Cooperation not competition (engineering education)

Abstract

The authors are discovering in their engineering laboratories that competition and engineering education are not necessarily compatible for optimum learning. In fact, it appears that cooperation among students for some tasks actually fosters higher achievement than the normative competition between students. The authors have determined through analysis of two senior-level engineering laboratories that, after the initial shock of being forced to divulge one's knowledge and skills for the good of the group, the students will discover that the group was actually able to accomplish more than what could be accomplished through individual efforts. It is stressed that the above results were achieved only when the tasks were sufficiently complex. A side benefit was the reduction of stress and the increase of group spirit.<>