Cooperative learning and teacher education

In this study, the implementation effects of a course on cooperative learning for student teachers are described. The course was conducted at two different teacher education colleges in The Netherlands. Based on pre- and post-course observations., a significant treatment effect was found for four of the five basic elements regarded as essential for a lesson activity to be cooperative: positive interdependence, face-to-face interaction, social skills and group processing. In addition, the course had a positive effect on the engagement rates of the pupils of student teachers in the treatment condition. The majority of the student teachers subscribed to cooperative learning to achieve both academic and social goals and also showed a readiness to use cooperative learning methods in their future lessons. The pupils taught by the treatment student teachers also showed positive attitudes towards working in groups and rated the benefits of working in groups relative to working alone quite positively. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.