How cooperative mindsets and course climate relate to the perceived impact of digital cooperation on learning in higher education

This article in the journal “Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO)” presents the results of a study examining one underlying mechanism of successful digital cooperation among students in higher education from a student perspective. We investigated whether and how students’ cooperative mindset and the climate in their university courses correlate with how they perceive the impact of digital cooperation on their learning outcomes. Data were collected using a questionnaire in different university courses at three universities, involving students from different study programmes and semesters. We conducted a mediation analysis that included students’ cooperative mindsets, the perception of the course climate, and the perception of the impact of digital cooperation on students’ learning outcomes. We found that students’ cooperative mindsets predicted their perception of the impact of digital cooperation on their learning. The cooperative mindset of students also predicted their perception of the course climate, which, in turn, predicted their perception of the impact of digital cooperation on their learning. Moreover, we found that the effect of students’ cooperative mindset on the perceived impact of digital cooperation on learning was mediated by the perception of the course climate. These findings suggest that highlighting the relevance of digital cooperation for learning outcomes can initiate a positive dynamic shaping students’ perceptions of their course climate and benefits of digital cooperation. Understanding these dynamics is crucial because cooperative group work in digital environments has become an integral part of teaching in higher education.