In this part the writer discusses the nature of Cooperative Learning. There are two parts discussed, namely the characteristic of Cooperative Learning
and student’s interaction in cooperative classroom.
1 Characteristics of Cooperative Learning
In this part, the writer discusses the characteristics of cooperative learning. The characteristics here also mean the key elements that support the success of
cooperative learning. According to Richard and Rodgers 2001: 196, there are five main key elements of cooperative learning. The descriptions are as follows:
1. Positive Interdependence
It occurs when the group members feel that what helps one member helps all and what hurts one member hurts all. Here we can see that all members of the
group are responsible for the sake of the group. Students’ role, materials and rule provide means for structuring positive interdependence. Role-structured
interdependence involves assigning different roles to each student within a group, such as ‘explainer’ or ‘checker’, so that each has specific responsibility.
Materials-structured interdependence can include limiting resources, such as having only one pencil or worksheet for everyone in the group to use.
An example of rule-structured interdependence is having a rule that a group cannot progress to a new learning center or project until all students have
completed the assignment. Both materials and rule-structured interdependence stimulate students to interact.
2. Group or Team Formulation
It supports the creation of Positive Interdependence and includes: a Deciding on the size of the group. Typical group size is from two to
four. b Assigning students to group: can be teacher selected, random, or
student-selected. c Student roles in groups. The roles are: noise monitor, turn-taker
monitor, recorder, or summarizer.
3. Individual Accountability
It involves both group and individual performance by assigning each student a grade on his or her portion of a team project or by calling on a student at
random to share with the whole class, group members, or another group. Students may be made individually accountable by the rule that the group may not go on to
the next activity until all team members finish the task. A primary way to ensure accountability is through testing.
4. Social Skills
Social skills determine the ways students interact with each other as teammates e.g., praising and recognizing and the ways students interact with
each other to achieve activity or task objectives e.g., asking and explaining.
5. Structures and Structuring
