Why Do So Few Teachers Use Cooperative learning in their courses?
This topic provided the basis for an extended discussion on a variety of internet education discussion groups. The initial hypothesis was provided by Ted covering a number of topics dealing with why more teachers do not use CL in their classes. Responses were received from all over the world and compiled in a single posting. The initial statements and responses for 6 discussions are presented below for your enjoyment and perhaps amusement. Topic 1-Introduction- Considering the overwhelming number of benefits created by the use of collaborative learning methods, it is surprising that so few teachers use this paradigm. The cause lies in the current educational system which emphasizes content memorization and individual student performance through competition. Few teachers or students have had any exposure to the CL teaching/learning technique. Teachers are not trained during their certification processes in collaborative methods and those that are often receive incomplete training. If te
