Cooperative Learning as a Preference of Adolescent Students: The Case of Dance Activities

Darginidou Lemonia,Goulimaris Dimitris

doi:10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p478

Darginidou Lemonia, Goulimaris Dimitris

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https://doi.org/10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p478

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Abstract

There are a number of extracurricular activities, carried out in today junior high schools, which give priority to the interaction between individuals and groups. Dance-as an extracurricular, physical activity with educational characteristics and cooperative elements - is believed to develop social and cultural values, since it creates emotional bonds between the individual and the group. The fact that a learning method is preferred by students can influence their performance. The aim of the study is to investigate students’ preferences concerning cooperative or individual learning methods and the difficulties of group work. The sample of the study was made up of 289 students, at the age of 13. Three groups were created. The first group was constituted of adolescents who took up extracurricular dance activities organized by the state. The second group was constituted of adolescents participating in extracurricular dance activities organized by non profit private societies. The third group was made up of adolescents who did not take up any physical activity in their free time. The Greek version (Goudas, Magotsiou, & Hatzigeorgiadis, 2009) of the «Feelings towards Group Work Scale» (Cantwell & Andrews, 2002) was used. The results showed differences among all groups. The adolescents involving in private dance activity programs presented a higher preference in group learning methods than adolescents involving in state dance activity programs. This is probably due to the higher efficiency of the teachers working in the private sector. The group that did not involve in any extracurricular activity preferred the individual work method. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p478

Highlights

There are a number of learning strategies adopted in today schools, which are based on modern international tendencies, theoretical pedagogic approaches and school psychology attitudes (Fagan &Wise, 2000; Oakland & Jimerson, 2007; Frisby & Jimerson, 2016)
This group had the higher means of preference concerning group work learning methods, in relation to the group that took up extra curricular school activity programs organized by the state
The research revealed that group work learning methods are highly preferred by students who deal with dance activities in non profit private societies, followed by students who take up extra curricular dance activity programs in school

Summary

Introduction

There are a number of learning strategies adopted in today schools, which are based on modern international tendencies, theoretical pedagogic approaches and school psychology attitudes (Fagan &Wise, 2000; Oakland & Jimerson, 2007; Frisby & Jimerson, 2016). Cooperative learning or group work method is a form of learning which assumes a common effort in order to achieve a common target (Dyson, 2002). The participants work in miscellaneous groups with internal encouragement and support. The group members use their social skills so as to develop cooperation, through responsibility and positive attitude, aiming at both the personal and group learning, while simultaneously there is an evaluation of the group progress (Johnson & Johnson, 1989). Some characteristics of cooperative learning are cooperative skills, interdependence and personal responsibility. Since preferring cooperative learning can influence students’ performance, it is important that there is a method to evaluate students’ attitude and way of work

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