Working “co-operatively” is fundamentally working well together as a team. Teamwork is essential within any community of practice and certainly brings about many benefits. It increases motivation by working with peers and helps make learning more enjoyable. It also develops oral communication skills through the dialogue needed to communicate. Also, with all the listening and conversing involved with the communicating, these skills will also develop.

There are also some challenges with working co-operatively. Some people within the group may be more dominant than others, causing some to be outspoken and others to not even get a chance to speak. There is also the problem that some people may sit back quiet allowing the others to do all the work, which is unfair and not a fair devolving of tasks.

Working co-operatively is essential for teachers, as they have so many other professionals involved in their school communities such as Social Carers, Community Learning and Development Workers, Police Officers and various others who have to work with teachers in some instances.