Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cooperative Learning Structure

Research for cooperative learning structure has demonstrated that is can really enhance a student’s achievement, attitude towards learning, and the atmosphere where learning takes place. According to Akinbobola, “Cooperative learning is a mode of learning in which students work in small groups to achieve a purpose. Here there is an emphasis on the importance of group work, students in a group help each other in learning the content, but achievement is judged individually” (2009, p.2). The cooperative learning structure encourages students to work together toward a common goal but only by each individual reaching that goal can the group attain that common goal. Much of the research that I found shows that cooperative learning structures produces greater achievement than the competitive goal structure (Bratti et al., 2011, p.

When students work in groups there may be some arguments about individual opinions and ideas. It is almost impossible for people to work in groups to always agree. In cooperative goal structures students may have problems agreeing on how to meet group goals (Johnson, 2003, p. 11). Not everyone thinks alike so this would be an obvious conflict that could arise, especially when everyone must agree unanimously since it is a group effort and the outcome represents everyone. Another disadvantage that I found in my research was when working in groups some may want to socialize or slack off more. Some students may do less because they know that others will cover their load because they don’t want to fail. This is called social loafing. Anderson suggest a way to eliminate this is, “to have total individual accountability which eliminates positive interdependence which is the basis of cooperative work” (Anderson, 2006, p. 7). Since cooperative learning structure has so many other benefits, I don’t think this is a viable