Theoretically different than other adult education instructional strategies,
cooperative learning focuses on how students learn in small groups through social
interdependence. Cooperative learning is designed to maximize learning for all students
in each group, which differs from the traditional use of learning groups. Defining what
cooperative learning is not, is as important as defining what it is. Cooperative learning
is not simply telling students to work together on a project. Traditional learning groups
have low interdependence; students take responsibility only for themselves (Smith &
Waller, 1997). In contrast, cooperative learning groups revolve around the premise of
high, positive interdependencemembers are responsible for their own and each
others learning. In traditional groups, there is little attention to group formation.
Students are randomly assigned to groups in cooperative learning to increase diversity
and to maximize student potential. Team skills are ignored in traditional group
environments, but are intentionally and purposefully taught in cooperative learning
while teaching content. Group processing generally does not take place in traditional
group learning, but is a priority in cooperative learning to continuously improve the
quality of work produced by the group and the ability of the students to work together.