Previous research highlighted the effectiveness of cooperative learning in the four learning domains: physical, cognitive, social and affective. However, recent reviews have called for more empirical research on social and emotional learning based on contemporary theories, frameworks and assessment tools. Little is known about the links between cooperative learning and two strong contemporary frameworks: the achievement goal theory and the four-branch model of emotional intelligence. The goal of this study was to assess the connections between cooperative learning, task and self-approach goals, and emotional intelligence in physical education classes. Forty primary education students (21 girls, 19 boys), 10–12 years (Mage = 10.87; SD = 0.85), enrolled in two different classes in only one school, participated. None of them had experienced cooperative learning as a pedagogical model before. The study followed a one group, pre-test-post-test, pre-experimental design. Both classes experienced the same cooperative learning intervention programme conducted in physical education, which included two consecutive learning units for a total of 16 sessions (2 per week/50 min each). The same physical education teacher, an expert in cooperative learning, conducted all sessions. Results showed that the cooperative learning framework helped increase students’ self-approach goals and their emotional control and regulation, and empathy. In conclusion, the present study reinforced the use of cooperative learning in physical education, because it can guide students to more adaptive motivational patterns and to develop their emotional intelligence. Furthermore, it contributes to the students’ social and emotional learning building quality relationships, learning to manage stressors, and evolve individually and in groups.

The present research had two complementary aims: (a) to examine the associations between cooperative learning (CL) and emotional intelligence (EI) in physical education (PE) and (b) to explore and compare the use of CL in PE in primary education (PED), secondary education (SED) and baccalaureate (BA). A total of 1332 students (682 males, 650 females) took part in the study. All participants were aged between 10 and 20 years old (M = 13.09; SD = 2.47) and belonged to 13 different schools in Southwest Spain. They completed the cooperative learning questionnaire (CLQ), referring to the PE classes, in addition to the emotional intelligence questionnaire in physical education (EIQPE). Positive and significant associations were found between CL and EI in all school stages. In addition, moderately strong associations were uncovered between CL and the different dimensions of EI: emotional recognition, emotional control and regulation and emotional empathy. Participants belonging to classrooms with larger cooperation indices presented higher levels of EI. Results also highlighted a greater use of CL in PE classes during the PED stage in comparison to the SED and BA stages. These outcomes are discussed in light of the existing literature and methodological implications are derived for teaching PE. The use of CL in PE is recommended because of its positive contribution to the affective domain through IE. This will be especially important during the SED and BA stages, where lower rates of CL were observed.

Cooperative learning is a pedagogical framework extensively used in educational contexts worldwide, but some scholars warn that we do not know much about how its claimed outcomes are delivered. The aim of this study was to uncover the connections between cooperative learning contexts and students’ task and self-approach goals in physical education. We hypothesized that those students who perceived a stronger cooperative learning context in their classes would also show higher task and self-approach goals. A total of 1328 students (648 females and 680 males) from three different educational stages: primary education (n = 584), secondary education (n = 550) and baccalaureate (n = 194), agreed to participate. Participants’ ages ranged between 10 and 20 years ( M = 13.11; SD = 2.45). An ex-post-facto, cross-sectional research design was followed. Results showed a direct and significant connection between high-perceived cooperative learning contexts and high students’ task and self-approach goals. The odds ratio tests verified this positive association, indicating a 4-times greater probability for students who perceived a strong cooperative learning context in the classroom of having high task and self-approach goals. In the same line, we observed that, as the perception of a cooperative learning context increased, task and self-approach goals also increased. This means that a small change in the class context to make it more cooperative had an impact on the students’ achievement goals. Teachers should try to create class contexts where students perceive a strong cooperative learning climate, because it has been connected to adaptive motivational patterns, task and self-approach goals, and these are associated with positive outcomes.

Purpose: The aim was to assess how two contextual variables, number of students per class and in-class global cooperation, affect students’ academic performance in physical education. Method: Multilevel analysis was performed given the data’s hierarchical nature (L1 = 1,185 participants and L2 = 64 classrooms), including regression analysis to assess how the contextual variables at the classroom level affected students’ grades. Results: Results showed that the differences observed between classrooms in students’ academic performance can be attributed largely to the perceived in-class global cooperation and not to the number of students per class. Group processing, promotive interaction, and individual accountability were the strongest predictors because these cooperative learning essential elements showed significant differences between classrooms. Discussion/Conclusion: Academic performance in physical education is not only determined by personal factors but also by contextual factors like perceived in-class cooperation. Group processing, promotive interaction, and individual accountability can be considered the most relevant critical features. Cooperative learning contexts are not easy to build, and depending on how successfully they are constructed, the outcomes can be very different.

No abstract