Ironically, schools have not done enough to prepare students for this purpose. Oftentimes, students are discouraged from collaborating and working with others is considered cheating. Worse, they are conditioned to compete with others and view others as enemies who obstruct their own success. Other people's failure increases one's own chances of success. In cooperative learning groups, students can exercise their collaborative skills and practice to work with others to achieve mutual benefit for everyone.
Students have more chance to appreciate differences.
In a pluralistic society, people should work harder to overcome their prejudices against others from different backgrounds. Cooperative learning groups provide students with opportunities to enhance inter-ethnic relation and learn to appreciate differences. There can be more individuation of instruction. In a traditional classroom with a heavy emphasis on a lecturing method and a whole-class discussion, teachers have to cater their instruction to the average. If a few students cannot keep up with the class, the teacher cannot always stop the class to help them.