The effects of cooperative learning on junior high school students during small group learning

This digest found in

Pupil grouping and organisation of classes

Authors

Gillies, R.M., University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Publisher

Learning and Instruction, 14(2), 2004 pp.197-213.

Introduction

How does working in small groups affect students' learning?

How do students behave, learn and interact with each other when they work in small groups, and what difference does teaching students how to collaborate make? This Australian study investigated the effects of cooperative learning (a non-traditional approach) on 223 Grade 9 students (age 14 years) as they worked on mathematics problem-solving activities. The students worked in either structured groups (where they were taught how to communicate and cooperate with each other) or unstructured groups (where they were simply placed in groups and expected to work together).

The researcher found students in the structured and unstructured groups had different learning experiences. Students in the structured groups were more willing to work with others on the given tasks, provided their peers with more detailed help and performed better than the students in the unstructured groups. They also created a stronger group identity with the students feeling a greater responsibility for each other's learning because they had more opportunities to work together.

This study's findings will help teachers understand how they can use cooperative group learning to help their students improve both their performance and their social skills.

Keywords:
Australia; Key Stage 3; Mathematics; Classroom organisation; Peer groups; Pupil grouping; Social skills

Your path: Home > Welcome to The Research Informed Practice Site (TRIPS) > Themes > Pupil grouping and organisation of classes > The effects of cooperative learning on junior high school students during small group learning
Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction What is cooperative group learning and how can it benefit students? How did the teachers introduce cooperative group skills? How did cooperative group work affect the students' achievements? What kinds of tasks are suitable for cooperative group work? What were the students' cooperative learning experiences like? How was the study designed? What are the implications of the study for practitioners? Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To view/remove/add notes and save your collated digests click here Get Word Reader The effects of cooperative learning on junior high school students during small group learning This digest found in Pupil grouping and organisation of classes Send to a friend Word doc 60KB Printer friendly Collate for later Authors Gillies, R.M., University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Publisher Learning and Instruction, 14(2), 2004 pp.197-213. Introduction How does working in small groups affect students' learning? How do students behave, learn and interact with each other when they work in small groups, and what difference does teaching students how to collaborate make? This Australian study investigated the effects of cooperative learning (a non-traditional approach) on 223 Grade 9 students (age 14 years) as they worked on mathematics problem-solving activities. The students worked in either structured groups (where they were taught how to communicate and cooperate with each other) or unstructured groups (where they were simply placed in groups and expected to work together). The researcher found students in the structured and unstructured groups had different learning experiences. Students in the structured groups were more willing to work with others on the given tasks, provided their peers with more detailed help and performed better than the students in the unstructured groups. They also created a stronger group identity with the students feeling a greater responsibility for each other's learning because they had more opportunities to work together. This study's findings will help teachers understand how they can use cooperative group learning to help their students improve both their performance and their social skills. Keywords: Australia; Key Stage 3; Mathematics; Classroom organisation; Peer groups; Pupil grouping; Social skills