Perceptions of Intermediate Students' Cooperative Small-Group Work in Mathematics

Research on student thought processes has given an important new dimension to the area of research on teaching. In this study, an attempt was made to examine student thought processes in the context of cooperative small-group instruction in mathematics. Fifth- and sixth-grade students and teachers were interviewed about their perceptions of general aspects of cooperative small-group instruction. Student interview responses were compared with those of teachers, and comparisons were made between high and low achievers and girls and boys. Students' and teachers' perceptions were fairly well aligned, although important differences were also found. A rich picture of some important dimensions of cooperative small-group instruction emerges from this study.