COOPERATIVE GROUP VERSUS INDIVIDUAL EVALUATIONS OF INSTRUCTION IN PROFESSIONAL IN-SERVICE TRAINING

School principals and senior school administrators evaluated an in-ser vice training course in which they had participated, concerned with th e use of co-operative learning programs in schools. Approximately haff of the participants made their evaluations as individuals, whereas th e remaining participants made their evaluations as members of three-pe rson groups which were asked to reach consensus on each rating item. C ourse evaluations were more positive in the group-evaluation condition . The results are discussed in terms of group polarisation theory and validity issues concerning the uses of such evaluations in higher educ ation settings.