[en] This paper focuses on reviewing significant evidence about cooperative learning in comparison to competitive and individual situations. To do this, we identified the factors that improve or limit its application together with the impact of technology on this methodology. This evidence was the result of 18 meta-analyses made between 1980 and 2010. Meta-analysis is defined as the statistical analysis of a large collection of results that concern a research issue and come from individual studies with the idea of integrating their conclusions. The English and Spanish descriptors used were aprendizaje cooperativo, aprendizaje colaborativo, cooperative learning, collaborative learning and other terms related to meta-analysis such as evidencias significativas, mejores evidencias, integraci?n de resultados, revisi?n sistem?tica, s?ntesis cuantitativa, meta-analysis, bestevidence, integrating findings, systematic integration, systematic review, synthesis. The search was not referred to any particular period of time. The resources and databases reviewed were extracted from the Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, and the list of references given in the meta-analysis. The results show that cooperative learning, as a methodology, is more appropriate than other traditional methodologies. Its application in the new higher education context, as a result of the European Higher Education Area, can open the way for the inclusion of active and innovative teaching methodologies. So, the challenge for the faculty consists on integrating research, innovation and evaluation in their teaching in order to improve educational quality levels. In short, cooperative learning becomes a valuable indicator and a suitable tool to forecast positive results.

[fr] Le pr?sent article a pour objectif de revoir les ?vidences significatives de l?apprentissage coop?ratif par rapport ? des situations comp?titives et individuelles, identifiant les facteurs qui renforcent ou limitent son application et la r?percussion de la technologie sur cette m?thodologie. Ces ?vidences ont ?t? le r?sultat de 18 m?ta-analyses entre 1980 et 2010. La m?ta-analyse se d?finit comme l?analyse statistique sur une longue collection de r?sultats, relatifs ? un probl?me de recherche, en provenance d??tudes individuelles dans le but d?int?grer ses conclusions. Les descripteurs utilis?s furent apprentissage coop?ratif, apprentissage collaboratif ?cooperative learning, collaborative learning? avec d?autres termes qui s?associent avec la m?ta-analyse comme c?est le cas de ?vidences significatives, meilleures ?vidences, int?gration des r?sultats, r?vision syst?matique, synth?se quantitative ?m?ta-analyse, best-evidence, integrating findings, systematic integration, systematic review, synthesis?. La recherche n?inclue pas de dur?e de temps en particulier. Les bases de donn?es et autres ressources de la Web of Knowledge, Google Acad?mique ont ?t? utilis?es ainsi que la liste de r?f?rences des propres m?ta-analyses trouv?es. Les r?sultats montrent que l?apprentissage coop?ratif est une m?thodologie plus appropri?e/pertinente que d?autres m?thodologies traditionnelles. Son application dans le nouveau contexte universitaire, fruit de l?EEES, peux rendre possible le projet d?inclure des m?thodologies d?enseignement actives et innovantes. Ainsi, le d?fi du professeur universitaire consiste ? int?grer des processus de recherche, d?innovation et d??valuation de sa m?thode d?enseignement dans le but de favoriser la qualit? d??ducation. En d?finitive, l?apprentissage coop?ratif devient un indicateur fiable et annonciateur de bons r?sultats.