Cooperative Learning: The Essentials of Small Group Activities – Small group activities can be meaningful learning activities or they can be opportunities for social loafing and a waste of time. Research on cooperative learning has identified five key elements needed to make small groups work well: positive interdependence, individual accountability, face-to-face interaction, interpersonal and small-group skills, and group processing. Jack Gittinger introduced instructors to these five elements and helped them identify ways to implement small group work in their own classes. See his PowerPoint Presentation here.
