Implementation of cooperative learning in Mexican high schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study has to describe and analyze the change processes experienced by Mexican social studies high school teachers is their classrooms after having been trained in the use of cooperative learning through small work groups. After the training, two teachers implemented this instructional method. The investigation was conducted in two urban high schools from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Mexico. The participants in the training program were made up of 14 teachers from 3 different high schools. Two of these teachers were selected by the researcher to put into practice this educational approach. The selected teachers were then observed for four weeks and analyzed in the difficulties that they faced in implementing this teaching method, the changes experienced in their teaching practices, and the changes produced in their beliefs, attitudes, and behavior with respect to their teaching practices. The data collection was gathered through teachers questionnaires after the training course and through interviews and classroom observations during the implementation of cooperative learning. Therefore, the analysis of this investigation was carried out through qualitative methods.