Comparative Effects of Interdependent and Independent Group Contingencies for Pre-service Teachers in a College Classroom.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of interdependent and independent group contingencies on pre-service teachers' performance on class quizzes that reflected their knowledge of evidence-based practices for students with extensive support needs. In the interdependent condition, the course instructor awarded extra credit points to groups of pre-service teachers who performed at 80% or higher on class quizzes. In the independent condition, the course instructor awarded extra credit points to individual pre-service teachers who met the same performance criterion. Quizzes were based on content from weekly course topics in a special education teacher preparation course focusing on evidence-based practices for students with extensive support needs. Group performance improved across all groups with overall higher performance scores in the interdependent contingency. Pre-service teachers reported both contingencies to be effective and valuable. Implications for practice, limitations, and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]