Teacher collaboration to promote inclusive practices with cooperative learning

This study investigates how collaborative analysis of cooperative learning challenges by teachers fosters the development and implementation of inclusive improvement proposals for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Moreover, collaborative work among teachers has proven to be a powerful tool for professional development and also for the improvement of cooperative learning. The objective of this current research is to observe how a strategy of collaborative analysis among teachers of the problems or questions that arise in their cooperative learning practice (problems/questions) allows them to create and implement improvement proposals aimed at bettering the inclusion of these students. Employing a qualitative, multiple case study design within an action-research framework, three teacher teams from ten schools across Galicia, Valencia, Basque Country, and Catalonia (Spain) participated. Findings reveal key collaborative tasks that facilitated improvement proposal creation, including constructive collaboration on activity content and structure. Teachers also modelled strategies for inclusive student teamwork, particularly supporting students facing barriers. Notably, communicative exchanges between teachers were crucial for advancing these improvements. This research highlights the efficacy of teacher-driven collaborative analysis in enhancing the inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) within cooperative learning environments.