Cooperative Problem-Solving and Education

Debates in education are often polarised by those who want students to be firmly told what they should take on board, and those who insist individuals learn best if they were liberated from all forms of collective arrangement (such as an education authority). Some politicians even fluctuate between the two sets of views without any underlying rationale. However, there is substantial evidence that people actually increase their understanding most effectively when they learn through cooperative problem-solving. This article sets out what is involved in cooperative problem-solving, why it should be adopted more widely and how it can be extended in practice.