(Female Group)
Res: What would you say about group structure, i.e. no of members, organisation (mixed ability) used in your cooperative learning class?
A: Sir it was suitable, really very practically speaking, it was mixed ability and the group members did not have the same ability to judge and to do the work, some were very intelligent, others average and others not so good but overall performance you know was very good because those who were average or below average were being helped by the intelligent students. So I think the structure was very nice. And the size of the group was ok, I didn’t feel any difficulty while working in the group of six.
B: Yes sir the size is ok, six students were perfect for the strategies you used, because, (as far Think Pair is concerned) we need pair discussion and then whole group discussion so size is good, and structure was nice because we had different ideas from different ability members.
C: Sir I think there should be the size of four students because it created also the problem for the leader to make all members from different backgrounds and with ability to understand, and guide them, and they all the time depended the leader. The structure of group having mixed ability members is ok, because especially I got very meaning support and ideas from my friends who were brighter than me.
D: Sir I think the size of the group was very much suitable, and also structure was good because there was a girl and her grammar was very good, so we learnt from her, so structure was very good also.
Res: How did you experience learning in cooperative learning groups and with cl strategies with special emphasis on its advantages and disadvantages?
A: Sir one of the positive things is that we were compelled to work by our own whereas in traditional class, most of students depend on the teacher and they don’t really work, they know that the teacher will explain the whole chapter, he will teach each and everything, and it doesn’t build up a sort of creativity in you. So it was helpful in that sense. In the negativity I think some student were not cooperative, some don’t like for going to give presentation and we literally begged them to go for presentation because you wanted us to send a new student every day. But those students simply said that we can’t do that, so it was quite difficult to boast up all the students especially someone you are not familiar. 
B: Sir good point was that we had different ideas means I am thinking differently, other students think differently so different ideas came into being and negative point is this irresponsibility of some group members they were not cooperating like it was difficult to encourage them for presentation, another negative point also is the absence of students.
C: Sir we have spent two years in this university but we have never got group work which you have given, it was very good experience to share our ideas with different people, it was a benefit, but the negative thing was that most of our group members were dependent on the leader or on other two persons, and other three persons were relaxed and thought that only person will present it so why shall /I work hard. When comparing cooperative learning class with traditional lecture method, cooperative learning class was better because this was something different and in group work we get a chance to cooperate with other people to get their ideas and to learn different things at one time.
D: Sir I think the cooperative learning is far better than the traditional lecture method class, before this cooperative learning class I was not even able to speak in front of the whole class but now I have built my confidence level after this. The negative point that I noticed was that some of the students were not following the orders of the leader.
D: I guess sir cooperative learning is better than traditional class, in cooperative learning we do work and create our own work but in traditional class, the teacher comes and gives lecture and if they want to ask questions they ask otherwise it matters not a lot in traditional class for the teacher, but in cooperative learning we are doing ourselves everything.
A: Sir in case of Remedial English subject of course cooperative learning is far better because we get the chance to do our own work, for example you told us to critically analyse but it traditional class most of time we depend on the teacher, so of course cooperative learning is far better than traditional class.
Res: Do you think learning through cooperative learning increased teacher individual attention to some extent?
A: Sir I don’t think so it was increased because again the class was huge, there were many groups and you can’t look at every group and judge whether some is working or not, someone can pretend to work and might not be working and in a group it is easy to pretend that you are working and most of time during discussion students used to gossip and you may think that they are working so I think in traditional class the teacher can’t do anything but at least he can perceive that who is working and who is not and may in a group it is not so.
B: Sir this is a good thing, it’s a good idea to select a(n) inquirer from our group so if we have any difficulty and we are telling the inquirer so she asks you, so this is good thing and plus mmm individual attention like we are getting like if we are talking you are pointing us.
C: Sir I think it (teacher individual attention) has increased because individual attention there was because of camera and because you were also moving around and when we were silent you scolded us to discuss again and again and it was your good idea that one was inquirer one was time keeper and one was presenter that had to present so it was a responsibility of all the group members to pay attention to the teacher and you were also paying attention towards us.
D: Sir it was very first time that a teacher was noticing all the students in that cooperative learning and in the traditional classes the teachers are not giving attention to all the students but in the group activity (Cooperative Learning) we were divided into six member groups, so I think the teacher was giving full individual attention.  
Res: While comparing cooperative learning class with traditional lecture method class what do you think which class brought increase in student-student interaction and teacher-student interaction or vice versa?
A: Of course student-student interaction was more in the cooperative learning class, in fact I in traditional class there is no student-student interaction among the students but of course in the cooperative learning class we are compelled to interact with each other and in the case of teacher-student interaction it was better as compared to the traditional class because there was a inquirer in every group. And another good thing was that you allowed us to ask question from the presenters, and from these question you could judge that what sort of problems the students are facing so accordingly at the end you used tell us you know that you were wrong here and all that so it is not possible in the traditional class to handle all the students collectively, but it was possible in cooperative learning.
B: Sir, students’ learning is mostly found in cooperative learning and student- teacher interaction also because while we are presenting and you are listening to us, so both interactions are in cooperative learning while in traditional class sometimes students are asking questions or giving answers so it is more in cooperative learning.
C: Sir, of course interaction has increased in the cooperative learning activities because in traditional class there is no cooperation between students and students and not even between students and teacher. Students are always dependent on the teacher sometimes they listen sometimes they ignore and in group activity (cooperative learning) it was very much clear that students were interacting with one another and the teacher was also paying attention, the teacher was also interacting with the students to ask when we need help or demand when we need any idea or we need any help. In traditional class there is no any student-student interaction, we just have to listen to the lecture of the teacher so that’s why it also cut off even the interaction with the teacher because the teacher usually said ‘Don’t ask me something, let me continue’. 
D: Sir, in traditional classes we are compelled to just to interact with our teacher, sometimes we became frightened that our questions might be wrong and he/she (teachers) might be angry with us. But in cooperative learning we did both the student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction. As in cooperative learning many minds are combined so we get many ideas and when we get any problem so we can also interact with the teacher, so it was good.
Res: While comparing a lecture method class with a cooperative learning class, which class do you think enables the teacher to give more feedback to students?
A: Sir, as you said it was not that much but there was the feedback like for example in the written test the results were announced at the group level, so you encouraged those groups or praised them who got good marks, so it was the feedback of course and while presentation sometimes you used to say it was good and used to point out if there was something incorrect. So I think feedback was quite satisfactory I can say because in the huge class of course the teacher can’t give feedback to every individual but on the level of groups it was fine.
B: Sir, as you are taking the test and the results of the tests are telling us and praising us also and at first time we got the third position and the second time we got the first so we can come to know our level of understanding and of all our group mates. So it’s good and when we are presenting you are also praising us if we are good or not good.
C: Teacher’s feedback was good in the cooperative learning activity. In the traditional class we get more feedback while they take test and announce the results, we go to their offices and ask and but in group activity you were telling the feedback of the whole students in one time. At the end of the class you were telling us our weaknesses and our strong points and you also encouraged us by giving the positions to the three groups and that’s why other groups were so anxious to take the positions, they also did work hard.
D: Sir, in the cooperative learning the teacher feedback was very much essential for us, as you gave us written tests from where we also got good feedback and in the form of presentation you also gave us good feedback and as some of students were not willing to come and they were hesitant in speaking but you encouraged them and many of them came and their level of confidence also increased. In traditional class there are so many students and their number is at high peak so the teacher’s feedback was seen that much. 
Res: As you have worked in groups in a general group activity in your last year once (told by the students), what difference do you find in working cooperative learning group work and general group activity?
A: Sir, cooperative learning grouping was of course better because you get the chance to work with those who are not good and also with those who are better and thus we teach and learn. General grouping is not good because in that all the good students sit together in the groups and average and below average sit together so there is no benefit, sometimes in general group activity average or below average they become lack of confidence and they even get discouraged in general group work because they think whatever they do the work they will not be encouraged because they think they think they don’t have that capability to do the work and as we did make the general group (worked in general group) in fact we made the group of those girls who were intelligent so when it is left on us, so we will choose intelligent students so working in general groups didn’t improve anything at all. It didn’t help anyone. So cooperative learning was of course helpful.
B: Sir exactly cooperative learning is better that general group work because of the mixture of students where some are medium level, some are intelligent and some are at low level so we are helping them and if we need any kind of help we make things clear so cooperative learning groups are better than general groups.
C: In general group work most of time the bright students sit together and all the bright students think that one bright student is enough to do the work and they all feel relaxed while in cooperative learning group it was very beneficial for the weak students to understand and it was very beneficial for us (bright) when we helped them we tried to understand the weaker students as well and they got benefits from us and we also got somehow knowledge from them.
D: Sir, I am very much agreed with all of them they all are very much right because cooperative learning is far better than general group discussion. In general group discussion we were free and had no obligation or compulsion of participating in the discussions and we were depending on some students who were much better than us but in cooperative learning we all were compelled to speak and discuss, we all had responsibility to bring our group at good level with our combined work.
B: (Contradiction) Sir as she (D) said that in general group work only one bright student works in the group of the brighter students, but I don’t think so, I think in all the brighter students sitting in one group everyone wants to you know show that I am better than others. You know when the intelligent students sit together, those who are very argumentative they say no my point is much better than yours. So in general group discussion in case of the intelligent students all students try to participate and argue but in the case of the weaker students, the case is opposite, they all don’t work because they know that the bright students will get the position.
Res: Did you find any cognitive development or development in your critical thinking in yourself while working in cooperative learning?  
A: I think sir our critical thinking was very much improved, I still remember one of our tasks in which we had to select one correct option out of four A, B, C and D and we had all argument on that which one was right someone said this one right other said no this one is right and we critically thought about it. And again if someone comes with good reason then of course the critical thinking does increase. And you get a chance you know to disagree, and you cannot disagree with your own self, you will say no I am right and when you try to satisfy your group mates about your point so you give reasons so of course it does increase in cooperative learning class.
B: Yes sir in cooperative learning critical thinking improves you have given MCQ type of objective questions so everybody had different answers so when you tell us this right so everybody starts fighting that I was right. Of course when you are telling us, critical thinking improves.
C: Yes sir critical thinking increases in cooperative learning even in the activity of writing central of the unit you had given; the central of every member was different and further you told us after the presentation that what things were missing so we rethought over that so in this way our critical thinking increased.
D: Yes critical thinking was improved a lot and for this I appreciate my group leader for helping and encouraging us when we all were all having different opinions, she helped us solve it reasonably and she tried to convince us with reasons that what is the right thing and what is the wrong thing so in this way critical thinking was also improved.
Res: Did you feel motivated or demotivated during studying with help of cooperative learning?
A: Yes of course in the cooperative learning I can say sometimes when you are even not in mood to learn you have to learn because you can call anybody from the group to go and present and of course when all the group members are there any one has to present ok, but that one person won’t say that I am responsible for my presentation, he will say you have to help me prepare it because we all were responsible, so we were in a way compelled to work and at the end we realize that it was better for us so we were motivated and if we compare it with the traditional class you know when you are not in mood you just don’t listen to the teacher but in cooperative learning you are learning yourself so of course you have to work hard.
B: Yes sir we are very much motivated and of course the credit goes to our leader because is always compelling (motivating) us, if she sees I am not working she say do your work, give your comments and what are your opinions regarding the task so everybody got motivated in giving their ideas and  everybody was given the chance.
Res: Was it only group leader that motivated you or the aspects of the activities also motivated you? 
B: Yes of course the activities were also motivating but see if some person was not in mood to work, then group leader motivated us, so group leader was more motivating.
C: Yes sir we were motivated to learn, we were encouraged by you as well because in the first few classes we felt boring, but you kept motivating us, and when you gave us the gift of appreciation on our position we became motivated to learn more and work hard for the better results. Of course the activities like Think Pair Share and Student-Team Achievement Division were also very motivating activities, the other members of the group were also motivating me and they were also giving me their ideas, they were also saying that today you have to present. So the whole setting was motivating in the cooperative learning class.
D: Yes sir we were motivated a lot sir as far as the activities were concerned all the activities were very interesting so sometimes we became enthusiastic to share our ideas that sir will also give us good feedback and our group was also happy so we were very much motivated.
Res: When comparing both the traditional lecture method class and cooperative learning, which class gave you more chances to participate in the class process?
A: Sir cooperative learning class did encourage all the students. In the traditional class it depends on the individual whether he wants to participate or not, whether he wants to go for the presentation or not or whether he wants to ask a question or not. But in cooperative learning everyone gets the chance to participate through different roles for one has to be the presenter and one has to be the inquirer and one has to be the timekeeper, so in this way everyone gets chance to participate in way or the other way either in the form of presentation or asking questions so I think it built the ability in every student that how to ask the question, how to interact with the teacher and how to present so cooperative learning class was better than the traditional class in terms of student participation.
B: Sir in cooperative group learning we have the duties to perform, everyday three different presenters came from three different groups, so they have to present so while in traditional classes it depends on you (student) whether he/she wants to give presentation or not, or if the teacher announces the marks on presentation then everyone is ready to give presentation, the marks are not announced on presentation students take it easy but in cooperative learning you have to give presentation anyhow.
C: Sir in traditional class, we don’t even get the chance of participation or it depends on us whether we should participate or not. Most of time we get the lecture and in cooperative learning even when you are not in mood to participate but we had to participate because if today I am going to present all my group members will help me then tomorrow when they will present I will help them, so participation took place  mostly in cooperative learning group activity.
D: Sir in traditional class sometimes the teacher cannot give full time to all the students because of the large class and because of the lack of time but in cooperative learning we all are allowed to participate and each and every student had to give presentation so we all were allowed to participate in cooperative learning and traditional class we were not.
Res: Was face to face interaction present in your cooperative learning class and if it was present what benefits/disadvantages you got from it?
A: Sir face to face interaction was there, so after we have done with individual step of the activities, then we discussed with each other and if sometimes a girl was shy I would ask her you know to tell what is you answer she you would say I would answer you just read it, I would say no you read we all are listening to you so through this they get the chance to interact with each other, you know in traditional class sometimes we think that answer might not be correct so we feel hesitation to ask the teacher and we feel if ask the whole class will laugh but it was not the case in cooperative learning  so you know face to face interaction did increase and it increased the confidence and also the shyness was  much decreased in the cooperative learning.
B: Of course sir in cooperative learning we are sitting in group so we sit face to face and face to face cooperation is there. If I am sharing the ideas facing my group members and I am wrong and other is right so she explains the things so there is face to face interaction and it develops our confidence, for example if I explain or discuss with only one person like if I discuss things with alone, I won’t feel hesitation but if there are many people it needs courage to ask so it develops our confidence also.
C: Yes sir face to face interaction developed in the cooperative learning class, it developed our confidence level as well. Even when after the activity and we were compelled to present our written product then I was even feeling shy that if today my some question or answer was wrong then all would laugh and would say that o say she couldn’t do. But with the passage of time my confidence was increased and my shyness was disappearing, and also when we all group members were sitting face to face that increased face to face interaction and we also could pay more attention on each other.
D: Yes sir face to face interaction was developed very much while working in the cooperative learning activities and our confidence was also developed and you know sir it became the case of our prestige that at least we should give good ideas and sincere ideas we should share and that really helps the group so the face to face to interaction was present and also it is very much essential for the group learning.
Res: Did every student feel or show individual accountability while working in the cooperative learning strategies?
A: Sir it depends upon the student whether he is responsible or not. Most of the students in my group did show individual accountability like some students who are very intelligent, so it is not the responsibility of these students like they have to only work but it was the responsibility of everyone to work and share. Sometimes some student think that I am not intelligent and very poor in studies so I can’t do anything but individual accountability sense forces them to come according to the level of the intelligent students, so it was much improved because they tried to come at the level of others.
B: Sir of course competition needs seriousness so in individual accountability we have to do individually, we have to share the ideas and also we had different duties like inquirer and presenter so everyone showed individual accountability for her duty in our group. 
C: Sir in case of my group, all group members never denied their work they all performed their individual task well. We felt that we have three responsibilities in the activities, first doing work individually, then in pair and then in group so it was very beneficial.
D: Yes sir, after this cooperative experience I a least feel my responsibility and share my ideas and to help others students, we were all allowed to present one by one and we did show our responsibility for presentations.
Res: Do you any further suggestions to improve the process of cooperative learning in large English classes like yours?
A: There should be more strictness in the case of absentees; cooperative learning needs the presence of all the members, if one group member is absent it affects the whole group. There should be a sort of check and balance on absentees they are big issue.
B: Student should take cooperative learning more seriously, the timing of the class and students coming late should be stopped if the students come late, the activity would start late, and timing of other teachers is covered then.
C: I agree with her that strictness should be there, the teacher should note the names of the absentees on daily basis and then they will be regular and also the management of the time should be taken into consideration like most of times it happened that we did our activity completely and when presenters came to perform only few groups could get chance to present every day and many groups were left which rather discouraged them because they thought we did the activity but we couldn’t get chance to perform. So the time of class should be increased. 
D: Sir I am agreed with all of them, they all are saying that they all are very much right that you should be strict to those who are not very much serious to the activities and also the time should be increased.