The Cooperative Learning Approach: a Case Study by the "Sustainable Tourism Lab"

This paper analysed a comparison between the more traditional education methods and the cooperative learning methods. Both of them were used in the study course of Tourism Eco-Management in the “Sustainable Tourism Lab”,... [ view full abstract ]

This paper analysed a comparison between the more traditional education methods and the cooperative learning methods. Both of them were used in the study course of Tourism Eco-Management in the “Sustainable Tourism Lab”, provided by the School of Management and Economics of the University of Turin, during the academic year 2017/2018. The course aims at stimulating the students’ curiosity and strengthen their ability to carry out research. It will provide in depth knowledge of these two tourist drivers that are ever more present on today’s international market. The scope was that of highlighting and demonstrating the efficacy of the cooperative learning system as a tool applied to the development of project work. A scheme that allows for the implementation of the cooperative learning method has been suggested.

The model proposed by the authors consists of five stages: “call for ideas” to stakeholders with the choice of project works; “identification of teams and the planning of research activities”; “monitoring and presentation of project works”; “evaluation of the project works” given by exam commissioners, students who participated in the teams, stakeholders who commissioned the research and other stakeholders who participated in the presentation activity; “identification of improvement actions”.

The examining board were, on the whole, very satisfied with the group work, in as much as the objectives were reached in most of the groups and the majority of them adhered to the principles of cooperative learning.

Cooperative learning experience was considered to be positive by all those involved in the research at the course of Tourism Eco-Management. Indeed, the groups constructed a project that could be carried-over to a real-life situation, as the initial data had been provided by the stakeholders on the basis of a real need. This preliminary study broadens the application of cooperative learning to encompass meeting real needs in various territories, through the addition of the sectorial know-how and expertise of the educators and facilitators.

Keywords: cooperative learning – sustainable tourism – project work – group work – group assessment