• The "BIGs" Program
• Cases
• Cooperative Learning
  • Benefits of cooperative learning or teaming
  • Creating a climate for cooperative learning
  • Diversity issues
  • Forming small groups
  • Assessing small group cooperative learning
• Building Community
• Assessment
• Resources

BIGs Insights > Cooperative Learning > Benefits of cooperative learning or teaming

Benefits of Cooperative Learning or Teaming

There are a myriad of resources in the form of books, websites and peer-reviewed literature on the topic of the “beneficial outcomes of cooperative learning and teamwork in undergraduate classrooms” too numerous to list (a selected list of readings is found in the Resources). The central message that can be distilled from these sources is that (creating an atmosphere) allowing students to work in cooperative small groups enhances learning. A recent analysis (meta-analysis) conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison of small group learning showed that various forms of small group learning promotes higher academic achievement, more favorable attitudes toward learning and a greater student retention in the mathematics, science, engineering and technology fields.

What BIGs students think about cooperative learning in small teams:

• “It was effective, it got me comfortable with group roles and interactions with classmates outside of class." (understanding different roles in teams)
• “It was effective because certain team members would be better at different aspects of case studies." (power of diversity of skills)
• “Talking with others in the group helped me to understand and appreciate [the topic]."