How to make the most of group work

Cooperative learning or group work can be extremely effective, but it needs the right conditions. What does it mean? It is vital to distinguish between structured team learning and informal group learning. Structured team learning – or cooperative learning – has yielded strong results in trials when there are two conditions in place: Group goals. The aim of the task must be to achieve success in something purposeful, possibly to gain a reward of some kind. It isn’t enough to work in a team without a clear goal. Individual accountability. The success of each student in terms of their learning must contribute to the overall team success, otherwise some students dominate the task and others become passengers. It is common for teachers to deploy informal group learning where these conditions do not apply. This can weaken learning gains and reduce their effectiveness when compared with individual working. What are the implications for teachers? This is a classic example