This paper compares and discusses the cooperative learning theory, so that we can better understand and grasp the essence and connotation of the cooperative concept. This paper consists of seven parts. The first part raises questions, introduces and discusses the interpersonal relationships and basic propositions of various schools in cooperative education, selects Soviet cooperative pedagogy and American cooperative learning theory as two comparison objects, and puts forward the main aspects to be discussed and compared in this paper: the differences in interpersonal cooperation orientation between cooperative pedagogy and cooperative learning theory and the comparison of the specific connotation of cooperative ideas. The second part of the article is the understanding of the related concepts of cooperative learning. The third part of the article expounds the social, historical and educational background of the two theories, and analyzes the fundamental reasons for the different positioning of interpersonal cooperation between cooperative teaching method and cooperative learning theory. At the same time, it reveals that cooperative pedagogy embodies the "individuality" orientation of education, while the educational value orientation of cooperative learning theory pays more attention to the unity of "individuality" and "generality" In the fourth part, by comparing the relationship between teachers and students, teaching objectives, organizational forms, interaction methods, learning motivation and teaching evaluation between cooperative teaching method and cooperative learning theory, the connotation of cooperative teaching concept is deeply discussed, and it is pointed out that the essence of cooperative teaching concept is the exertion of students' subjectivity. The fifth part of the article further puts forward the teaching subject activity, subject communication and subject development orientation of the cooperative concept. The sixth part of the article is the enlightenment of the concept of cooperation to China's education and teaching practice.