Cooperative learning involves students working in small teams to help each other learn. Key aspects include positive interdependence where students rely on each other to succeed, individual accountability, interpersonal skills like communication, face-to-face interaction to teach each other, and evaluating their teamwork. Effective cooperative groups have all students contribute, participate in decision making, trust each other, communicate respectfully, contribute ideas and ask questions. Benefits include more student engagement and motivation to learn as well as developing important collaboration skills.

1. COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Dr.Jaganmohana Rao Gurugubelli
Faculty of Education
MITE, KOHIMA

2. COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Cooperative Learning: A teaching strategy
where small teams of students (or adults),
with differing abilities, work together, using a
variety of learning activities to improve their
understanding of a subject. Students use and
develop a variety of personal skills (
communication, listening, collaboration) to
accomplish a shared learning goal set by the
teacher/facilitator.

3. What Does a Cooperative Model Look Like?
 Students work cooperatively compared with
traditional models where individuals are only
looking out for themselves.
 Team members are responsible for their own
individual learning as well as for their
teammates learning.
 Teams are made up of high, medium and low
academic achieving students. (Students in
heterogeneous groups)

4.  Teams are heterogeneous in gender, race, culture
and socioeconomic status.
 Team members contribute their knowledge,
experience, skills and resources to the group.
 Team members cooperate and collaborate.
 Team members benefit from the contributions of
the individual team members.
 Team members acquire new skills and
knowledge.
 Rewards are oriented towards individual and
group.

5. Key Elements of Cooperative Learning:
Positive Interdependence
Individual and Group Accountability
Interpersonal and Small-Group Skills
Face to Face Promotive Interaction
Group Processing

6. 1) Positive Interdependence
tasks and goals are clearly defined
efforts of each team member benefits the
individual as well as the group
commitment is made to both personal as well as
group success
2. Individual and Group Accountability
each team member must contribute to the
group as a whole
each team member is accountable for helping
the group reach its goals

7. 3. Interpersonal and Small-Group Skills
Each team member must
provide effective leadership
be motivated
be able to make decisions
be able to build trust
be able to communicate
4. Face to Face Promotive Interaction
Encourage, help, and applaud each other's
efforts
Support one another academically and
personally

8. Explain how to solve problems
Teach each other
Discuss concepts being learned
Connect present with past learning
Foster the groups mutual goal
5. Group Processing
Communicate openly, freely, respectfully discussing
their concerns
Maintain effective working relationships
Describe what member actions are
helpful/unhelpful
Process status of goal achievement and
accomplishments

9. Essentials of Effective Cooperative Learning Groups:
Each team member should contribute their time
and energy
Each team member should participate in the
decision making process
Each team member should trust that other team
members will be contributing to the group
Communication
Each team member should listen respectfully and
attentively to other team members
Each team member should contribute ideas
Each team member should ask questions when
clarification is needed
Each team member should give constructive
feedback

10. Planning for Cooperative Learning : There are six key
steps involved in planning for cooperative learning:
1. Choose an approach: Students in heterogeneous
groups of four to five members use study devices
to master academic material and then help each
other learn the material through tutoring, quizzing
and team discussions.
2. Choose appropriate content: Teachers must be
sure to choose content that will spark and keep
the interest of the students.
3. Form student teams: The formation of student
teams will vary according to the goals and
objectives of the lesson as well as the diversity
among racial, ethical, gender and ability groups.

11. 4. Develop materials: Teachers usually provide verbal
information along with worksheets, outlines and
study guides during a cooperative learning lesson.
5. Plan for orienting students to tasks and roles:
Students who are unfamiliar with the cooperative
learning model will need to be taught about the
model and be clear on their roles as well as the
teacher’s expectations during this type of lesson.
6. Plan for the use of time and space: The amount of
time it takes to conduct a successful cooperative
learning lesson. Cluster seating is a popular
seating arrangement for cooperative learning
because it allows students to sit in groups of four
or six during their small group discussions.

12. Benefits in the Classroom:
There are many benefits that can result from using
cooperative learning strategies. Here are benefits
you might notice after implementing cooperative
learning tasks in your classroom:
o Cooperative learning is fun, so students enjoy it
and are more motivated.
o Cooperative learning is interactive, so students are
engaged, active participants in the learning.
o Cooperative learning allows discussion and critical
thinking, so students learn more and remember
what they've learned for a longer period of time.
o Cooperative learning requires students to learn to
work together, which is an important skill for their
futures.