Impact of Cooperative Learning on Cohesiveness of Students of Different Personality Types

Cooperative learning is an instructional paradigm in which teams of students work on structured task under conditions that meet five criteria: positive interdependence, individual accountability, and face to face interaction, appropriate use of collaborative skills and regular self assessment of team functioning (Johnson and Smith, 1998). Cooperative learning enhances social skills and ultimately improves group cohesion. Social interdependence theory provides strong explanation for this conclusion. Social interdependence exists when the accomplishment of each individual’s goal is affected by the action of the others. Student cohesiveness can either support or undermine educational goals depending on the impact of other group processes in the classroom. Cohesiveness is an important part of the dynamics of all classroom groups. In this research paper investigators have tried to explore the impact of cooperative learning on cohesiveness of students of different personality types i.e. introvert and extrovert. Sociometric technique has been used to study the cohesiveness. This study was experimental in nature and single group pre test-post test design was used. One school was randomly selected and through administration of personality inventory sample of thirty students (15 introverts and 15 extroverts) was selected. After pre test (Sociometric technique) intervention programme based on jigsaw cooperative learning was given to students in form of lesson plans on Social Science for about three weeks. After this experimental procedure post test data was collected. Findings indicate that cooperative learning has positive impact on social status of introvert students. The social status of introvert boys has improved in comparison to introvert girls after intervention programme while the extrovert girls showed better social status than extrovert boys after intervention programme. Overall social status of introvert students has been improved more in comparison to extrovert students