Collaborative group work: effects of group size and assignment structure on learning gain, student satisfaction and perceived participation.
BACKGROUND
Collaborative group sessions in Nijmegen include 15 students who work all together on a group assignment. Sometimes, the group is split-up in three and every subgroup elaborates a part of the assignment. At the end, they peer-teach each other. It is believed that the split-up enhances participation and therefore learning gain.


OBJECTIVE
To establish the effect of group size and structure of the assignment on the perceived participation, the satisfaction and learning gain of collaborative group sessions.


METHODS
In this study, 27 groups of 15 students were equally divided into: A-group: all 15 students working on the complete assignment. B-group: subgroups of 5 students working on the complete assignment. C-group: subgroups of 5 students working on a smaller part, and peer-teaching each other at the end of the group session. All students took a pre-test, a post-test and a follow-up test and completed a questionnaire. Questionnaires were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc by multiple comparisons. Learning gain was analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA.


RESULTS
A group size effect is observed in favor of working in subgroups. Perceived participation of the students differs between A and B (p ≤ 0.001) and between A and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between B and C. Also, an assignment effect is found in favor of the smaller assignment combined with peer-teaching. The students' satisfaction differs between A and C (p ≤ 0.003) and between B and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between A and B. The C-group also shows higher test results (p ≤ 0.043).


CONCLUSIONS
The students prefer smaller groups as well as smaller assignments including peer-teaching. A possible larger learning gain of this format needs to be re-investigated.
Department of Anatomy, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. j.kooloos@anat.umcn.nl
Jan G M
JG
Kooloos
Tim
T
Klaassen
Mayke
M
Vereijken
Sascha
S
Van Kuppeveld
Sanneke
S
Bolhuis
Marc
M
Vorstenbosch
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D012938:Social Perception; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods