Case study of reflections on the implementation of group projects from the perspective of professors at Lakehead University

Abstract

Cooperative learning practices in higher education carry the potential to increase student achievement and to develop social and team work skills valued highly by employers. However, despite an abundance of literature documenting such benefits, students and professors continue to report disappointment and frustration with group work, a common form of cooperative learning. These problems are not only distressing and uncomfortable, they also prevent the pedagogical potential of cooperative learning from being realized. This phenomenological inquiry aims to uncover the essential elements of professors’ practice related to group work project implementation in an effort to improve group work experiences for students. Through a focus group interview, professors’ experiences were collected, analyzed, and interpreted through a theoretical lens based on a previously published framework for group work implementation.