Working with fifth grade Latino students, professors engaged students in cooperative activities
while solving mathematical problems. Their work was based upon theories of social
interdependence, cognitive development, and behavioral learning. Results indicate four
changes in student behavior: 1) students became more engaged in problem solving; 2) students
moved from a competitive to a cooperative stance; 3) students discovered there were several
correct ways of finding a solution; and 4) students code-switched between Spanish and
English to ensure everyone in the group understood. Two changes in teacher behavior related
to cooperative learning were: 1) the regular classroom teacher moved desks from rows to
groups; and 2) the teacher became more aware of the students’ mathematical abilities.