ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at group work in a learning context. Groups are central to experiential leaning, whether action learning, team learning, adventure-based learning or collaborative learning. Good experiential learning in groups depends on a high level of cooperation amongst the members of a group. The ‘learning-by-doing’ approach has been an important part of educating young children, older students and anyone entering vocational fields for a long time. Modern approaches to learning how to work with groups have been solidly based on experiential learning approaches, typically built around the use of structured experiences. In developing gender-inclusive activities, attention needs to be paid to a number of principles and objectives. Gender-sensitive structured experiences draw attention to the implications of power imbalances. The benefits of cooperative group work include its capacity to help develop people’s self-esteem and their sociability. It allows members to have fun just for the sake of it, or to enjoy themselves while gaining and refining knowledge and skills.
