Among the last advantages of cooperative learning in the classroom is the increase in competition that every student experiences as s/he collaborates with other students/teammates in the process of accomplishing a particular task or activity. There is one caveat, however, in stating this observation about cooperative learning: increased competence is induced only in learning processes wherein information used by students are similar or identical with each other (Buchs, 2004:310-1). An increase in the competitive nature of learning using the cooperative learning technique stimulates students' greater desire to perform better, and to outdo other students in accomplishing the task at hand.

While there are advantages to cooperative learning as a teaching and learning tool, there are also disadvantages that can become impediments or hindrances to the students' further learning and the teacher's role as a moderator or to serve as the students' guide to learning.

Among the enumerated disadvantages to cooperative...
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