Teaching Teamwork: An Exploration of Using Cooperative Learning Teams

The business world continues to change at a tremendous rate. We in the Information Systems field contribute to this rate of change and at the same time try to keep up with iL While the content in our field changes constantly, tile way in which we attempt to educate our students (pedagogy) has not changed for some time. One means to change the way we teach our students is through the use of alternative pedagogical models, such as the cooperative learning model. Cooperative learning is defined as "the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning" (Johnson, Johnson and Smith 199lb, p. 3). This paper presents an overview of the cooperative learning modeI, two examples of the model in use, and an exploratory assessment of the model. Additionally, limitations of this study, recommendations for future research and for practice have been provided.