A Case Study of Hispanic Students in Cooperative Learning

Abstract

This research is an exploratory case study in regard to cooperative group learning. The research participants are Hispanic students taking the researcher’s physics course at a higher education institution in South Texas. Theoretical framework of this research is grounded on the theories of social interdependence, behaviorism, and cognition. The main research questions to be explored are: 1) How do students perceive cooperative learning in a community college? 2) How do students experience cooperative learning in a community college? 3) How can an instructor facilitate better cooperative learning in a community college? Pre-surveys, field journal records from observation of research participants, surveys, and interviews are used to gather data for analysis. Pre-surveys are given at the beginning of a semester. The researcher kept journal entries from observation of the participants during all class meetings. Interviews and surveys will be conducted after the Summer Session II