Reflections on cooperative learning: look before you leap

Studies have shown that the effective incorporation of cooperative learning activities in classroom instruction results in increased student competence. Some engineering instructors are reluctant to adopt these strategies in courses which traditionally rely heavily on the lecture for delivery. This reflection paper is intended to stimulate discussion on the feasibility of using formal cooperative learning groups in engineering courses that traditionally "suffer" a lecture format. In essence, most of the published research concludes that students participating in cooperative learning groups perform better than those in a class taught by lecture. The catch is that cooperative learning must be done well to realize the benefits described in the literature.