Cooperative and competitive learning as transformative factors of educational processes for extracurricular skill enhancement

Introduction: The learning process goes beyond the acquisition of curricularcognitive elements to include extracurricular skills. This extended concept hasattracted renewed attention through the European Council Recommendation(2018) on skills development for lifelong learning in schools. The Organizationfor Economic Cooperation and Development has also highlighted the relevanceof socio-emotional skills for learning and life chances. The official uptake ofextracurricular skills in curricula poses schools and educators the challenge offinding ways to conceptualize, teach, and assess them. To this end, co-operativelearning and peer-to-peer education hold a prominent place among educationalstrategies alternative to conventional teaching practices. Both actively engagestudents and have a positive impact on achievement in curricular disciplinesand on the development of lifelong learning skills and social and emotionalcompetences. The present study presents a case study in which collaborativelearning was supported via a digital platform.Methods: We analyzed the qualitative data collected in Italian schools taking partin the Kids4alll, a Horizon 2020 project. The project’s aim is to improve lifelonglearning skills directly and other skills indirectly through collaborative learningbased on the “buddy method” (pairs or groups of peers working together).Results and discussion: Our findings reveal the potential benefit of peer-to-peer approaches. This potential extends to the development of co-operativeskills used in school context and transferable to other areas, along with theacquisition of character-building skills. However, a criticality in the applicationof peer learning interventions is that many teachers are often ill prepared toimplement cooperative learning in classroom practice or lack sufficient trainingin matching peer-to-peer work and pedagogical needs.