Effects of Individual versus Cooperative Learning and Type of Reward on Performance and Continuing Motivation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of individual versus cooperative learning and type of reward on performance and continuing motivation. Subjects used either an individual or cooperative learning strategy while receiving information, examples, practice, and feedback from an instructional television lesson. Subjects were also provided with one of three rewards (i.e., task, performance, none). Results indicates that subjects who worked alone performed better on the post-test and expressed more continuing motivation than those who worked cooperatively. Type of reward did not affect performance or continuing motivation. Implications for employing cooperative groups in settings that were originally designed for individual learning are provided.