Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of varying abilities, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy that simultaneously addresses academic and social skill learning by students. It is a well-researched instructional strategy and how been reported to be highly successful in the classroom. Students work together in small groups and learn through interaction with each other while the teacher coaches the process.

ELEMENTS OF COOPERATIVE

Face-to-Face Interaction

- the physical arrangement of students in small, heterogeneous groups encourages students to help, share and support each other's learning.

Individual Accountability

- each student is responsible for the success and collaboration of the group and for mastering the assigned task. 

Interpersonal and Small Group Skills

- students are taught , coached and monitored in the use of cooperative social skills which enhance the group.

Positive Interdependence

- students are guided by common goal, group rewards, role assignments and other means in completing the learning task.

Group Processing

- students reflect on how well they work as a group to complete the task and how they can improve their teamwork.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING???

• STUDENT TEAMS ACHIEVEMENT DIVISIONS (STAD)
• TEAMS GAMES TOURNAMENT (TGT)
• TEAMS ASSISTED INDIVIDUALIZATION (TAI)
• COOPERATIVE INTEGRATED READING AND COMPOSITION (CIRC)

Cooperative learning strategy in which small groups of learners with different levels of ability work together to accomplish a shared learning goal.

Cooperative learning strategy where students work together in groups and are responsible for their team mates learning as well as their own and compete in tournaments against other teams to test for learning.

Developed for mathematics instruction in grades three to six. It was specifically intended to avoid some of the problems encountered with individualized programmed instruction. 

Reading and writing programmer for students in grades two to six. Daily lessons provide students with an opportunity to practice comprehension and reading skills in pairs and small groups. There are three elements on this type which are known as reading comprehension, story-related activities and integrated language arts/writing instruction. Students are able to understand their main ideas of a story and work through the writing activities linked to the story. 

In my point of view, cooperative learning is also called as collaborative learning. It occurs whenever students interact in pair or groups to share knowledge and experience. All activities in which students work together head towards a common goals from interacting with daily partners to complete long term projects with learning communities are cooperative learning activities.Besides, student benefits throughout cooperative learning process because students are able to collaborate, communicate and create. This could higher student achievement, increase their productivity, higher level reasoning, transfer of knowledge, heightened self-confidence, increase their independence and autonomy. This could seriously form attitudes and values of a student besides provides models of proposal behavior. Student presents alternative perspectives and view points as well. I believe that cooperative learning gives a proper way of learning in and outside the classroom and this is one of the best element that teachers and students should take note. It is very important for students based on my research.