Teachers like cooperative learning because it helps students learn more and because it creates better interactions in the classroom. Research shows that cooperative learning results in better understanding of material and also of better retention of it. In cooperative learning, members of a group work together towards a goal, and each of them has his or her own job. Student groups may work together for only a few hours, or they may work together on projects that take several weeks. Group members share ideas, help each other, and make sure that they all do a fair share of the work. Cooperative learning is most successful if group members challenge their classmates and ask them for help. Any college course may require cooperative learning assignments of some kind. However, if group members do not cooperate on a project, it may not be successful.