work by Slavin, 1990; Stevens et al., 1987), Team Accelerated Instruction (Slavin et al., 1986), Listening and Describing’Techniques (Palmer et al., 1988), and many more.

Ccooperative learning is more effective in promoting intrinsic motivation and task achievement, generating higher order thinking skills, improving attitudes toward the subject, developing academic peer norms, heightening self-esteem, increasing time on task, creating caring and altruistic relationships, and lowering anxiety and prejudice (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1994; Slavin, 1991; Holt, 1993; Kessler, 1992). Thus, cooperative learning enhances cognitive and social skills. Development of specific social and communicative skills is also possible through cooperative learning (Slavin, 1991). Such skills include asking for clarification, checking the understanding of others, explaining, paraphrasing, acknowledging contributions, asking others to contribute, praising others, verifying consensus, and mediating conflicts. Cohen (1994) asserts that cooperative learning improves positive interdependence by giving individuals specific role assignments within a group. Olsen & Kagan (1992) claim that improved scores, for the individual and for the group, gives everyone a chance to improve and provides a sense of accountability.

It is important for teachers to know that cooperative learning has many benefits in a class with culturally and linguistically diverse students.  One such benefit is that by placing equal focus on every member of the group, as opposed to one, or two, culturally and linguistically diverse students act, and speak more spontaneously without having the feeling of being watched by everyone else in class. In the process, they learn more, and their self-esteem and motivation are raised. This can have a positive effect on a student's identity.

There are an essential number of elements or requirements that according to research must be met to implement cooperative learning successfully. These elements of cooperative learning include but are not limited to: heterogeneous groups, face-to-face interaction, and acces to must-learn information.

Four types of Cooperative Learning:

(1) Formal cooperative learning is structured, facilitated, and monitored by the educator over time and is used to achieve group goals in task. Groups can vary from 2-6 people with discussion lasting from a few minutes to a period.

(2) Informal cooperative learning incorporates group learning with passive teaching by drawing attention to material through small groups throughout the lesson or by discussion at the end of a lesson, and typically involves groups of two, also called “turn-to your-partner discussion”. Groups are often temporary and can change from lesson to lesson.

(3) Cooperative based groups: In group-based cooperative learning, groups gather together over the long term to develop and contribute to one another’s knowledge mastery on a topic by regularly discussing material, encouraging one another, and supporting the academic and personal success of group members. 

(4) Constructive controversy exists when one student's ideas, information, conclusions, theories, and opinions are incompatible with those of another, and the two seek to reach an agreement (Johnson & Johnson, 2008).

Class activities that use cooperative learning:

(1) Jigsaw

(2) Think-Pair-Share

(3) Three-Step Interview

(4) RoundRobin Brainstorming

(5) Three-minute Review

(6) Numbered Heads Together

(7) Team Pair Solo

(8) Circle the Sage

(9) Partner

This video stresses why cooperative learning is so important to students.

This video introduces Dr. Kagan structures

What do students need to know about cooperative learning?

Students need to know that numerous research studies in K–12 classrooms, in very diverse school settings and across a wide range of content areas, have revealed that students completing cooperative learning group tasks tend to have higher academic test scores, higher selfesteem, greater numbers of positive social skills, fewer stereotypes of individuals of other races or ethnic groups, and greater comprehension of the content and skills they are studying ( Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec 1993; Slavin 1991; Stahl and VanSickle 1992). Teachers like to incorporate cooperative learning activities into their curriculum because there are so many benefits for the students – and the class. Here are 10 advantages for students.

10 Advantages of Cooperative Learning

• Students develop higher thinking skills. Students learn to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize the information that they need to learn. They improve their reasoning and logic skills.
•  Students retain the information much longer when participating in cooperative learning. With activities where students merely read and memorize information, they forget everything very quickly.
• Students develop responsibility. In cooperative learning groups, each individual has specific responsibilities. They learn that they need to fulfill those responsibilities because the other students are depending on them. The success of the group depends on each group member. Nobody can be a person who sits in the back of the room trying to be unnoticed.
• Students develop self-confidence and self esteem. As they work on and solve difficult problems, they feel a sense of accomplishment. They realize that they CAN be successful. They can do the work and remember the material.
• Along with building self-confidence, cooperative learning builds social skills. Students learn how to get along, how to take turns, how to listen politely, and how to speak politely.
• Class attendance improves. When students realize that their group is depending on them, students don’t skip school. They make sure that they go to class so they can work with their team.
• Through cooperative learning activities, students learn how to see things from other people’s point of view. They have to listen to what others think and seriously think about and evaluate what was said. They also develop empathy for others. They look at how decisions affect people in their group and determine whether or not it was good.
• Students develop oral communication skills. When they realize that their group doesn’t ‘get’ what they said, students spend time thinking about how they could say things better to get their point across
• Help to promote positive race relation
• Enhance student satisfaction with their learning experience 

English language learners benefit from cooperative learning activities because there are more opportunities for content-related communication among students and the quality of the communication is higher due to the negotiation of meaning. Additionally, since cooperative learning strategies don't involve explicit manipluation of language, learners are allowed to use their primary language, and the result is an increase in academic learning (Lessow-Hurley, 1996). 

How to implement cooperative learning

  The key to a successful cooperative learning experience rests in the grouping of students. Heterogeneous grouping which reflects varied student abilities, racial, ethnic, and gender differences is the ultimate goal. Grouped students should then be given a task designed to promote working cooperatively (together) to complete the task. The task (assignment) should result in a product which can be heard, viewed, or, in some way, shared with the entire class.

At the onset, when the task is initially given to the groups, each member of a group has a specific role in completing the task. The usual roles are those  of reader, reporter, recorder, and manager. Students decide among themselves who will do what. It should be stressed that all roles jobs are of equal importance and that there is no boss in the group. The distribution of specific roles or (jobs) within the group in and of itself promotes cooperative learning and inclusion rather than exclusion of some participants. At first, there may be students who do not want to "carry their weight," but as they become more familiar with the non-threatening aspect of cooperative learning, every student can bring something to the learning experience, and, once the reluctant student realizes that (s)he has something to offer, (s)he does.

After students share what they have learned or created with the class, there should be some discussion about this "lesson." If time does not permit, the discussion can become a written homework assignment or carried over to the next day. The teacher may ask students for their initial reactions and/or comments or how they felt during the process or what was different about this lesson. This discussion will serve to start students to think about themselves as responsible learners, to think about the learning process, and to think about different ways of learning.

Subsequent introductory cooperative learning activities may follow the next day or several days later. In addition to the assigned task, routines associated with cooperative learning, such as immediately Joining their groups on cooperative learning days or stopping group work on a given signal so that class sharing can take place etc., should be introduced. Students should remain in their initial groups until the teacher feels that they understand the basic concepts of cooperative learning.

Once this basic understanding occurs, the teacher may then want to change the composition of the groups so that each group consists of students of varied abilities, genders, racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Also, it is important for students to know what is expected of them in these cooperative learning activities and how to most effectively navigate the content in their small groups.  Naughton, D. (2006) researched what would happen if students were given strategy training prior to communicative, cooperative learning activities.  Her research results showed that strategy training prior to implementing the cooperative learning activity actually helps the students to better learn the content.  She comments:

"Cooperative interaction can be aided through the teaching of certain strategies ... which foster certain types of behavior and cognitive engagement, as well as metacognitive reflection among students ... the learner not only needs to be able to identify learning opportunities but must also be able and willing to seize them, understand and learn from them in collaboration with his or her peers, and appropriate elements of socially constructed dialogue for individual cognitive development" (p.180).

Further reading about cooperative learning

 Felder, R . M., & Brent, R. (2001). Effective strategies for cooperative learning. J. Cooperation & Collaboration in College Teaching, 19 (2), 69-75.

 Leki, I. (2001). "A narrow thinking system": Nonnative-english-speaking students in group projects across the curriculum. TESOL Quarterly, 35(1), 39-67.

 Lessow-Hurley, J. (1996). The foundations of dual language instruction (2^nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers.

 Oxford, R. L. (1997). Cooperative learning, collaborative learning, and interaction: Three communicative strands in the language classroom. The Modern Language Journal,      

      81(4) 443-456.

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategizes: What many teachers should know. Boston: Heinle.

Servetti, S. (2010). Cooperative learning as a correction and grammar revision technique: Communicative exchanges, self-correction rates and scores. US-China Education     

      Review, 7(4), 12-22. 

Slavin, R. E. (1991). Synthesis of research on cooperative learning. Educational Leadership, 48(5), 71-82.

Slavin, R. E. (1990). Cooperative learning: Theory, research, and practice. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher phychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.