Author's: Imran Hussain
Affilation: Department of English Language & Literature The University of Lahore, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5950-843X
Volume 1, Issue 1, 2026 | Pages: 18–21 |
Google scholar link → Download PDFThe traditional methods i.e. lecture and other methods were not much appropriate for ‘active learning’ purpose of instruction (Biggs & Tang, 2011). As a result, cooperative method of instruction emerged to address the need of active involvement of students in the process of learning (Loh & Ang, 2020). It is one of the prime teaching as well as learning strategy that stresses upon the need and essentiality of active learning based on engagement and cooperation among learners at one hand and among teachers and learners on the other hand (Loh & Teo, 2017). It is based on heterogeneous grouping, mastering collaborative skills such as verbal, non-verbal, role playing, group autonomy, and creating maximum group interaction to ensure equal participation from group or team members. To achieve optimal, enabling environment, face to face interaction, group and peer work, group evaluation and tracing outcomes, assigning each group member a specific role, designating group goals to achieve and trusting learners are the essential strategies. Key challenges include formation of groups, teachers are either unable to implement the actual techniques or they are not able to manage it properly, issues of discipline and class control, time-consuming activity, attitude of the learners, social context and previous schema and pressure handling. In spite of all the challenges, this method assists in promoting the academic skills of the learners through short task, project, sentence completion activities, and quiz, assignment and interviewing mates.
Cooperative Instruction, Principles of Cooperative Instruction, Strategies and Challenges in Cooperative Instruction
1. Aronson, E. (2021). The jigsaw classroom: A personal odyssey into a systemic national problem. Pioneering perspectives in cooperative learning, 146-164.
2. Buchs, C., Filippou, D., Pulfrey, C., & Volpé, Y. (2017). Challenges for cooperative learning implementation: Reports from elementary school teachers. Journal of education for teaching, 43(3), 296-306.
3. Chiang, V. C., Leung, S. S., Chui, C. Y., Leung, A. Y., & Mak, Y. W. (2013). Building life-long learning capacity in undergraduate nursing freshmen within an integrative and small group learning context. Nurse education today, 33(10), 1184-1191.
4. Du, C. (2015). The Effect of Cooperative Learning on Students’ Attitude in First-Year Principles of Accounting Course. Business Education Innovation Journal, 7(2).
5. Garcha, P. S., & Kumar, K. (2015). Effectiveness of cooperative learning on critical thinking dispositions of secondary school students. Issues and ideas in education, 3(1), 55-62.
6. Gillies, R. M. (2016). Cooperative learning: Review of research and practice. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 41(3), 39-54.
7. Gillies, R. M., & Boyle, M. (2010). Teachers’ reflections on cooperative learning: Issues of implementation. Teaching and teacher Education, 26(4), 933-940.
8. Hunanyan, A. S., & Unanyan, A. S. (2020). The Effectiveness and Benefits of Cooperative Learning in Elementary Grades. Научные вести, (2), 151-156.
9. James, G. (2018). A narrative inquiry perspective into coping mechanisms of international postgraduate students’ transition experiences. American Journal of Qualitative Research.
10. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational researcher, 38(5), 365-379.
11. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2013). Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning environments. International guide to student achievement, 372-374.
12. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. J. (2007). Nuts & bolts of cooperative learning (2nd ed.). Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company.
13. Loh, C. Y. R., & Teo, T. C. (2017). Understanding Asian students learning styles, cultural influence and learning strategies. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 7(1), 194-210.
14. Loh, R. C. Y., & Ang, C. S. (2020). Unravelling cooperative learning in higher education. Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 5(2), 22-39.
15. Sharan, Y. (2010). Cooperative learning for academic and social gains: Valued pedagogy, problematic practice. European Journal of Education, 45(2), 300-313.
16. Slavin, R. E. (2015). Cooperative learning in elementary schools. Education, 3-13, 43(1), 5-14.
17. Topping, K., Buchs, C., Duran, D., & Van Keer, H. (2017). Effective peer learning: From principles to practical implementation. Taylor & Francis.
18. Webb, N. M., Franke, M. L., De, T., Chan, A. G., Freund, D., Shein, P., & Melkonian, D. K. (2009). ‘Explain to your partner’: teachers’ instructional practices and students’ dialogue in small groups. Cambridge journal of education, 39(1), 49-70.
19. Yang, X., Zhou, X., & Hu, J. (2022). Students’ preferences for seating arrangements and their engagement in cooperative learning activities in college English blended learning classrooms in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(4), 1356-1371.