Definition Coope rative Learning

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4. Coope rative Learning

The researcher divided the explanation of thecooperativelearning in five parts. They are definition, basic elements, principal characteristics, types, and benefits.

a. Definition

Numerous teaching methods to teach students are offered in the education world nowadays. Cooperative learning is one of teaching methods that involves the students to work together in a group. Oxford 1997 reveals that cooperative l earning “is more structured more perspective to teachers about classroom techniques, more direct ives to students about how to work together in groups” as cited in Brown, 1987, p. 53. Cooperative learning is a method that involves students to participa te in the small group works. Johnson and Johnson 1980 state “small group are conducive to active participation-which may be one reason why children tend to find cooperative learning groups more enjoyable than working independently” p. 92. Slavin 1995 describes about the definition of cooperative learning: Cooperative learning refers to a variety of teaching methods in which students work in small group to help one another learn academic content. In cooperative classroom, students are expected to help each other, to discuss and argue with each other, to assess each other‟s current knowledge and fil l in gaps in each other‟s understanding p. 2. It means that the students work together in the group to share their ideas. They can actively participate in the learning process through this method. By working in a group, they are motivated to involve themselves in giving the information to friends. Slavin 1995 states “cooperative learning is hypothesized to increase 16 time on- task by engaging students‟ attention and by increasing their motivation to master academic materials” p. 64. Furthermore, Slavin 1995 notes that teammatesare resources “if students want to succeed as a team, they will encourage their teammates to excel and will help them to do so” p. 12. The students can comprehend the materials by the other students‟ explanation in the group discussion. Therefore, each student has an important role to succeed the teamwork in learning the materials deeply. In addition, Aronson and Patnnoe 1997 elaborate the difference of traditional classroom and cooperative classroom below: The students in a traditional classroom are often rewarded when they succeed in attracting the teacher‟s attention by outshining their competitors. In the cooperative classroom, the students achieve success as a consequence of paying attention to their peers, asking good questions, helping each other, teaching each other, and helping each other teach p. 8.

b. Basic Ele ments