Cooperative learning strategies are highly effective in helping students engage in content in a structured and manageable way that will increase student comprehension and retention of concepts far beyond what can be accomplished independently. These strategies are effective in part because they address a variety of learning styles all at the same time, as well as get students actually discussing the content and digging deeper to reach a higher level of rigor.
Where to begin?
The best place to start is with Kagan's Essential 5. Read more about the research and rationale behind starting with these five cooperative learning strategies here. Learn more about the Essential 5 strategies by clicking on the links below!