Cooperative Learning Theory

Cooperative Learning Theory: The assumption that adolescents and teenager can learn as much from each other as from adults.

(Source: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 2001)

In social work, this means when people get involved and form a grassroots team, such as a neighborhood watch group, and they come up with a list of goals and objectives. They then come up with plans to achieve these goals and objectives, and designate roles and responsibilities in executing these tasks.

When applied to other fields, this happens in engineering, when  a team scientists discover new functions and new, conventional ways to make life easier, and use other scientists and inventions, as well as each other, as a source of inspiration. This happens in the redesigning of original cars, and the invention of brand new models (Chrysler, Ford, Mitsubishi), with sleeker styles, implementation of satellite radios, better speed, a new source of power (electric), and other updates to change the way society commutes.