"Just put them in a group?" Teaching cooperation in childhood: Behavioural effects of a structured, tech-supported...

Cooperation is a core social skill essential for learning and citizenship, yet spontaneous cooperation in group settings cannot be taken for granted.

This study investigates whether a structured, technology-supported Cooperative Learning (CL) intervention can foster greater levels of observable cooperative behaviour in primary and middle school students.

A total of 36 classes (containing 577 students ages 8-12) were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group.

The intervention integrated key evidence-based CL principles - positive interdependence, individual accountability, social skills training and group processing - into regular classroom instruction via a digital platform that supported teachers with automated group structures, role assignments and reflection prompts. Cooperation was measured behaviourally using a digital adaptation of the Marble Pull game, designed to assess real-time, mutual cooperation in dyads.

Results from linear mixed-effects models revealed a significant interaction between time and group: students in the experimental condition showed greater improvements in cooperative behaviour than those in the control group. Other interaction effects, and the main effect for age, were non-significant.

These findings provide behavioural support for the idea that cooperation can be explicitly taught and developed through intentional, structured pedagogy. They also highlight the importance of fidelity of implementation and teacher support. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of how digital tools and instructional design can promote prosocial development, providing practical implications for evidence-informed educational practices.