Studies of cooperative learning have been documented extensively in the education and psychology literature. Much of the research on cooperative learning indicates that it leads to improvements in achievement, communication and interpersonal skills. This study compares grades on quiz assignments and exam performance of students in a traditional lecture format to those in a lab environment to determine the effectiveness of the cooperative learning process. Attitudes from an end of semester survey provide anonymous feedback regarding the course and use of cooperative teams. The results of this study are mixed when compared with previous literature, which suggests cooperative learning leads to improved academic performance. Students in the cooperative cohort achieved higher quiz scores but performed worse than students in the traditional cohort on exams. These results are explained and the implications of the study and use of cooperative teams are discussed.