Conclusions: The Contribution of SPRinG to Knowledge About Collaborative Group Work

Abstract

Chapter 8 provides a summary of main findings and concludes with a discussion of some key themes of concern throughout the book. The chapter identifies what the SPRinG project has contributed to knowledge on collaborative and co-operative group work; examines the credibility and ‘warrant’ of the methods used; explores what we have learned about the key components of the SPRinG approach; and ends with a further look at how the SPRinG project helps clarify the details of a broader social pedagogy of classroom learning. While we demonstrate the effectiveness of the SPRinG approach at different age levels, in different classroom contexts and different countries, we argue that the SPRinG approach, in order to be effective, must be supported by a wider awareness of a social pedagogic approach that is further supported in policy and the larger community.