A plea for research on cooperative learning in Hong Kong

Cooperative learning is referred to as " the wave of the future" in education (Adams & Hamm,1996, pvii). It has been one of the most important models of education developed in the past two centuries. In Hong Kong, research on cooperative learning has been surprisingly little. The majority of local educational practitioners seems to be overly influenced by competition and the test scores it produce. In the past decade, studies on cooperative learning in other countries suggested that competitive practices were not achieving what had been destined for. Basically, it was found that students like to cooperate and that when they do, they perform better not only affectively but also cognitively. Galton and Williamson (1992), David and Roger Johnson (1989), Robert Slavin (1983), and Shlome Sharan (1980), and many others had unfolded different critical aspects of cooperative learning. The present paper attempts to examine significant research on cooperative learning and investigate the possibilities of further research in Hong Kong. Students' lack of abstract talk in group work will be highlighted and a conceptual framework on enhancing children's critical thinking through cooperative learning will be discussed.