A Comparison between Learners’ and Lecturers’ Ideas Regarding Cooperative Learning Implementation in Islamic Azad University; A Qualitative Survey

During the recent decades one of the challenges the educators in higher levels of education facing is related to the application of the most effective pedagogical technique in education. Recently, it seems to be a move towards learner centered classes in universities which allow learners to be more active and involve in the teaching and learning process. Thus, instructors became more facilitator during the learning process. In educational context one of the dominant factor to improve the intellectual capacity of learners is including Cooperative Learning (CL) in teaching and learning process. In this case learners work together as a team member to attain a specific target. Integration of new methods into the educational context may accompanied with some challenges. Learners’ attitudes and behaviors are major factors of thesuccess for instructional program in educational context. Thus, it looks crucial to recognize learners’ and instructors’ perceptions and challenges regarding CL implementation. In order to find out instructors’ and learners’ perceptions and challenges regarding implementing CL in the universities’ context researchers conducted a qualitative survey nvestigation. In this study researchers used stratified sampling method. To this aim, 30 learners as well as 30 instructors participated in the semi-structured interviews. Participants answered to the semi-structured interviews. Interview has been used to find out participants’ ideas and perception regarding implementing CL in the universities’ context. Results of the study reflected learners’ and instructors’ perceptions and challenges regarding CL in IAUs in Iran. Although most of the learners and instructors were agreed with CL implementation but they had some problems regarding the CL implementation in universities’ context like, time consuming techniques, challenges regarding lassroom management, unequal group members’ participation and the conflict occurs when one-member works less than the other. The results of the current study are useful for language practitioners, university students and educational administrators.

Keywords:

Cooperative Learning , English language teaching and learning , Learners’ & lecturers’ ideas & challenges