In a review of 46 studies related to cooperative learning, Slavin (1983) found that cooperative learning resulted in significant positive effects in 63% of the studies, and only two studies reported higher achievement for the comparison group.

Research has shown that students who work in cooperative groups do better on tests, especially with regard to reasoning and critical thinking skills than those that do not (Johnson and Johnson, 1989 )

In all levels of education, students in cooperative situations achieved greater academic, social and psychological benefits (Johnson & Johnson, 2005). Specifically, cooperative learning has been reported to improve students' academic achievement (Beck & Chizhik, 2008; Sousa, 2006; Zain, Subramaniam, Rashid & Ghani, 2009). For example, one study of the Jigsaw II and GI effect among 98 elementary school students in social studies, lasting 12 weeks in America (Lampe, Rooze, & Tallent-Runnels, 1996), indicated that students in the experimental group had higher academic achievement (p

Cooperative learning is a classroom instruction presentation model that involves students working together to meet their learning goals in learning teams or groups. In the 1940s, education reformers like John Dewey began to analyze the benefits of students working together in the classroom. At that time, cooperative learning was considered cutting edge compared to the preferred format of individual student learning. In the one room schoolhouse of the 1800s and early 1900s, students of all ages worked on their own learning goals.

True cooperative learning involves more than just having students sit together in groups. When done well, cooperative learning involves planning with clear directions, student work roles, and outcomes and measures for learning goals. Teachers who use this method see the value in cooperation, teamwork, and collaboration as a major part of their classrooms. Students who learn how to collaborate through cooperative learning can become adults who work together more effectively in the workplace.

In the classroom, a cooperative learning lesson involves students working in small groups to accomplish a learning task. The task is assigned by the teacher with clear directions. Students then work on the task together with defined roles (i.e. reporter, spokesperson, researcher, recorder). Teachers who are effective at evaluating the group together as one understand that each person in the group has a "shared" responsibility.