What are the principles of cooperative learning?

Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy that involves students working together in small groups to achieve a common goal, such as solving a problem, completing a project, or creating a product. It is based on the idea that learning is enhanced when students interact with each other and share their ideas, skills, and perspectives. Cooperative learning can foster academic achievement, social skills, motivation, and positive attitudes among students. However, it requires careful planning and implementation to be effective. In this article, you will learn about the principles of cooperative learning and how to apply them in your classroom.

1 Group goals and individual accountability

One of the key principles of cooperative learning is that each group has a clear and specific goal that can only be achieved by the collective effort of all members. This creates a sense of interdependence and shared responsibility among students, who need to cooperate and coordinate their actions to succeed. Moreover, each student has an individual role and task that contributes to the group goal, and is held accountable for his or her own learning and performance. This ensures that every student participates actively and receives feedback from peers and teachers.

Add your perspective

La Royce Batchelor

Expert creative problem solver, coach, best selling author, and educator.
Report contribution
Cooperative learning is a great way to 1) unseat the banking model of education, 2) increase dialogocal approaches, and 3) increase student engagement with their learning. The educational power dynamic of the banking model (Freire) devalues the student’s own abilities and makes education passive. Increasing engaged education empowers students (hooks).

Like

2 Positive interdependence and mutual support

Another principle of cooperative learning is that students perceive that they depend on each other and benefit from each other's success. This creates a positive and supportive atmosphere in the group, where students encourage, help, and praise each other. Positive interdependence also fosters a sense of belonging and trust among students, who learn to value diversity and respect different opinions and perspectives. Additionally, positive interdependence promotes the development of social skills, such as communication, cooperation, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Add your perspective

3 Face-to-face interaction and collaborative skills

A third principle of cooperative learning is that students have frequent and meaningful opportunities to interact with each other face-to-face. This allows them to exchange information, explain concepts, clarify doubts, provide feedback, and monitor progress. Face-to-face interaction also enhances the quality of learning, as students can deepen their understanding, challenge their assumptions, and generate new ideas through dialogue and discussion. Furthermore, face-to-face interaction requires students to use and practice collaborative skills, such as listening, questioning, summarizing, and paraphrasing.

Add your perspective

4 Group processing and reflection

A fourth principle of cooperative learning is that students regularly reflect on their group work and evaluate their performance and progress. This involves identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the group, celebrating the achievements, and setting goals for improvement. Group processing also involves giving and receiving constructive criticism, acknowledging the contributions of each member, and expressing appreciation and gratitude. Group processing and reflection help students to improve their metacognitive skills, such as self-regulation, self-assessment, and self-correction.

Add your perspective

5 Teacher role and guidance

A fifth principle of cooperative learning is that the teacher plays a vital and active role in facilitating and supporting the group work. The teacher is not a passive observer or a lecturer, but a guide, a coach, and a resource person. The teacher's role includes designing and organizing the cooperative learning activities, assigning the groups and roles, providing clear instructions and expectations, monitoring and intervening when necessary, assessing and rewarding the outcomes, and modeling and teaching the cooperative learning skills.

Add your perspective

Dr. Samer Yammine

Revolutionizing Education: Teaching Through Entrepreneuring | Karolinska Institute | Mentorzship | European Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year
Report contribution
In collaborative learning, students work together to achieve common learning goals. Interdisciplinary collaboration enhances this by bringing together students with varied academic backgrounds, enriching discussions with diverse viewpoints and approaches. This method promotes holistic understanding, as students learn to connect knowledge across disciplines. The teacher, adopting a facilitator role, encourages open communication, ensures equal participation, and manages conflicts constructively. The teacher also guides the learning process, providing support when needed, but allowing students to take ownership of their education.

Like

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

What are the principles of cooperative learning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Group goals and individual accountability

2 Positive interdependence and mutual support

3 Face-to-face interaction and collaborative skills

4 Group processing and reflection

5 Teacher role and guidance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Teaching

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Teaching

More relevant reading

What are the principles of cooperative learning?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Group goals and individual accountability

2 Positive interdependence and mutual support

3 Face-to-face interaction and collaborative skills

4 Group processing and reflection

5 Teacher role and guidance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Teaching

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills