Gender Differences in Cooperative
Learning with University Students




Susan Rodger
Harry G. Murray
and
Anne L. Cummings
University of Western Ontario

 

Abstract

 

Differences in achievement were investigated for 80 female and 80 male university students who were randomly assigned to either cooperative or competitive teaching methods. After viewing a videotaped instruction on research design, participants completed a mini-assignment either individually in the competitive condition or with a same-sex partner in the cooperative condition. All participants individually completed a multiple-choice test to assess achievement. Although no differences were found on the multiple-choice test, on the mini-assignment women scored significantly higher in the cooperative than in the competitive condition, whereas men performed about equally in both conditions.

 


Copyright © AJER, the Faculty of Education, and the University of Alberta, 2006.
Last revised
: July 27, 2007.

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