This article discusses and illustrates selected changes and trends in the way academic libraries are programmed and designed in response to changes in teaching techniques in higher education. The author draws particular attention to the new requirements for collaborative study in technology-rich spaces and makes detailed recommendations for those…

The benefits of online collaborative learning, sometimes referred to as CSCL (computer-supported collaborative learning) are compelling, but many instructors are loath to experiment with non-conventional methods of teaching and learning because of the perceived problems. This paper reviews the existing literature to present the seven most commonly…

This study investigated the effect of different gender and ability composition on students' behaviors, interactions, and learning outcomes during small cooperative group activities. The study involved Year 6 children (N=440) who were assigned to one of 12 four-person groups that were either gender-balanced or gender-imbalanced with different…

This paper is an overview of cooperative learning and its application at the college level. Cooperative learning is defined as occuring when small groups of students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning. The essential elements of cooperative learning include positive interdependence, face-to-face interaction, individual…

This paper describes an attempt to introduce 33 education majors to the concept of cooperative learning as a teaching method they may use when they are classroom teachers. The benefits of cooperative learning for young students are briefly discussed, and an explanation is given of the "Student Teams Achievement Divisions" (STAD) system of grade…

This guide presents Cooperation/Competition (C/C) as the next stage in the evolution of cooperative learning, with its unique ability to mobilize the powerful forces of intergroup and individual competition to supplement cooperative learning's teamwork. In C/C, teachers group students into homogeneous or heterogeneous learning teams, with teams…

Continuing education students are usually mature students who have a wealth of experience from which their peers and the lecturer could profit. An effective teaching method with such students is the use of cooperative work assignments, but a problem that prevents lecturers from using this method is the difficulty of assigning grades to individual…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the pedagogical background and design rationale of ITCOLE (Innovative Technology for Collaborative Learning) software. The ITCOLE software is a highly scalable and easy to use modular environment that supports students' joint efforts to build knowledge together, whether they are primary, secondary, or older…

The goal of this paper is to advocate that cooperative learning be a key, but not the only, methodology used in peace education. Two reasons will be put forward to support this view. First, research has shown that cooperative learning promotes positive educational outcomes generally. Second, cooperative learning is harmonious with peace education…

Presents activities for K-4 students that explore two areas of body mechanics--bones and joints--with an emphasis on the human hand. Relates knowledge of how the body functions to comparable examples in robotics such as the "hand" of the Canadarm of the space shuttle. Activities are geared for students in pairs. (AIM)

Argues that problem-based learning (PBL) shows students that the best scientists are not those who memorize facts, but rather those who apply facts in a creative manner. Explains that the author, who incorporated group learning into a general education science course, found that PBL led to increased class attendance and participation. (Contains…

Describes the results of an assessment of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Initiative at Samford University in Alabama. States that surveys were sent to faculty and students in PBL and non-PBL courses. Reports that PBL students were more likely than non-PBL students to agree with positive statements regarding educational outcomes. (NB)

A peer-tutoring project in undergraduate mathematics at a university in the United Kingdom was designed both to provide support for independent learning tasks and for group projects. A survey of students found that while most liked and felt they benefited from the group experience, most also did not like the independent learning tasks. (Author/MSE)

Explores students' opinions, over a three-year period, of human service education. Surveyed 172 students enrolled in an introductory human services courses. Results indicate that students were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences with cooperative learning and the increased attention offered by small groups. Many appreciated the…

Discusses a cooperative activity in the views of teachers and students. Cites the positive and negative aspects of the activity from both points of view. (YP)