Student Preferences, Challenges, and Strategies in Group Work: A Case Study
Abstract
Group work is a popular teaching method in universities, with tasks allocated to a group and the expectation that they will collaborate to complete them. While group work is important in motivating students, giving possibilities for peer training, it also has challenges such as unequal contributions, high risk of mistakes, and loss of originality owing to various degrees of expertise among members. This study aimed to determine student’s preferences towards group work. It also explores the challenges they have experienced from working in a group. And lastly, to determine the student's way of overcoming the problems and challenges they have experienced during group work. The respondents consisted of 100 students in the College of Computing, Informatics, and Media (KPPIM) faculty across various courses selected by using purposive sampling. The data were collected using a questionnaire that was developed using Google Form and distributed via WhatsApp. The data were analysed by using Microsoft Excel. The findings show that most KPPIM students prefer group work over individual tasks, viewing it as an effective classroom learning method. Furthermore, most of the respondents face the same challenges in dealing with group work, especially when the task involves commitment from other participants in the group. However, they are willing to take necessary measures to ensure that the goal of the task is achieved.
References
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Tosuntaş, Ş. B. (2020). Diffusion of responsibility in group work: social loafing. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 344-358. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpr.2020465073
Wan Zumusni Wan Mustapha, Mohd Nur Fitri Mohd Salim, Irma Ahmad, & Sheela Paramasivam. (2019). A case study on Week without Walls (WWW) in UiTM Negeri Sembilan: Critical reading and creative writing beyond the second language classrooms. The Second Annual International Conference on Language and Literature (AICLL 2019), 958–969. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v3i19.4920
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Bakir, N., Humpherys, S., Dana, K., (2020). Students’ Perceptions of Challenges and Solutions to Face-to-Face and Online Group Work. Information Systems Education Journal. 18(5) pp 75-88.
Burayk, F. (2022). Performance of students toward small group teaching in university college of Sabya. International Journal of Nursing Education, 14(3), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.37506/ijone.v14i3.18354
Hassanein, A. (2017). Students Attitudes towards Group Work in Language Classroom. Buid. https://www.academia.edu/32583080/Students_Attitudes_towards_Group_Work_in_Language_Classroom
Haugland, M., Aasekjær, K., & Rosenberg, I. (2021). Collaborative learning in small groups in an online course – a case study. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-943067/v1
Ibrahim, N., Mahat, A., Ahmad, N., Zakaria, N., & Rahmat, N. (2023). An investigation of group dynamics in mixed mode classes among undergraduates. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v13-i6/17110
Krisnan, A. S. K., Paramasivam, S., Jamil, N. I., Ahmad, S. N. D., & Mohd Salim, M. N. F. (2022). Student perspective of ACE website to complete presentations in Open and Distance Learning (ODL). International Research in Education, 10(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5296/ire.v10i2.19885
Lai, C. (2021). Effects of the group‐regulation promotion approach on students’ individual and collaborative learning performance, perceptions of regulation and regulation behaviours in project‐based tasks. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(6), 2278-2298. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13138
Masood, A., Sharif, S., Imran, I., Najeeb, W., Masood, M., & Zakir, A. (2022). Perceptions of students regarding teaching and learning methodology for an integrated modular system. The Professional Medical Journal, 29(07), 1078-1083. https://doi.org/10.29309/tpmj/2022.29.07.6467
Martínez‐Romero, M., Cruz, A., García, C., & Terán-Yépez, E. (2021). The effect of previous experience with working in groups on students’ academic performance in the accounting discipline. Revista De Contabilidad, 24(2), 153-167. https://doi.org/10.6018/rcsar.359561
Mohd Adnan, A. H., Abd Karim, R., Mohd Tahir, M. H., Mustafa Kamal, N. N., & Yusof, A.
M. (2019). Education 4.0 technologies, industry 4.0 skills, and the teaching of English in Malaysian tertiary education. Arab World English Journal, 10(4), 330–343. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no4.24
Mohd Salim, M. N. F., Mohamad Yusuf, A. H., Ahmad, I., & Mohd Salim, M. S. A. (2020). Unleashing learning potentials among passive students. Journal of Islamic, Social, Economics and Development, 5(33), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1234/jised.v5i33.2020
Özer, Z. and Yetkin, R. (2022). Exploring the link between foreign language anxiety and attitudes towards english among turkish high school efl learners. Fire Forum for International Research in Education, 7(2), 37-47. https://doi.org/10.32865/fire202172272
Park, E., Harlow, A., AghaKouchak, A., Baldi, B., Burley, N., Buswell, N., … & Sato, B. (2021). Instructor facilitation mediates students’ negative perceptions of active learning instruction. Plos One, 16(12), e0261706. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261706
Poort, I., Jansen, E., & Hofman, W. (2020). Does the group matter? effects of trust, cultural diversity, and group formation on engagement in group work in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(2), 511-526. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1839024
Rezaei, A. (2018). Effective Groupwork Strategies: Faculty and Students’ Perspectives. Journal of Education and Learning, 7(5), 1. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v7n5p1
Rosander, M., Forslund Frykedal, K., & Hammar Chiriac, E. (2020). Attitudes towards being assessed in group work: The effects of self‐efficacy and collective efficacy moderated by a short educational intervention. Psychology in the Schools, 57(9), 1404–1416. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22423
Roskosa, A., & Rupniece, D. (2016). Advantages and Drawbacks of Using Group Work in Translator Training. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 231(1), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.09.098
Sotto, R. (2021). Collaborative learning in the 21st century teaching and learning landscape: effects to students’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor dimensions. International Journal of Educational Management and Innovation, 2(2), 136. https://doi.org/10.12928/ijemi.v2i2.3325
Syzdykbayeva, A., Mambetalina, A., Nuradinov, A., Kurmanbekova, M., & Kabylbekova, a. (2020). Collaborative environment as a means of forming success of a future teacher of elementary classes in project activity. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, 8(3), 370-376. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2020.08.03.13
Tanaka, M. (2021). Individual perceptions of group work environment, motivation, and achievement. IRAL - International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2020.0183
Tosuntaş, Ş. B. (2020). Diffusion of responsibility in group work: social loafing. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 344-358. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpr.2020465073
Wan Zumusni Wan Mustapha, Mohd Nur Fitri Mohd Salim, Irma Ahmad, & Sheela Paramasivam. (2019). A case study on Week without Walls (WWW) in UiTM Negeri Sembilan: Critical reading and creative writing beyond the second language classrooms. The Second Annual International Conference on Language and Literature (AICLL 2019), 958–969. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v3i19.4920
Wilson, K. J., Brickman, P., & Brame, C. J. (2018). Group Work. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-12-0258
Published
2024-12-01
How to Cite
MOHD SALIM, Mohd Nur Fitri et al.
Student Preferences, Challenges, and Strategies in Group Work: A Case Study.
International Journal of Advanced Research in Education and Society, [S.l.], v. 6, n. 4, p. 269-284, dec. 2024.
ISSN 2682-8138.
Available at: <https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ijares/article/view/28449>. Date accessed: 16 may 2025.
Section
English Section
