The Effects of Cooperative Learning on Iranian University Students’ Class-engagement, Self-esteem, and Self-confidence

Due to the rapid expansion of knowledge and ever-increasing growth of international communication, the need to highly qualified translators is felt more than ever before. Not being satisfied with the traditional approaches to teaching translation, translation experts, practitioners, and researchers argue for a move to a more team-based, experiential, and cooperative approach. This study aimed to investigate if teaching translation through cooperative learning improved university students’ class-engagement, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Having administered the class-engagement, self-esteem, and self-confidence questionnaires, the control and experimental groups, with ۱۵ students in each, received the treatment for ۱۰ sessions. The experimental group did the translation tasks through cooperative method in groups of ۲ or ۳. However, the control group was taught through traditional method, and students translated the text individually. Once the treatment was over, the questionnaires were distributed again, and responses were recorded. Employing one-way ANCOVA, the data were analyzed. The results revealed that cooperative learning improved students’ self-confidence, self-esteem, and class-engagement. Using this technique, teachers can create a more relaxed, competitive, and stress-free atmosphere, where students are keen to participate in the class discussions and enjoy the cognitive and affective benefits. The results are discussed with regard to self-efficacy theory, attribution theory, and self-worth theory.

Keywords:

Cooperative Teaching , Translation Studies , Class-participation