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Competitive Learning
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Competitive learning can be interpersonal (between individuals), where rows are most important or intergroup (between groups), where a group setting is appropriate.
There have been many critisisms of
this type of learning. These critisisms include -
- Because there is only one winner, all other students
must fail
- May be linked to high anxiety levels, self-doubt,
selfishness and aggression
- May promote cheating
- Interferes with the capacity to problem solve
(Johnson & Johnson, 1991)
In light of these critisisms teachers
must identify what knids of competetive activities would have destructive
or constructive outcomes.
Groups can be arranged to host interpersonal
competitions seperately from one another. This is one strategy to maximise
the number of winners the class.
Competitive learning is most appropriate
when students need to review learned material. This bypasses the need to
problem solve in regards to any new material.
Intergroup competition can be seen as an
appropriate competitive strategy as it maximises the number
of winners. It is also important to ensure homogeneous
grouping to maximise the chance of winning for all groups.
Homogeneous grouping allows the groups
to be as evenly matched as possible to provide a challenging environment
for competition. One particular grouping strategy is called bumping (Johnson
& Johnson1991). This invovles ranking groups from highest to lowest
in acheivement through cooperative learning.
Then through interpersonal competition in clusters students are ranked
in thier clusters. The highest acheiving member is then moved up to the
higher ranked group, and the lowest ranked member is moved down to a lower
ranked group.
Competitive learning can also be a
cooperative activity when the students formulate thier own term and rules
of the contest, giving them ownership of the activity (Johnson & Johnson,1991).
Individualistic learning |
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Cooperative learning |
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Collaborative learning |
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Competitive learning |
".Personal and environmental factors do not function as independent determinants, rather they determine each other." -Bandura |
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