This is a partial timeline on the history of cooperative learning from Johnson, Johnson and Holubec (1998, p. 3:2-3:3)
Date | Event |
Early 1900s | John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky |
1960s |
|
1960s | Stuart Cook: Research on cooperation Madsen (Kagan): Research on cooperation & competition in children Bruner, Suchman: Inquiry (Discovery) Learning Movement B. F. Skinner: Programmed learning, behavior modification |
1962 | Morton Deutsch (Nebraska Symposium): Cooperation & trust, conflict Robert Blake & Jane Mouton: Research on intergroup competition |
1966
1969 | David Johnson, U of MN: Begins training teachers in Cooperative Learning Roger Johnson: Joins David at U of MN |
1970s |
|
1970 | David Johnson: Social Psychology of Education |
1973 | David DeVries & Keith Edwards: Combined instructional games approach with intergroup competition, teams-games-tournament |
1974-1975 | David & Roger Johnson: Research review on cooperation/competition David & Roger Johnson: Learning Together and Alone |
Mid 1970s | Annual Symposium at APA (David DeVries & Keith Edwards, David & Roger Johnson, Stuart Cook, Elliot Aronson, Elizabeth Cohen, others) Robert Slavin: Begins development of cooperative curricula Spencer Kagan: Continued research on cooperation among children |
1976 | Shlomo &Yael Sharan: Small Group Teaching (group investigation) |
1978 | Elliot Aronson: Jigsaw Classroom, Journal of Research & Development in Education, (Cooperation Issue) Jeanne Gibbs: Tribes |
1980s |
|
1981, 1983 | David & Roger Johnson: Meta-analyses of research on cooperation |
1985 | Elizabeth Cohen: Designing Groupwork |
| Spencer Kagan: Developed structures approach to cooperative learning |
| AERA and ASCD special interest groups founded |
1989 | David & Roger Johnson: Cooperation & Competition- Theory & Research |
1990s |
|
Early 1990s | Cooperative learning gains popularity among educators |
1996 | First Annual Cooperative Learning Leadership Conference, Minneapolis |
Despite people’s history of cooperation, a myth persists that the world is based on the competitive principle of “survival of the fittest.” However, cooperation has been found to be directly related to success, and competitiveness has been found detrimental to career success. "The more competitive a person is, the less chance he or she has of being successful" (Kohn, 1996).
If competitiveness seems to be so unfavorable to career success, why is it so predominant in classrooms? The answer may be found by studying the research comparing the relative effects of competitive, individualistic, and cooperative efforts (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998).
Reference
Johnson, D., Johnson, R.& Holubec, E. (1998).Cooperation in the classroom. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.