What Makes Cooperative Learning Work?
The essential components of cooperation are positive interdependence, individual and group accountability, face-to-face promotive interaction, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998). Systematically structuring these basic elements into group learning situations helps ensure cooperative efforts and enables the disciplined implementation of cooperative learning for long-term success. • Positive Interdependence. The teacher gives a clear task and a group goal so that students believe they sink or swim together. Positive interdependence is successfully structured when group members perceive that they are linked with each other in a way that one cannot succeed unless everyone succeeds. the failure of one ensures the failure of all. Group members know that each members efforts benefit not only him/herself, but all group members. • Individual and group accountability. The group must be accountable for achieving its goals, and each member
