Nyomtassa ki az oldalt!

To the reader


This handbook is intended for teachers teaching in primary and secondary schools, as well as for teacher trainees. In our opinion, co-operative learning may be of interest for society since it defines the outlines and practical system of such a general human improvement and human management paradigm that can be applied effectively in all forms of social co-existence.

However, this handbook primarily summarises the important and essential knowledge, theoretical and practical fundamentals and attitudes for teachers or future educators, without which it is difficult to grasp the essence of co-operative learning.

Our book is intended to be used as a manual. It primarily serves for the understanding of the complex rules of co-operative learning. The rules, which determine the most important classroom, practical and behaviour forms, owing to which the organisation and process of learning will increasingly be built on true co-operation. Our handbook helps the reader increasingly understand the essence, the basic principles, techniques and attitudes of co-operative learning. Comprehension is facilitated by argumentation referring to practice, theoretical reflection, a lot of examples, and actual co-operative structures described step by step. It can be read from chapter to chapter, however, it may seem a little “too much” that way. It is more expedient to read a chapter again and again, and to compare it to the practice to be achieved from time to time, especially when something does not work on first attempt.

The present introduction helps understanding even for those that have not tried co-operative learning yet. However, theoretical knowledge is only the first step in comprehension. During practical experiments it is necessary to return to theoretical basics and to open this book again and again, because the most essential points become outlined in practice. Important details which are not quintessential for convincing any one to try the practice, later may become significant in issues emerging during practice. However, these only can be found in the book if you take it in your hand again and again.

Since this book has two authors, and during learning together we have been learning from each other as well, we use the first person plural in the main body of the book. The texts printed in bold help with highlighting the most significant aspects, terms and key points of the respective parts. So if someone wishes to check a section important form them, following the highlights will facilitate their job. They accent the most important key terms and correlations, therefore a note can be taken easily with their help. We would also be happy if the readers could discover further relations following their own interpretations in the book as well as in their own co-operative practice.

The examples in italic aimed at facilitating comprehension are inserted in the main body of the text so that they could mutually reflect on each other. The examples are written in first person singular; partly because they did not always came from our shared experience, and partly in order to help the reader identify with the presented situations.