Cooperative Learning as a Supplement to the Economics Lecture

Abstract

As stakeholders clamor for alternative teaching and learning strategies, many options are worthy possibilities. Central to choosing among such alternatives are those that require little outlay of cash, can be used in practically any learning environment, and are proven to be beneficial to both students and educators. In order to accommodate a change from lecture as the primary format of education, choices are available for the educator who wants to expand into student-centered education. One such method is cooperative learning where interdependence becomes the integral element of learning. As a teaching tool, it provides many of the benefits necessary for efficient education, including improvements in group work, critical thinking, individual responsibility, communication, and interpersonal relationships. Additionally, ample research touts the effectiveness of cooperative learning as a proficient tool for education. In order to evaluate cooperative learning in the classroom, a number of reasons are presented in support of cooperative learning as are examples and results from a number of exercises used in both micro- and macroeconomics courses.