CooperativelearningThereisalonghistoryofresearchoncooperative,competitive,andindividualisticefforts.Sincethefirstresearchstudyin1898,nearly600experimentalstudiesandover100correlationalstudieshavebeenconducted(seeJohnson&Johnson,1989foracompletereviewofthesestudies).Themultipleoutcomesstudiedcanbeclassifiedintothreemajorcategories:achievement/productivity,positiverelationships,andpsychologicalhealth.Theresearchclearlyindicatesthatcooperation,comparedwithcompetitiveandindividualisticefforts,typicallyresultsin(a)higherachievementandgreaterproductivity,(b)morecaring,supportive,andcommittedrelationships,and(c)greaterpsychologicalhealth,socialcompetence,andself-esteem.Thepositiveeffectsthatcooperationhasonsomanyimportantoutcomesmakescooperativelearningoneofthemostvaluabletoolseducatorshave.Defination:Cooperativelearningisanapproachtoorganizingclassroomactivitiesintoacademicandsociallearningexperiences.Studentsmustworkingroupstocompletethetwosetsoftaskscollectively.Everyonesucceedswhenthegroupsucceeds.Cooperativelearningisasuccessfulteachingstrategyinwhichsmallteams,eachwithstudentsofdifferentlevelsofability,useavarietyoflearningactivitiestoimprovetheirunderstandingofasubject.Eachmemberofateamisresponsiblenotonlyforlearningwhatistaughtbutalsoforhelpingteammateslearn,thuscreatinganatmosphereofachievement.Studentsworkthroughtheassignmentuntilallgroupmemberssuccessfullyunderstandandcompleteit.WhatisCooperativeLearning?Cooperativelearningisaninstructionalstrategythatsimultaneouslyaddressesacademicandsocialskilllearningbystudents.Itisawell-researchedinstructionalstrategyandhasbeenreportedtobehighlysuccessfulintheclassroom.Foramoreindepthexplanationofthisstrategy,followthislinktotheself-guidedtutorial.Cooperativelearningisapowerfulteachingstrategythat'smorethanjustapassingfad.Researchhasshownthatwhenimplementedproperly,studentsincooperativelearningclassroomsoutperformtheirpeersintraditionalclassrooms.Thekeyisknowinghowtoimplementthestrategiestofosterinteractionwhilemakingsureallstudentsareheldaccountable.Dr.SpencerKagandevelopedthestructuralapproachtocooperativelearning,andI'vefoundittobeextremelyeffective.IhighlyrecommendhisbookCooperativeLearningwhichisavailablefrom(Yoursuccessbenefitsmeandmysuccessbenefitsyou),recognizingthatallgroupmembersshareacommonfate(Weallsinkorswimtogetherhere),knowingthatone'sperformanceismutuallycausedbyoneselfandone'scolleagues(Wecannotdoitwithoutyou),andfeelingproudandjointlycelebratingwhenagroupmemberisrecognizedforachievement(Weallcongratulateyouonyouraccomplishment!).Incooperativelearningsituationsthereisapositiveinterdependenceamongstudents'goalattainments;studentsperceivethattheycanreachtheirlearninggoalsifandonlyiftheotherstudentsinthelearninggroupalsoreachtheirgoals(Deutsch,1962;Johnson&Johnson,1989).Ateammember'ssuccessincreatingamulti-mediapresentationonsavingtheenvironment,forexample,dependsonbothindividualeffortandtheeffortsofothergroupmemberswhocontributeneededknowledge,skills,andresources.Noonegroupmemberwillpossessalloftheinformation,skills,orresourcesnecessaryforthehighestpossiblequalitypresentation.Elements:CooperativeLearninghas5basicelements:PositiveInterdepencerequiresthatgroupmembersfeelconnectedtoeachotherintheprocessofaccomplishingthegoal.PositiveInterdependenceencompasses9sub-categorieds:goal;theexpectedoutcomeoftheactivity,incentive;thereasonthegroupwishestocompletethetask,resource;thetoolsneededtocompletethetask,role;rolesassignedtostudentstoensureeachpersoncontributes,sequence;stepstocompletingthetask,simulation;thealternativemindsetneededtocompletethegoal,outsideforce;somethinglimitingthetimeorusedasadrivingforce,environmental;thateverygroupmemberisincloseproximitytooneanother,identity;thatthegroupfeelsconnectedinoneteam.5ElementsofCooperativeLearningItisonlyundercertainconditionsthatcooperativeeffortsmaybeexpectedtobemoreproductivethancompetitiveandindividualisticefforts.Thoseconditionsare:1.PositiveInterdependence(sinkorswimtogether)Eachgroupmember'seffortsarerequiredandindispensableforgroupsuccessEachgroupmemberhasauniquecontributiontomaketothejointeffortbecauseofhisorherresourcesand/orroleandtaskresponsibilities2.Face-to-FaceInteraction(promoteeachother'ssuccess)OrallyexplaininghowtosolveproblemsTeachingone'sknowledgetootherCheckingforunderstandingDiscussingconceptsbeinglearnedConnectingpresentwith