Exploring the effectiveness of using cooperative teaching strategies towards advancing teamwork skills

Abstract

Sources such as Rossouw (2001); Rhodes University (2010) as well as Fallows and Steven (2000) indicate that students are ill equipped for the working environment as they lack core competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills. Therefore, this research focuses on the effectiveness of cooperative teaching strategies to advance teamwork skills in higher education and explore how students may be assisted to increase their core competencies and teamwork skills, to present themselves as employable. This article reflects on the research results produced using a survey questionnaire on a sample group of higher education first-year students enrolled for an Introduction to Project Management module. The findings discussed herein, provide interesting and valuable insight for educators as to which cooperative teaching and learning strategies inspires significant learning experiences. The final recommendation is to seek support to extensively increase the use of these specific cooperative teaching and learning strategies in the classroom.