Co-Operative Group versus Individual Evaluations of Instruction in Professional In-Service Training

School principals and senior school administrators evaluated an in-service training course in which they had participated, concerned with the use of co-operative learning programs in schools. Approximately half of the participants made their evaluations as individuals, whereas the remaining participants made their evaluations as members of three-person groups which were asked to reach consensus on each rating item. Course evaluations were more positive in the group-evaluation condition. The results are discussed in terms of group polarisation theory and validity issues concerning the uses of such evaluations in higher education settings.