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Should you compete or cooperate with your schoolmates?

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Filippin
  • Massimiliano Bratti

    (DEAS, University of Milan)

  • Daniele Checchi

    (University of Milan)

Abstract

Building upon some education studies finding that cooperative behaviour in class yields better achievements among students, this paper presents a simple model showing that free riding incentives lead to an insufficient degree of cooperation between schoolmates, which in turn decreases the overall achievement. A cooperative learning approach may instead emerge when competitive behaviour is negatively evaluated by schoolmates, especially when the class is more homogeneous in terms of students’ characteristics (e.g., ability). Empirical evidence supporting our model is found using the 2003 wave of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey on students’ literacy levels. A competitive learning approach has a positive individual return (higher in comprehensive educational systems), while student performance increases with the average cooperative behaviour, particularly in tracked educational systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Filippin & Massimiliano Bratti & Daniele Checchi, 2008. "Should you compete or cooperate with your schoolmates?," UNIMI - Research Papers in Economics, Business, and Statistics unimi-1074, Universitá degli Studi di Milano.
    • Handle: RePEc:bep:unimip:unimi-1074
    Note: oai:cdlib1:unimi-1074
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    Cited by:

    1. Bigoni Maria & Fort Margherita & Nardotto Mattia & Reggiani Tommaso G., 2015. "Cooperation or Competition? A Field Experiment on Non-monetary Learning Incentives," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 15(4), pages 1753-1792, October.
    2. Hanushek, Eric A. & Woessmann, Ludger, 2011. "The Economics of International Differences in Educational Achievement," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 2, pages 89-200, Elsevier.
    3. Bigoni, Maria & Fort, Margherita & Nardotto, Mattia & Reggiani, Tommaso G., 2011. "Teams or Tournaments? A Field Experiment on Cooperation and Competition among University Students," IZA Discussion Papers 5844, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Rom√°n Andr√©s Z√°rate, 2012. "Peer Effects, Cooperation and Competition in Human Capital Formation," Documentos CEDE 9795, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    5. Richard B. Freeman & Martina Viarengo, 2014. "School and family effects on educational outcomes across countries [Teaching practices and social capital]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 29(79), pages 395-446.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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