Assessment of Group Learning in Traditional and Online Instructional Formats in a Landscape Contracting Program
Open Access
- Author:
- Yaeger, Jessica
- Area of Honors:
- Landscape Contracting
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Margaret Crowley Hoffman, Thesis Supervisor
Dennis R Decoteau, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- group work
curriculum
collaboration
landscape contracting - Abstract:
- Learning outcomes from assigned group work often have mixed results due to instructor-based problems and student-based problems. Instructor-related problems include unclear objectives, lack of interdependence in the assignment’s structure, and lack of individual accountability. Student-related problems are tied to the lack of necessary teamwork skills to work efficiently in groups and pre-conceived negative perceptions of group work. Group learning has faced yet another challenge as institutions switched to hybrid learning or fully online learning. The physical communication aspect has been removed and both students and instructors are faced with implementing group work virtually. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of hybrid group work when students are provided with a framework for group learning and tools to foster positive group dynamics and problem-solving. A survey was to be administered among rising seniors in the 2020 spring semester to assess students’ comfort levels with group work, the setting of their group work (in-person or online), and how they perceive their success in achieving learning outcomes in the group projects they participated in the previous year. Those group projects were conducted with no framework or coaching. The sample is limited to the previous year because the students would have experienced one year in the landscape contracting major core classes. Throughout the duration of the 2021 spring semester, students were to carry out group assignments with an improved framework and teambuilding exercises. A secondary survey will be administered at the conclusion of the 2021 spring semester to compare student responses from the initial survey of the same seniors. This follow up survey will use the same questions and compare the students’ responses. The results of this research will be used to improve intergroup dynamics among students in-person and online and the efficiency of group projects throughout the Landscape Contracting program and other departments within the College of Agricultural Sciences.