Event Title

Exploring Student Experiences with Group Work

Presenter Information

Hailey Lundeen, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

12-4-2022 10:00 AM

End Date

12-4-2022 11:30 AM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Andrea Lassiter

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

tudents often report dissatisfaction with group work in their classes. They may have a group member who doesn’t participate, have team members who are not able to coordinate effectively, or they are assigned a project that could be completed by an individual, rather than a project that requires a group. The purpose of this study is to examine how college students feel about group work and what group structure components can be implemented by instructors to promote student success in group work. This research study is meant to find the gaps in student preferences and instructor support on various subjects such as grading methods, team contracts, project goal setting, project check-ins, group size, and assigned roles. A survey questionnaire was developed and administered to undergraduate students at a mid-sized, Midwestern University. Results present descriptive statistics and basic correlations for key study variables. The main findings were that students would like to have class time to work on projects, have role assignments, as well as a group contract for general rules. Students also concluded that they would like these contracts to reflect the grading method. Instructors can use these results to provide a better structure for class projects that are designed to promote teamwork.