Cooperative Learning In Higher Education: Comparison Of Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Graduate Student Reflections On Group Exams For Group Grades

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to share reflections from 202 non-Hispanic graduate students and 65 Hispanic students who have participated in cooperative written examinations for group grades. Reflections are clustered by themes identified from the students’ comments using Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomonological approach which is how the direct statements of individuals describe a common shared experience add to the affective understanding of the event. The experience is examined and defined through reflections of the participants. Students experience positive interdependence within a cooperative learning setting. Results of 202 non-Hispanic graduate students and 65 Hispanic graduate students are compared.

Millennials' Online Apparel Purchase Decisions through Social Interactions

“…The procedure outlined by Van Manen (1990) was followed to generate themes through comparison, categorization, abstraction, and integration to answer the research questions. Van Manen's procedure was used in phenomenological research (Holloway, Polaschek, & Pool, 2010;Morgan, 2003). First, data were read carefully to identify meaningful units of text relevant to the research questions.…”

A conceptual framework for the cultural integration of cooperative learning: A Thai primary mathematics education perspective

“…The theoretical antecedents of most cooperative learning strategies can be traced back to social interdependence theory (Johnson & Johnson, 2002), behavioral learning theory (Johnson & Johnson, 2004;Slavin, 1995), and socio-cognitive developmental theory (Johnson & Johnson, 2002;Morgan, 2003;Scardamalia, 2002). First, social interdependence theories focus on how individuals interact within groups and how different types of social interaction establish the ultimate outcomes of group activity.…”

“…Second, behaviorists learning theories assume that students will work harder on tasks that provide a reward and those students will fail to work on tasks that provide little or no reward (Morgan, 2003). Behavioral learning theories assume that cooperative efforts are powered by extrinsic motivation to achieve rewards (Johnson & Johnson, 2002).…”

“…Third, most socio-cognitive development theories view cooperation as an essential prerequisite for cognitive growth (Morgan, 2003) and suggest that social interaction and language are involved in the process of human development and learning. Cognitive growth springs from the alignment of various perspectives as individuals work together to attain the common goals of the group (Morgan, 2003;Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2003).…”

“…Cognitive growth springs from the alignment of various perspectives as individuals work together to attain the common goals of the group (Morgan, 2003;Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2003). According to Vygotsky (1978), the development occurs in settings where social interaction and the individual come together.…”