title: Effects of collaborative group composition and inquiry instruction on reasoning gains and achievement in undergraduate biology.
abstract: This study compared the effectiveness of collaborative group composition and instructional method on reasoning gains and achievement in college biology. Based on initial student reasoning ability (i.e., low, medium, or high), students were assigned to either homogeneous or heterogeneous collaborative groups within either inquiry or didactic instruction. Achievement and reasoning gains were assessed at the end of the semester. Inquiry instruction, as a whole, led to significantly greater gains in reasoning ability and achievement. Inquiry instruction also led to greater confidence and more positive attitudes toward collaboration. Low-reasoning students made significantly greater reasoning gains within inquiry instruction when grouped with other low reasoners than when grouped with either medium or high reasoners. Results are consistent with equilibration theory, supporting the idea that students benefit from the opportunity for self-regulation without the guidance or direction of a more capable peer.
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. jamie.jensen@byu.edu
authors.forename: Jamie Lee
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lawson
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D001695:Biology / Q000193:education*; D002965:Classification; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D011340:Problem Solving; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult