Having students work in groups can be enormously beneficial or it can be of little value. So how can teachers ensure they make best use of this classroom tool? One researcher set out to analyse different kinds of co-operative learning approaches reported in research (all experimental studies involving control groups taught using traditional approaches) to find the key to effective learning through group work.
He found two kinds of co-operative learning methods:
structured team learning (characterised by individual accountability, which means that team success depends on individual learning, and rewards to teams based on the learning progress of their members); and
informal group learning methods (which are more focused on social dynamics and discussion).
The evidence showed that team rewards and individual accountability were essential elements for enhancing achievement. It isn’t enough to simply tell students to work together; they must have a reason to take one another’s achievement seriously.
