EFFECTS OF COOPERATIVE AND INDIVIDUALISTIC LEARNING STRUCTURES IN A UNIVERSITY-RESEARCH METHODS LABORATORY CLASS

This experimental study examined the relative effects of cooperative l earning and individualistic instructional structures on the achievemen t and interpersonal relationships of students in a 5-week laboratory c lass block in a large undergraduate course in educational psychology. The cooperative structure was associated with a significantly enhanced perception of social cohesiveness in the laboratory sessions, but did not appear to affect student judgments of the organisation and intere st of the material, or their achievement.