The Structure and Dynamics of Classroom Groups and Educational Systems.

This article looks into the structure and dynamics of classroom and educational system. Though skills vary greatly among teachers, the ability to rank pupils on sociometric status is correlated significantly with ability to rank them on intelligence test scores. Evidence has shown that sociometric cleavage may be substantially modified by altering interaction patterns through periodic integrative, sociometric setting. Individuals maybe leaders in one phase of solving but not in others; and that leadership and number of communications initiated are positively related to subjects ranked higher for leadership but minimally related to lower ranking subjects. Cooperative versus competitive management upon small group behaviors has been demonstrated to minimize tension-related behaviors, to maximize satisfaction with the teaching technique and to improve academic performance.