Culture and the Interaction of Student Ethnicity with Reward Structure in Group Learning

• Culture and the Interaction of Student Ethnicity with Reward Structure in Group Learning examined the effects of different reward systems used in group learning situations on the math skills of African-American and White students. The study analyzed data on 75 African-American and 57 White fourth- and fifth-grade students from urban schools in the northeastern United States. These students were randomly assigned to three different reward-system groups: reward based on individual performance; reward based on group performance; and, communal learning, no reward. The quick review includes an updated description of the communal learning intervention and its accompanying results, based on additional information provided by the study authors. The study found that African-American students who participated in the communal learning intervention scored statistically significantly higher than those offered a reward based on individual performance. WWC rated the research as meets WWC Evidence Standards.