Teacher competency on the cooperative learning assessment. A pilot study in three schools in Catalonia

Abstract

Cooperative learning is defined as the educational use of small groups of students in order to increase interaction among them and learning for all, exploiting small heterogeneous groups to maximize both their own learning and that of others. The article describes a pilot study on cooperative learning in education, focusing on the comparative assessment of cooperative learning in different educational contexts, using data from three distinct case studies. The analysis focuses on evaluating the key dimensions of this educational approach. The results indicate a significant variation in the degree of response to cooperative learning approaches, with particular attention to the difficulty in distinguishing individual learning from group learning. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a specific emphasis on the link between competence, subject matter, assessment tools and assessment criteria. However, challenges also emerge regarding the definition of assessment criteria and their concrete implementation. Additionally, the investigation highlights the presence of a dialogue between teachers and students, although the decision-making role of teachers remains significant. Finally, it underlines the lack of proposals and opportunities for the practical application of learning acquired. In summary, the study provides a detailed analysis of cooperative learning, offering significant insights for the future development and implementation of effective teaching strategies.