Cooperative learning is seen as working in a group, whereas collaborative learning is seen as working as a group. This difference is important in educational settings, because the objectives of those two phrases are completely different. 

Working in a Group v. Working as a Group 

- Collaborative learning is what is more commonly thought of when “group work” is mentioned. This could be a group project in, or out of class, in which participants need to consistently communicate with each other to succeed, and hopefully contribute an even amount of the team’s success.

Ohio State University, Columbus

Cooperative learning is group work that doesn’t actually involve interaction with other students. They may just be sitting near each other, like in grouped seating arrangements in classrooms. Collaborative Learning always includes interaction, collaboration, and using the group’s abilities to achieve a goal.  

Cooperative Learning v. Collaborative Learning

Chiriac, E. H. (2014, June 5). Group work as an incentive for learning – students' experiences of group work. Frontiers. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00558/full 

Group Work as an Incentive for Learning

In a cooperative learning setting, participants may just be sitting near each other, like in grouped seating arrangements in classrooms. They could ask each other for assistance if needed, but that’s not a necessary aspect of cooperative learning. 

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