Introduction

Collaborative learning sometimes called small-group learning, is an instructional strategy in

which small groups of students work together on a common task. The task can be as simple as
solving a multi-step math problem together, or as complex as developing a design for a new kind
of school. In some cases, each group member is individually accountable for part of the task; in
other cases, group members work together without formal role assignments:
According to David Johnson and Roger Johnson (1999), there are five basic elements that allow
successful small-group learning
 Positive interdependence: Students feel responsible for their own and the group's effort.
 Face-to-face interaction: Students encourage and support one another; the environment
encourages discussion and eye contact.
 Individual and group accountability: Each student is responsible for doing their part;
the group is accountable for meeting its goal.
 Group behaviours: Group members gain direct instruction in the interpersonal, social,
and collaborative skills needed to work with others occurs.
 Group processing: Group members analyse their own and the group's ability to work
together.
Cooperative learning changes students' and teachers' roles in classrooms. The ownership of
teaching and learning is shared by groups of students, and is no longer the sole responsibility of
the teacher. The authority of setting goals, assessing learning, and facilitating learning is shared
by all. Students have more opportunities to actively participate in their learning, question and
challenge each other, share and discuss their ideas, and internalize their learning. Along with
improving academic learning, cooperative learning helps students engage in thoughtful discourse
and examine different perspectives, and it has been proven to increase students' self-
esteem, motivation, and empathy

Some challenges of using cooperative learning include releasing the control of learning,
managing noise levels, resolving conflicts, and assessing student learning. Carefully structured
activities can help students learn the skills to work together successfully, and structured
discussion and reflection on group process can help avoid some problems

Students typically work in teams of four. This way, they can break into pairs for some activities,
and then get back together in teams very quickly for others. It is important, however, to establish
classroom norms and protocols that guide students to contribute, stay on task, and help each
other, encourage each other, share, solve problems, give and accept feedback from peers.
A simple way to start Cooperative Learning is to begin with pairs instead of whole teams. Two
students can learn to work effectively on activities such as the following:

1. Assign a math worksheet and ask students to work in pairs.

2. One of the students does the first problem while the second acts as a coach.
3. Then, students switch roles for the second problem.
 4. When they finish the second problem, they get together with another pair and check
answers.
5. When both pairs have agreed on the answers, ask them to shake hands and continue
working in pairs on the next two problems.

The authors of Classroom Instruction that Works cite research showing that organizing students
in cooperative learning groups can lead to a gain as high as 28 percentiles in measured student
achievement (Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock 2001).
Other researchers report that cooperation typically results in higher group and individual
achievement, healthier relationships with peers, more metacognition, and greater psychological
health and self-esteem (Johnson and Johnson 1989).
When implemented well, cooperative learning encourages achievement, student discussion,
active learning, student confidence, and motivation. The skills students develop while
collaborating with others are different from the skills students develop while working
independently. As more businesses organize employees into teams and task forces, the skills
necessary to be a "team player" (e.g., verbalizing and justifying ideas, handling conflicts,
collaborating, building consensus, and disagreeing politely) are becoming more valuable and
useful. Using cooperative groups to accomplish academic tasks not only provides opportunities
for students to develop interpersonal skills but also gives them authentic experiences that will
help them be successful in their future careers.
Cooperative Learning has been proven to be effective for all types of students, including
academically gifted, mainstream students and English language learners (ELLs) because it
promotes learning and fosters respect and friendships among diverse groups of students. In fact,
the more diversity in a team, the higher the benefits for each student. Peers learn to depend on
each other in a positive way for a variety of learning tasks.
Cooperative Learning is particularly beneficial for any student learning a second language.
Cooperative Learning activities promote peer interaction, which helps the development of
language and the learning of concepts and content. It is important to assign ELLs to different
teams so that they can benefit from English language role models. ELLs learn to express
themselves with greater confidence when working in small teams. In addition to 'picking up'
vocabulary, ELLs benefit from observing how their peers learn and solve problems. If you
decide to assign each student in a team a role (such as reporter, recorder, time keeper, and
materials manager), you might want to rotate roles each week or by activity. This prevents what
typically happens if students select their own roles - the same students wind up performing the
same tasks. By rotating, students develop the skills they most need to practice.

Collaborative learning is also a method of instruction that basically involves grouping students to work
together towards a common academic goal. The method is based on the theory that knowledge is a social
construct, that educational experiences that involve interaction and social exchange, that are contextually
relevant and engaging and are student-centered, lead to deeper learning. To be effective, the art of
collaboration requires thoughtful consideration on the part of educators. Time must be set aside for
developing lessons and deciding on appropriate learning approaches to use with specific students or
groups.
Experts in collaborative learning claim that the active exchange of ideas within groups of students
promotes critical thinking and there seems to be quite persuasive evidence that teams engaged in
cooperative learning achieve at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than students who
work solely as individuals. This constructivistic view of learning, based on Vigotsky's theories, states that
learning occurs when students are actively involved in the construction of new mental representations,
instead of assuming the role of empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge. Collaborative learning
creates a role shift between learners and teachers. 

The researchers conducted this action research to increase their grade 7 students’ achievements
in Mathematics. The teacher researches had noticed a trend of low scores on teacher-made
chapter tests and non-completion of daily homework. Standardized tests showed that most
students scored below average on the mathematics portion and the number of students having to
repeat mathematics subjects/courses had increased. The student’s overall grades in mathematics
have dropped, along with their attitudes towards mathematics learning. The researchers chose
this topic as their research because they want to know if collaborative learning strategy will be a
big use of the teacher to help the student learn in easy and fun way. They want to test if it is good
to collaborate with others than working on your own. The researchers want to know if it will help
the students to see that mathematics is not as complicated as they think. They want to see the use
of collaborative learning in students and teachers, also the researchers want to see how it will
affect the discussion and the knowledge of the students. Their respondents are grade 7 student in
a catholic school which made them think that they need to start at the beginning of high school.
Because these strategies might help them in future discussions. It will give them ideas of how
they can learn using collaboration.

Statement of the Problem

The researchers observed that within the grade 7 students there had been a recent increase of
academic failure within mathematics, and they questioned whether a collaborative setting would
help increase their students’ success in these areas. Initial evidence of this problem included low
standardized test scores and an increase in the number of students who had to repeat a
mathematics subject/course in order to receive sufficient credits for graduation. The researchers
believed that this was evidenced in the classroom setting by the lack of daily homework
completion and by the students’ poor motivation succeed.
PRE
Date:_________________________
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING SURVEY
Directions: Please check the appropriate box for each question.

YES NO
1. Do you feel that you are getting more help by having two teachers?
2. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you learn the
mathematics concepts better?
3. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you to perform better
on tests?

4. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you to complete more
homework assignments?
COMMENTS:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
POST
Date:_________________________
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING SURVEY
Directions: Please check the appropriate box for each question.
YES NO
1. Do you feel that you are getting more help by having two teachers?
2. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you learn the
mathematics concepts better?
3. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you to perform better
on tests?

4. Do you feel that having two teachers has helped you to complete more
homework assignments?
COMMENTS:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________