Benefits Of Cooperative Learning

Introduction Cooperative learning (CL) has already been recognized as the effective approach in the United States, which aims to improve the efficiency of student learning and promote students ' quality of learning. With the increasing number of CL theory, research and practice, a series of positive results, CL has been widely used in the world. Although cooperative learning is encouraged in teaching, the research on this is still limited and the effect is not ideal either (Mick & Don, 2002). And, whether the CL practice is beneficial in ESL classrooms, especially in Chinese classrooms is a topic. Nowadays, Cooperative Learning has been applied in almost all schools and increasingly, in college and university contexts all over the world

Although, most researches have been examined the positive effects of cooperative learning on academic achievements, social communication, many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes have not administrated this approach. Even though, now, many classroom teachers use CL approach, they still find difficulty incorporating this approach in their classroom. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to look at students and teachers’ perceptions toward Cooperative Learning approach by conducting interview and online survey to find the research questions below.

Problems of English as a Foreign Language Teaching in China Chinese educators have perceived that the focus of language teaching need to change from the current teacher-centered teaching structure to the student-centered communicative approach. However, it is not easy to change the root of Chinese traditional teaching structure. For example, cooperative learning approach and communicative approach have not established a foothold in the English education in China (Chen, 1997). In spite of the call for communicative approach in EFL teaching, however, as many researchers noted (Lai, 2002, Tsai, 1998, Wei & Chen, 1993; Yu, 1995), the traditional

Though theories of CL were introduced to China recently, there are indeed some Chinese teachers and researchers who have studied CL (see Ai Bin, 2009; Lee Hui, 2009; Li, Chu, Ki & Woo, 2011; Qiao &Jin, 2010). While, numerous research studies have revealed that students completing CL group tasks tend to have higher academic test scores, higher self-esteem, greater numbers of positive social skills, and greater comprehension of the content and skills they are studying (Johnson, & Johnson, Holubec, 1994; Slavin, 1990). The researcher found there is few researchers have investigated what students and teachers think of it. While, many researchers have been conducted research regarding CL approach in colleges. However, some have proved it to be effective and some of the researches have been presented as ineffective. For the most part, its vagueness of the effeteness arouses my curiosity to do this research and find out some empirical evidence of its effectiveness at the college level. Hence, the researcher is going to focus on college students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards CL. This research will attempt to answer the following questions 1) Do college teachers use cooperative learning in Chinese English language classroom? 2) How do teachers implement cooperative