International Journal of Educational Research 39 (2003) 35–49 Chapter 2 Structuring cooperative group work in classrooms Robyn M. Gillies School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia Abstract Cooperative, small-group learning is widely recognised as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning and socialisation across a range of curriculum areas from primary school through to high school and college. When children work cooperatively together, they learn to give and receive help, share their ideas and listen to other students’ perspectives, seek new ways of clarifying differences, resolving problems, and constructing new understandings and knowledge. The result is that students attain higher academic outcomes and are more motivated to achieve than they would be if they worked alone. This paper provides an overview of five different studies that the author has conducted that demonstrate clearly the importance of explicitly structuring cooperative small-group work in classrooms if children are to derive the benefits widely attributed to this pedagogical practice. r 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Numerous studies have been published over the past three decades that demonstrate the benefits of cooperative learning. These benefits include academic gains across different curriculum domains (Calderon, Hertz-Lazarowitz, & Slavin, 1998; Fall & Webb, 2000; Johnson & Johnson, 1999; Leikin & Zaslavsky, 1997), improved participation in school-based learning (Stevens & Slavin, 1995) and enhanced socialisation among peers (Johnson & Johnson, 1989; Jordan & LeMetais, 1997; Slavin; 1995), including more cross-ethnic and cross-sex relationships (Sharan, 1990; Warring, Johnson, Maruyama, & Johnson, 1985). Children with multiple and severe disabilities have also benefited through acquiring enhanced communication and motor skills (Hunt, Staub, Alwell, & Goetz, 1994) while there have been more ARTICLE IN PRESS E-mail address: r.gillies@mailbox.uq.edu.au (R.M. Gillies). 0883-0355/$-see front matter r 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0883-0355(03)00072-7