But don't let this discourage you. Group work and cooperative learning are not the same thing. This short article will help you clarify the differences and encourage you to rethink your purposes in assigning group projects. It will also illustrate how much responsibility you have as a facilitator of effective, cooperative learning in your classroom. Carefully structured cooperative learning involves people working in teams to accomplish a common goal, under conditions that involve both positive interdependence and individual accountability.
Positive interdependence requires all members to cooperate in order to complete the task.
Informal cooperative learning groups are the easiest to implement in the classroom and the best place to start if you are unfamiliar with creating a cooperative environment. They are most commonly used in lecture classes for students to focus their attention on the material. This strategy reinforces the major concepts being presented as well as strengthens group cohesion in the learning process. Keeping the basic goals in mind, you can create your own ideas that will best suit your course needs. The main purpose of these groups is to create a supportive environment where the students encourage each other academically and mentally.