Applying learning achievement and thinking styles to cooperative learning grouping

Grouping strategy plays a pivotal role in cooperative learning. It affects the learning performance of the groups involved. As widely discussed in previous literature, heterogeneous groups are an effective means of cooperative learning. This study presents a grouping strategy based on the evaluating-conceptual graph and thinking styles. The evaluating-conceptual graph represents the students\´ knowledge structures. The present grouping objective is for cooperative learning groups to consist of members whose evaluating-conceptual graphs and thinking styles are not only heterogeneous but also nearly complementary. The present grouping strategies have been adopted in a cooperative learning course, "design of the compiler". The evaluation conducted in this study has yielded positive experimental results.