Does Cooperative Learning Increase Participation in the Classroom?

This Capstone Project analyzes literature and research to prove whether or not cooperative learning increases student participation in the classroom. The literature supports that cooperative learning does increase participation within the classroom. The literature also supports positive social interaction, academic achievement and instructional effectiveness. Research was then conducted in a 6th grade social studies classroom to determine whether or not the use of various classroom strategies were effective in increasing participation. This study found that each cooperative learning strategy has its own purpose, depending on the lesson it is used with. Overall, cooperative learning is an effective teaching strategy. Students need to be exposed to a variety of ways to learn, and these strategies allow teachers to meet the needs of all students