Developing skills with cooperative learning methods

Abstract

The Working Group Methodology has positive effects on students' academic performance [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The contribution of this study consists in determining the variables by means of which the Working Group Methodology influences academic performance, and in comparing the effectiveness of two different working group methodologies: cooperative learning (hereafter CL) and group work without guidelines established by the teacher, known as the Unstructured Groups Methodology (hereafter UGM). To that end, the effect of CL, as compared with that of UGM, on academic performance is measured using three factors: 1) student attitudes; 2) attitude to learning and the learning approach adopted by students; and 3) student skills. The sample is made up of 110 students from a Spanish university, working on the Corporate Finance module of a degree in Business Administration and Management. Based on the analysis the conclusion reached shows that the CL methodology affects academic performance. Results demonstrate the greater effectiveness of group work when based on well-defined and structured guidelines, rather than when developed without a predefined structure.