Reports on over 600 research studies which compare learning in cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures have been collected at the Cooperative Learning Center at the University of Minnesota. From these studies it has been concluded that having students work together is much more powerful than having students work alone,…

The effect of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences within which majority students worked with lower-achieving minority peers were compared. The results support the position that cooperative experiences result in liking regardless of the ethnic membership or achievement level of collaborators. (Author/PN)

Cooperation among individuals depends upon both the goal structure of the situation and the cooperative skills of the individuals. Since cooperation is probably the most important and basic form of human interaction, the skills of cooperation successfully are some of the most important skills a person needs to master. Cooperative skills include…

Social interdependence theory is a classic example of the interaction among theory, research, and practice. The premise of the theory is that the way in which goals are structured determines how individuals interact, which in turn creates outcomes. Over 750 research studies have been conducted in the past 11 decades on the relative merits of…

Discusses the necessity of student-student interactions for enhancing achievement, socialization, and healthy psychological development. Presents evidence concerning the constructive impact of the appropriate use of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures and the power of effectively managed controversy within the classroom.…