The Effects on Students of Working in Cooperative Groups: An Exploratory Study.

N

53

Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.

OEG-2-7-061610-0207

R-120

Behavioral Science Research; Classroom Environment; Educational Methods; Group Activities; High School Students; Interpersonal Competence; Peer Influence; Student Motivation; Teaching Methods

This study asks whether placing students in small, cooperative work groups results in redirecting student norms, climate and student interaction. Using a post-test only design, students in classes which daily used cooperative groups for the entire academic year were compared with comparable students from classes which used the lecture-discussion method. As to student norms, the cooperative groups students experience more peer pressure for involvement, and they assign greater importance to their peers' expectations. The climate in the cooperative groups classes is perceived as being less "relaxed." The cooperative groups students, however, do appear to be less "alienated" from the class. The cooperative groups students interact more frequently with their classmates, although this does not generalize to outside the class. They also view themselves as having lower levels of interpersonal competence. If a student filled a leadership position in the cooperative groups treatment he was much more likely to be affected by the treatment. The implications of the findings are explored for both the theory and practice of cooperative groups in the classroom. (Author)

1972

ED057408