Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions about the Use of Cooperative Exams in an Introductory Leadership Class

This study sought to examine student perceptions related to the use of cooperative exams in an introductory leadership class. In this study, cooperative exams were used as a collaborative learning activity in which students took class exams individually first and then as a peer group. The majority of students (n=41, 61.4%) had not previously taken a class that incorporated cooperative exams. Four advantages of cooperative exams were identified: the opportunity for discussion to increase understanding, the opportunity to increase the overall grade on the exam, the opportunity for collaboration and teamwork, and increased individual accountability. Two disadvantages of cooperative exams were identified: the reliance of some students on the efforts of others and the conflict that can arise from peer pressure in the peer group portion of the exam. Overall, students enjoyed the cooperative exams and think they should continue to be used in the class.