Perceptions and experiences with academic group work in online and in-person classroom contexts: Perspectives across levels of undergraduate study

Group work is a commonly used and highly regarded learning tool in tertiary education. While previous research has examined collaboration within higher education contexts, no study has investigated student preferences and experiences across different years of study. This is essential for a better understanding of how to effectively integrate collaborative learning into the undergraduate curriculum. The present study surveyed first year, second year and senior (3rd and 4th year) undergraduate students (n = 100 per group) to gather insights regarding their experiences with collaborative learning as a function of year of study and in both in-person and online contexts. Overall, preferences regarding group composition (e.g., group size) and experiences regarding group work (e.g., efficiency, motivation, satisfaction, stress) were consistent across the year of study. However, notable shifts in experiences were observed, particularly from first to second year, with respect to instructor-related variables (i.e., group formation strategies, leadership opportunities) and student-related variables (i.e., perceived difficulty producing assignments, level of collaboration in groups, learning experiences and enjoyment). Some differences were also observed between in-person and online contexts. Implications for future studies and instructional design are discussed.