The Association between Cooperative Learning and Student Competence: The Moderating Role of Practical Learning Time

Abstract

Against the backdrop of vocational education reform emphasizing practical training, cooperative learning has been widely adopted to foster students’ competence. This study aims to explore the association between cooperative learning and vocational college students' competence and the moderating role of practical learning time in this relationship. This study utilized a correlational research design. A two-stage stratified probability-proportionate-to-size (PPS) sampling design was adopted to collect questionnaire data from vocational college students in intelligent connected vehicles, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for empirical analysis using SPSS and AMOS. The results show that the main effect of cooperative learning becomes non-significant after accounting for the interaction term. Nevertheless, the significant interaction effect demonstrates that the relationship between cooperative learning and students’ competence is contingent on practical learning time. Practical learning time plays a significant moderating role, such that the positive effect of cooperative learning is more salient among students with higher practical learning time. This study identifies practical learning time as a critical boundary condition for cooperative learning effectiveness and provides practical implications for optimizing teaching modes and supporting the development of students' competence in vocational colleges.