Reconsidering the Issue of Cooperative Learning with Gifted Students
This paper addresses the discussion regarding whether or not cooperative learning methods are good for gifted students by considering the processes of task-related interaction within different cooperative structures. Differences and similarities in the nature and type of task-related interactions that are promoted by different cooperative learning structures are discussed. Furthermore, the congruence between the types of student interaction that are promoted by different structures and theories of how students learn are considered. The implications of these points for gifted students are addressed. Finally, it is suggested that collaborative learning—an extension of cooperative group structures that is premised on social-constructivist theories of learning—can provide rich learning opportunities for gifted students in mixed-ability groupings.