Abstract:
Previous research has revealed a strong Indonesian tradition of teacher-directed instruction and rote learning that limit the use of constructivist approaches such as cooperative learning (CL). Moreover, Indonesian teachers' beliefs have been influenced by a conservative conception of a teacher as a person who is to be listened to, modelled, and followed. The teacher's position in Indonesia seems to contradict constructivist perspectives underlying CL, that is, knowledge begins with the students themselves and within the environment or group. Nevertheless, CL has the potential to be implemented in Indonesia as Indonesia's core values gotong royong (mutual assistance) and musyawarah (consensus decision making) align with CL elements such as positive interdependence, individual accountability and face-to-face interaction. Thus, this current study aimed to understand and interpret teachers' beliefs and practice of CL in the context of Indonesia, where the cultural values align CL elements, but its historical conceptions of the role of teachers and good teaching impede the implementation of CL. The study was situated in an interpretative-qualitative methodology using a multiple case study approach. Two phases were conducted. Phase 1 aimed at understanding the teachers' beliefs about CL, while Phase 2 aimed at investigating how the teachers implemented CL and whether the teachers' beliefs about CL were congruent with their practice. The findings show that the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practice in relation to CL is contextually unique and complex, influenced by their personal beliefs, and shaped by their relationships within their complex environments. The ecological model is used to understand the complexity of the teachers' beliefs and practice and the interactions that they experience within the ecological systems. The study provides significant contributions to the understanding of teachers' beliefs and the implementation of CL in the Indonesian context and offers a context-sensitive ecological model that aids understanding of teachers' beliefs about and practice of CL.
