Cooperative learning is widely endorsed as a pedagogical practice that promotes student learning. Recently, the research focus has moved to the role of teachers’ discourse during cooperative learning and its effects on the quality of group discussions and the learning achieved. However, although the benefits of cooperative learning are well documented, implementing this pedagogical practice in classrooms is a challenge that many teachers have difficulties accomplishing. Difficulties may occur because teachers often do not have a clear understanding of the basic tenets of cooperative learning and the research and theoretical perspectives that have informed this practice and how they translate into practical applications that can be used in their classrooms. In effect, what do teachers need to do to affect the benefits widely documented in research? A reluctance to embrace cooperative learning may also be due to the challenge it poses to teachers’ control of the learning process, the demands it places on classroom organisational changes, and the personal commitments teachers need to make to sustain their efforts. Moreover, a lack of understanding of the key role teachers need to play in embedding cooperative learning into the curricula to foster open communication and engagement among teachers and students, promote cooperative investigation and problem-solving, and provide students with emotionally and intellectually stimulating learning environments may be another contributing factor. The Teacher's Role in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classroom provides readers with a comprehensive overview of these issues with clear guidelines on how teachers can embed cooperative learning into their classroom curricula to obtain the benefits widely attributed to this pedagogical practice. It does so by using language that is appropriate for both novice and experienced educators. The volume provides: an overview of the major research and theoretical perspectives that underpin the development of cooperative learning pedagogy; outlines how specific small group experiences can promote thinking and learning; discusses the key role teachers play in promoting student discourse; and, demonstrates how interaction style among students and teachers is crucial in facilitating discussion and learning. The collection of chapters includes many practical illustrations, drawn from the contributors’ own research of how teachers can use cooperative learning pedagogy to facilitate thinking and learning among students across different educational settings.

This book tried to find the answers to questions like- By which strategies and settings, the academic achievement of students can be raised up to some standard? How can we proceed with cooperative learning methods in Indian classrooms? Among a set of cooperative learning methods which one is more appropriate to teach a class constructed with a wide variety in caste, class, religion, region and different set of values? How conventional methods of teaching in Indian classroom overcome by cooperative learning methods? With which cooperative learning setting a learner can enhance self-concept optimum? How experiences in cooperative and non-cooperative environment play a role in teaching-learning process? Finally, how Student-Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) and Jigsaw methods of cooperative learning helpful in raising scholastic achievement and self-concept among students of seventh graders in the subject Mathematics? This book is not written by an expert person and does not claim to address experts in this field; rather, it is addressed to pupil teachers, in-service teachers, researchers and non-experts but enthusiastic to do something new to gain more. It shall provide an introduction to cooperative learning methods involving Student-Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) and Jigsaw. It enables the reader to proceed for comparatively new learning strategies in collaboration.

The study investigates the rationale and value of using cooperative learning strategies in the mathematics classroom with special reference to its effectiveness in promoting problem solving skills and levels of achievement in mathematics. In this it is compared with traditional teaching methods. The study sample was composed of 348 eighth grade students in eight classes from two separate female and male schools and included female and male teachers. Two female and two male teachers were trained in the use of cooperative learning strategies in their classes during the implementation of the experiment, while the other four teachers had been asked to keep using their usual traditional teaching methods. The experiment took place within two scholastic semesters and the same mathematical content was covered by the two groups within the experiment. Pre- and post-mathematical achievement tests were employed to assess students' progress in achievement and problem solving skills. Also, a programme evaluation questionnaire was applied at the end of the experiment for all students involved. In addition to the quantitative methodology, the study also addressed qualitative issues. All the teachers involved in the experiment, and a sample of students, were interviewed. Lesson observations were conducted within the research programme to evaluate the implementation of the cooperative learning strategies and teachers' and students' responses towards it. In addition, teachers were asked to record weekly diaries to assess their judgement on student progress within the experiment. The researcher recognises that teachers and students who apply cooperative learning strategies might be strongly motivated and be more enthusiastic by the very fact of trying a new strategy. Consideration was, therefore, given to this point at all stages. The study tries to determine if such strategies are really valuable in the mathematics classroom, allowing for all the variables, and have measurable effects in promoting problem solving skills and achievement in mathematics. The study demonstrates that cooperative learning strategies enhance the teaching and learning process by transferring focus from a teacher-centred situation into a student- centred learning context. This enriches the cognitive, competitive and social interaction and, hence, develops outcomes in the cognitive, affective, motivational and social domains. The study proved the positive impact of applying such strategies in enhancing mathematical achievement and promoting problem solving skills compared with the impact made by traditional teaching strategies. Cooperative learning strategies could offer all students with different abilities the opportunities to cooperate, interact and participate in the mathematics lesson. This gave them a chance to do mathematics by themselves, speak their thoughts, offer and receive explanations, introduce several procedures for solving problems and, hence, profit from the mathematical knowledge available in the group as a whole. The new learning approach encouraged students to challenge problems and provided them with the opportunities to speak mathematically, to understand the mathematical concepts and rules and to use them. Results from the study also demonstrated that cooperative learning developed other skills. It improved student interaction, communication and social skills and built more positive attitudes towards learning compared with the traditional methods. Developing student behaviour and personality was, therefore, an important additional feature. The study illustrated that cooperative learning strategies help to solve problems faced by teachers in classroom management. As expected, the research showed that outcomes differed from case to case and from one situation to another. The academic ability of students and the quality of mathematical material played an obvious role emphasising positive or negative affects. On the other hand, gender differences examined in the study showed that, despite female students achieving better results, male students actually displayed more positive attitudes toward mathematics. But again, female students were more enthusiastic in applying cooperative learning. The study is the first of this nature to be applied in Jordan and has several implications for theory and practice. No teaching method is the best, but it is recommended to provide teachers with professional training programmes to apply more developmental teaching methods effectively and to modify mathematical textbooks and teachers' guides for the use of different teaching methods. It is recommended that more research be carried out in different fields of study to concentrate on improving the quality of learning and enhancing problem solving skills.