Download The Benefits of Strictly Enforced Cooperative Learning at the

The Benefits of Strictly Enforced
Cooperative Learning at the College
Level
Jeremy Flanagan
And
Melissa Gardner
Background Research

Bobbette (2003) – Cooperative Exams

Zimbardo, Butler, Wolfe (2003)- Cooperative
Exams without group preparation

Peterson and Miller (2004)- Cooperative
Learning vs. Large Group Instruction
Background Research

Carlsmith and Cooper (2002)- LectureStyle Learning vs. Cooperative
Learning

Busby and Thomas (2003)- Loosely
Enforced Group Work
Methods - Hypotheses


Strict enforcement of individual participation
in group work will result in an increase in the
quality of the final project, therefore
increasing the final grade
Strict enforcement of individual participation
in the group will result in an increase in the
number of students reporting positive
attitudes toward group work
Methods - Participants


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Population – Syracuse University Undergraduate
Students in Psychology 205
Students will be given the option to participate in the
recitation or the group project for the entire
semester. They must give informed consent
Sample- A sample of 300 students will be selected
using simple random sampling
Assignment- Matched Random Assignment
According to results of Survey
Methods- Materials

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Students will be assigned to one of three
groups and given a prompt for the project
They will need to integrate material from the
text book, lectures, and outside research into
the project
The project must include a written 20 page
paper as well as two other presentation
forms (power point, video, etc.)
Methods- Variables
Independent Variables- 3 Levels
Level I. Control- No enforcement of individuals roles or
contributions
Level II. Loose Enforcement- Students are given a list
of roles for the project, no monitoring
Level III. Strict Enforcement- Students are assigned
roles and their work is monitored
Dependent Variable- Final Grades and Student
Attitudes
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•
Methods- Procedure
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Monitoring of Strictly enforced group weekly
Other groups are not required to hand in anything
but the final product
The groups will meet 1 day a week during class time
for 80 minutes
Students will be prohibited from working outside of
class
Students will be assigned a topic for the presentation
Methods- Measurement
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At the conclusion of the semester and
project, students will be administered a
questionnaire and Likert scale
These will be used to determine their opinion
of group work
The students will also be given a final grade
by three participating Teaching Assistants as
well as the Professor