This paper describes a study which evaluates two classroom innovations directed at the problems of student motivation, academic performance, and social perceptions. These innovations, "Student Learning Teams" and "Academic Divisions," are evaluated in a two by two factorial field experiment in eight seventh grade English…

The gap in academic achievement between blacks and whites is one of the most serious problems in education today. Recent evidence suggests that this gap may be reduced without impairing the performance of whites if students are allowed to work in cooperative learning teams, as team techniques have been shown to increase academic achievement more…