ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a description of Cooperative Learning (CL), synthesized from experienced practitioners and important scholars, which resulted in five attributes across a variety of implementations. Assessment for, and of, learning must include individual and group accountability, so that success or failure is earned by the individuals and the team. The presumed classroom organization of "boys vs. girls" results in massive teams and reveals that there is little possibility of any meaningful learning for most students. The excellence of Cooperative Learning for adolescents lies in its meaningful conceptual learning and deep understanding. The chapter raises the challenge that fidelity to both CL criteria and an effective implementation model to aid classroom application are crucial to creating successful CL learning experiences. It presents plausible reasons for the positive outcomes found by formal investigations into CL. The chapter also provides examples of these research studies.
