COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING - DIFFERENCES

What is the difference between cooperative and collaborative learning?

Similarities

The terms collaborative learning and cooperative learning sometimes are used interchangeably in the sense that

     they both have in that they both use groups,

     both assign specific tasks

     both have the groups share and compare their procedures and conclusions in plenary class sessions.

     both favor small-group active student participation over passive, lecture-based teaching

     Both require a specific task to be completed.

     Both inherently supports a discovery based approach to learning.

     Both methods assign various group roles though collaborative learning can have fewer roles assigned.   In both situations, student members are required to possess group skills though cooperative learning may include this as a instructional goal. Each plan comes with a framework upon which the group's activity resides, but cooperative learning is usually more structurally defined than collaborative learning (Cooper and Robinson, 1997; Smith and MacGregor, 1992; Rockwood, 1995a, 1995b).

      

Differences

with collaborative learning the instructor abdicates his or her authority and empowers the small groups who are often given more open-ended, complex tasks.	In cooperative learning the instructor is the center of authority in the class, with group tasks usually more closed-ended and often having specific answers.
collaborative learning is connected to the social constructionist's view that knowledge is a social construct.	Cooperative learning is the methodology of choice for foundational knowledge (i.e., traditional knowledge)
many times teacher does not have a pre-set notion of the problem or solution that students will be researching	many times the teacher already knows the problem and solution students will be working towards
Collaborative learning is based on the idea that learning is a naturally social act in which the participants talk among themselves (Gerlach, 1994). It is through the talk that learning occurs.	small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement.
dictionary definitions of "collaboration", derived from its Latin root, focus on the process of working together;	the root word for "cooperation" stresses the product of such work.
collaborative learning is more student centered.	the fundamental approach is teacher centered
There is a sharing of authority and acceptance of responsibility among group members for the groups actions.	It is more directive than a collaboratve system of governance and closely controlled by the teacher.
Collaboration is a philosophy of interaction and personal lifestyle Collaborative learning (CL) is a personal philosophy	whereas cooperation is a structure of interaction designed to facilitate the accomplishment of an end product or goal.

One may use both approaches depending on the academic maturity of his students. He favors the more structured cooperative learning style for foundational knowledge typified in gateway courses, and depends on the laissez faire approach of collaborative learning for higher level, less foundational knowledge content.

References

http://www.tammypayton.net/courses/collab/what.shtml

http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations/collaborative-learning/panitz-paper.cfm

http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/Cl1/CL/question/TQ1.asp