The importance of cooperative learning on science teaching

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the activities carried out with 5^th grade students promoted cooperative learning and to what extent these activities influenced students’ learning, in the context of supervised teaching practice in Natural Sciences. Thus, a qualitative study based on an investigation of the practice itself was chosen. For this purpose, the data obtained through the cooperative learning activities, observation grids, interview transcriptions conducted before and after the intervention in the classroom, and the students' test results. Analysis of assessment instruments revealed that students were able to acquire knowledge and develop social and cognitive skills through the cooperative learning method. Analysis of interview transcriptions allowed to identify factors that determine the success of cooperative learning and observe the evolution in teacher and students´ opinions before and after the intervention. Results also demonstrate that cooperative learning implies the careful formation of groups and assigning roles to the students to make them responsible for the course of the activities.