1. Cooperative Learning

2. What is Cooperative Learning?
Cooperative Learning refers to instructional methods in which pairs or small groups of learners work together to accomplish a shared goal.  The aim of this cooperation is for learners to maximize their own and each other's learning, with members striving for joint benefit. By deliberately applying cooperative techniques, educators aim to correct the unconscious societal and educational bias that favours competition. 

3. Essential Elements of Cooperation 1
Positive interdependence
Learners realize that they are connected to each other in a way where one cannot succeed unless everyone succeeds- each one is dependent on the contribution of all the others within the group.
Face to face promotive interaction
Students need to work together in such a way that they contribute to each other's success by sharing resources, helping, supporting, and inspiring one another.  This involves "orally explaining how to solve problems, teaching one's knowledge to others, checking understanding, discussing concepts learned, connecting present with past learning". 
Individual and group account-ability
The group must be accountable for achieving its goal. Each individual must be accountable for his/her contribution

4. Essential Elements of Cooperation 2
Interpersonal and small group skills
Social skills do not automatically develop during the course of group work, it must be purposefully be taught to students.
Group processing
Exists when group members discuss whether they are achieving their goal satisfactorily. It includes discussion of the effectiveness of the working relationships.

5. Summary of Differences between Cooperative and Collaborative Learning
Cooperative learning
Collaborative learning
Stress product of collaboration
Accentuate process of working together
Closely controlled by educator
Once task is set, instructor transfers all authority to group
Task is closed/ closable and content specific
Task is open-ended
Based on creation, analysis and systematic application of structures (patterns for student interaction)
Distrust structure. 
Teaching centered: heterogeneous groups, structuring positive interdependence, teach cooperative skills
Allow student more say in forming friendship and interest groups. Resolve conflict with "Student talk"  Interpersonal skills developed through discovery and contextual approaches

6. Summary of Differences between Cooperative and Collaborative Learning 2
Teacher centered
Student centered
Use quantitative methods to look at achievement
Use qualitative analysis e.g. analyzing student talk in response to piece of literature. Authority for testing and determining appropriateness of product rest with first the small group, then the plenary group and finally the requisite knowledge community
Traditional canonical knowledge
Ties into social constructivist movement
Best means to master foundational knowledge
Used with students who have foundational knowledge, who can now discuss and assess

7. A Cooperative learning event is characterized by:
Educationalist's role:
Planning dynamic lessons for transfer of learning
Teaching students to learn
Developing student responsibility
Promoting active learning
Facilitating student self evaluation
Encouraging
Extending participation
Motivating high level thinking
Directly teach social skills
Balancing interactions: teacher to student, student to material, student to student
Learning groups:
Positive interdependence
Individual accountability
Heterogeneous membership
Shared leadership
Responsible for each other
Group discusses and evaluates its work and interactions
Size varies from 2-6 members, the less time available, the smaller the group should be
Teacher selected groups often function better than student selected groups
Maximize heterogeneity ( High-, medium- and low-ability students within same group)
Basic composition of groups:

8. Summary of Cooperative Groups
Primary Use
Make-up
Selection
Duration
Informal Task Groups
Review & processing of academic content
Quick, random groupings
Turn to your neighbour
Until end of acad-emic review/ processing activity
Formal Task Groups
Daily classroom work& Special research projects
Heterogeneous ability groups & Homogenous interest groups
Teacher makes group based on student interest and ability
Until end of lesson/ unit/
project

9. Summary of Cooperative Groups
Base Groups
Support/Bonding activities & Social skill Practice
Homog-eneous peer relationships & Heterogeneous personality characteristics
Based on student peer relations
Whole  quarter/ semester/ year

10. Conditions Any instructional activity is suitable
Room is arranged to support small group collaboration and easy movement of teacher
Material are arranged according to purpose of lesson
Academic Task is explained in detail
Structure a positive goal interdependence by asking groups to produce a single product.
Material, information and social interdependence is created
Roles are assigned to group members: 
e.g.. summarizer, checker, accuracy coach, researcher, recorder, encourager
Prolonged and intense interaction among students
All members contribute and master the assigned material
Teacher monitors and intervenes in learning groups to teach collaborative skills
Evaluation is done according to pre-determined criteria

11. Positive Aspects of Cooperative Learning
Develops interdependence
Students develop pro-social behaviour
Improved self-esteem and appreciation of school
Greater psychological health
Students develop  positive peer relationships.
Social & communication skills are developed.
Improved intrinsic motivation
Groups provide an academic and personal support system
Reflective and metacognition abilities of learner are developed as student seek to clarify, explain and justify their stand
Promote greater competencies in critical thinking
Cognitive "rehearsal" results in enhanced short- and long-term memory. 
Learner learns to accommodate various perspectives on an issue.
Positive attitudes toward the subject areas studied
.Higher achievement and greater productivity

12. Criticisms against Cooperative Learning
Introverts suffer
Students with poor self-confidence, poor daring and fear for rejection suffer
Peer pressure can undermining students who want to do more
"Free rides" by less able members
More able students do less to avoid being "suckers"
High-ability members take over leadership roles at the expense of others.
Group effort is characterized by self-induced helplessness 
Responsibility is diffused and social loafing occurs
Group gangs up against a task
Destructive conflict occurs