Effects of Activities That Promote Cooperation among Seventh Graders in a Future Problem Solving Classroom

This study was conducted in my seventh-grade Future Problem Solving (FPS) class. Future Problem Solving is a national program in which students work in teams of 4 to solve problems related to futuristic issues (e. g., nuclear waste, world hunger). After using FPS at the middle school level for 2 years, I became concerned that my students had become too competitive and that their interpersonal relationships suffered as a result. Based on the principles outlined in Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I implemented activities (e. g., empathic listening, the practice of negotiation skills, cooperative structures) designed to promote a more congenial, less competitive classroom atmosphere. Results obtained through student surveys and questionnaires, teammate preference sheets, student interviews, and a teacher daily journal of observations were mixed. 26 of 28 students indicated that they enjoyed the activities. The majority of students felt positive about themselves and their accomplishments, although they still felt highly motivated to compete with each other in the FPS process. They indicated both positive and negative effects of the new activities on teamwork, group dynamics, and group cohesiveness. Evidence for increased student understanding of self and others was found.