Abstract:
Achievement and satisfaction with a cooperative learning project was assessed in a six-year experimental study in an introductory biology course. Comparisons were made between assigned groups composed of students with all the same Gregorc learning styles (homogeneous) versus groups composed of three or four Gregorc learning styles (heterogeneous). Project grades were not significantly different for homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. Nearly all answers given on a 15-question satisfaction survey also were not significantly different between groups, with the single exception of one question which indicated that heterogeneous groups felt that the workload for the project was more equitably distributed among the group. Significant correlations were found between grades, satisfaction, and perceived learning. Students with the highest course grades were the most satisfied with their own personal work and the least satisfied with the overall benefits of the cooperative learning project. Group project grades were received prior to completion if the satisfaction surveys and were found to be significantly correlated to many answers on the survey. Student perceptions of learning were correlated to nearly all other questions on the survey and may be the driving factor to explain both achievement (grades) and satisfaction with cooperative learning.
Keywords:
cooperative learning, heterogeneity, learning style, influences
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