Learning to learn and learning to cooperate are two important goals for individuals. Moreover, self regulation has been identified as fundamental to prevent school failure. The goal of the present study was to assess the interactions between self-regulated learning, cooperative learning and academic self-efficacy in secondary education students experiencing cooperative learning as the main pedagogical approach for at least one school year. 2.513 secondary education students (1.308 males, 1.205 females), 12–17 years old (M = 13.85, SD = 1.29), enrolled in 17 different schools belonging to the National Network of Schools on Cooperative Learning in Spain agreed to participate. They all had experienced this pedagogical approach a minimum of one school year. Participants were asked to complete the cooperative learning questionnaire, the strategies to control the study questionnaire and the global academic self-efficacy questionnaire. Participants were grouped based on their perceptions on cooperative learning and self-regulated learning in their classes. A combination of hierarchical and κ-means cluster analyses was used. Results revealed a four-cluster solution: cluster one included students with low levels of cooperative learning, self-regulated learning and academic self-efficacy, cluster two included students with high levels of cooperative learning, self-regulated learning and academic self-efficacy, cluster three included students with high levels of cooperative learning, low levels of self-regulated learning and intermediate-low levels of academic self-efficacy, and, finally, cluster four included students with high levels of self-regulated learning, low levels of cooperative learning, and intermediate-high levels of academic self-efficacy. Self-regulated learning was found more influential than cooperative learning on students’ academic self-efficacy. In cooperative learning contexts students interact through different types of regulations: self, co, and shared. Educators should be aware of these interactions, symmetrical or asymmetrical, because they determine the quality and quantity of the students’ participation and achievements, and they are key elements to prevent school failure.

In this study, we examined the impact of Hellison's (1995) model for the development of personal and social responsibility on fair play and self‐control in youth. One hundred and eighty‐six students from three public schools with a mean age of 13.6 years were assigned to one of three treatment groups: experimental group A (n=63), experimental group B (n=62), and a control group (n=61). During 10 one‐hour sessions of beginners’ five‐a‐side soccer, group A went through five levels of the programme, whereas group B went through only four levels as the transferral phase was not introduced. Findings revealed that subsequent to the intervention programme, group A improved personal feedback, delayed gratification, self‐control, and process self‐regulation. Groups A and B showed an improvement in indicators of personal and social responsibility regarding enjoyment and sportsmanship and a decrease in variables related to the drive to win, rough play, contact fouls, and poor sportsmanship. No significant changes were observed in the control group.

The goal of the present study was to design and validate an instrument to assess the basic elements of cooperative learning, as well as a cooperation index. 11.202 primary education (grades 5, 6), secondary education and baccalaureate students (5.838 males, 5.364 females) from 68 different schools in 62 cities all over Spain agreed to participate. The age range was 11-18 years. The participating students had experienced several cooperative learning techniques during the last six months. The first version of the questionnaire was assessed by a group of experts. A pilot study with 60 students similar to the target sample was conducted on the second version of the instrument. The final version underwent several statistical tests. The Cooperative Learning Questionnaire included five subscales: Promotive Interaction, Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Group Processing and Interpersonal skills. Factorial and confirmatory analysis showed that all reliability indices were acceptable, even under the most difficult conditions. The questionnaire showed adequate convergent, discriminant and concurrent validity. Results showed that it is an easy instrument to assess all the basic elements of cooperative learning in primary, secondary and baccalaureate students and obtain a global cooperation factor.

The goal of the article was to compare the effects of two different cooperative learning programmes on prospective teachers. A total of 332 students enrolled in a Teacher Training Programme agreed to participate. At the beginning of the semester, they all experienced low-structured cooperative learning (LSCL) for 10 sessions. At the end of this phase (T1), research variables were assessed and the groups were randomly divided into two different conditions for 10 new sessions: high-structured cooperative learning (HSCL) and LSCL. At the end of this period, research variables were assessed again (T2). Results at T2 showed that only participants in the HSCL group significantly increased their motivation, content knowledge, responsibility and the five elements that mediate Cooperative Learning effectiveness: positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, group processing, and social skills. There was also a significant increase in shared-regulation dominance. In conclusion, cooperative learning can have a positive impact on prospective teachers’ academic performance, but it needs to be highly structured.