Cooperative learning as a promising approach for higher education is discussed in terms of its relation to active learning, cognitive processing, and personalizing principles and concepts. Preliminary data from experimental classes demonstrated little advantage for a group improvement incentive. While students in the bottom third of these classes improved and students in the top third held their lead, the incentive for group improvement could not be seen as the cause, since previous classes without the incentive saw an even greater gain for poorer students. The importance of group training and advantages of active learning are discussed. (JD)