ABSTRACT
Progressive approaches often seek to place the student at the centre of learning, transforming teaching from a didactic form into a participatory experience. Formal cooperative learning may be used to teach specific content – for example, the establishment of teams to explore a specified problem or conduct an experiment. The core characteristics of groups have numerous potential advantages for learning, and these are reflected in the reasons why educators seek to use cooperative learning strategies. Group work represents a vital component in the development of student learning. In order for the strategy to prove effective, the use of group work needs to be carefully matched to the intended learning outcomes. Yet when viewed within the specific context of a teaching and learning strategy, the concept of ‘group work’ is perhaps most commonly associated with activities of small group learning (SGL). An appreciation of how groups work is therefore essential for any tutor who is seeking to use SGL methods successfully.
