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Lately, cooperative learning strategies recommended by education experts to be used. Slavin in Hamruni 2012: 120 suggests
two reasons as follows: 1 Some studies showed that the implementation of cooperative
learning can improve students’ learning achievement and social
relations in the same time. 2 Cooperative learning can realize the need for students to learn,
solve problems, and integrate knowledge and skills. From these two reasons, the cooperative learning is a form of learning
that can improve the learning system.
b. Characteristics and Principles of Cooperative Learning
1 Characteristics of Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning is different from other learning strategies. The difference can be seen from the learning process
is more emphasis on the process of cooperation. Hamruni 2012: 123 argues about the characteristics of cooperative learning,
including: a Learning in teams
Cooperative learning is learning teams. Team is a place to reach the goal. Therefore, the team should be able to make
every student to learn. All group members should help each other to achieve the learning objectives. For that, learning
success criteria determined by the success of the team.
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Each group is heterogeneous, it intended that each member of the group are able to provide the experience, give
and take, so it expected to get contribution from every member for the success of the group.
b Based on cooperative management As a function of management in general, cooperative
learning also has the functions of planning, organization, action, and control. The planning function indicates that
cooperative learning need a mature plan so learning process can be effective. Implementation function shows that
cooperative learning should be implemented in accordance with the planning. The function of the organization shows
that cooperative learning is the joint work among the members of the group, because it necessary to regulate the
duties and responsibilities of each member of the group. The control function indicates that the cooperative learning
success criteria need to be determined through tests or nontest.
c The willingness to cooperate Cooperative learning will succeed when the regularity of
the duties and responsibilities of each, so we need to help each other among its members.
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d Skill to cooperate Skills of cooperation applied to encourage students to
interact and communicate with other members. Students assisted in the completion of barriers for the success of the
group
2 Principles of Cooperative Learning
According to Hamruni 2012: 125 four basic principles of cooperative learning are as follows:
a Positive Interdependence The success of group depends on the effort to solve the
problem using effective performance on each member. So each group member will feel interdependent with the division of
tasks that have been appropriated to the abilities of each member.
b Individual Accountability The success of the group depends on each member that
expected to make all members have responsibilities according to their duties, while the teacher has a role to provide an
assessment of either individuals or groups. c Face to Face Interaction
Cooperative learning provides an opportunity for each member to provide information and learn. Through face to face,
member can learn from the experience of working together,
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respecting differences, using the advantages and shortcomings of each member for filling the heterogeneous elements that
exist within the group. d Participation and Communication
Cooperative learning is educate the students to be able to participate actively and communicate that will be useful when
they are already in the community. Teachers have a role to provide good communication provision. It is undeniable that
learn to communicate also requires time, so teachers need to educate them every time.
c. Procedure of Cooperative Learning
