Three Theoretical Perspectives.

1. Behavioral - Groups stimulate and punish
   Groups offer more pros than they do cons.
2. Cognitive / Constructivist - Knowledge and Learning are social in nature.
   Learning comes from figuring out unexpected occurrences together
3. Social Interdependence
   • Cooperative
     1. Group as a 'dynamic whole'
     2. Positive Tension
     3. High levels of interaction
   • Competitive
     1. Negative Tension

Four Types of Cooperative Learning.

1. Formal
   • Teacher-planned
     1. Learners given explicit roles and goals.
     2. Learners monitored.
     3. Learners prompted to reflect on process, personal and group contributions.
   • Groups may exist for one class period or several weeks.
2. Informal
   • Temporary groups with short-term goals.
   • Less structure...
3. Base Groups
   • Long-term (months to a year)
   • General support for overall academic success
4. Academic Controversy
   • Elicit controversy between students.
   • State case for each side
   • Withstand questioning from opposing viewpoint.
   • Come to consensus.

Grouping - Heterogeneous vs. Homogeneous Grouping.

Benefits of Cooperative Grouping:

• Increased Self Efficacy
• Increased Retention
• Higher Motivation
• Preference for Future Coop-Learning Episodes

Building Better Groups:

• Outcome Interdependence - Goal attainment depends on group
• Means Interdependence- Members carry out vital, distinct yet overlapping roles
• Individual Accountability
  1. Feedback from members
  2. When needed assistance
  3. Reassign tasks to promote balance
• Task Complexity- Task is too complex for any single member to complete it.

Competing Paradigms - Cooperative vs. Collaborative learning.

• Normally used interchangeably.
• Cooperative learning can imply more structure than collaborative learning.

Cooperative Vs Competitive Learning:

1. In Cooperative Learning, learners must work together in order to succeed and personal success only springs from group success.
2. In Competitive Learning, in order to succeed, other learners must fail.