Cooperative Test-taking

The effect of cooperative test-taking (CT) on the achievement and attitudes of college seniors was investigated. The students (n=46) were randomly assigned to one of two sections of a course in measurement. They worked on projects in randomly assigned groups of four or five students. One section took frequent cooperative quizzes, while the other took quizzes individually. Results indicated quiz scores were more homogeneous within the cooperative groups, and generally higher for the CT section. There was no significant difference between sections on the two regular examinations. Attitudes toward CT and beliefs about its fairness were more positive for students from the CT section. Students in this section were more likely to believe that their study groups influenced how much they learned and how well they did on quizzes. Using CT as one part of a student's evaluation may have positive benefits while yielding equal levels of achievement. Cooperative test-taking was interpreted by students as a learning opportunity, as well as an evaluation tool. Students in the CT section were tested individually on examinations as part of the total evaluation. (Author/DWH)