Effects of Small-Group Learning on Undergraduate Students’ Learning Outcomes in STEM Education: A Meta-Analysis of Quantitative Studies From 1990 to 2011

• In Event: Science Instructional Interventions: Influences on Science Content and Scientific Thinking

Abstract

This paper uses meta-analysis to answer two questions: 1. How does small-group learning compared to the traditional lecture-style learning affect science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) undergraduate students’ achievement, retention and attitudes? 2. What factors can moderate the effects of small-group learning on STEM undergraduate students? Over 120 quantitative studies were examined from 1990 to 2011, 26 studies were selected and 79 effect sizes were produced. The preliminary results suggest undergraduate students in small-group learning demonstrated higher achievement (d = 0.27) and expressed more favorable attitudes (d = 0.40) compared to their peers in lecture-based learning. Further, nine moderators contributed to the effectiveness of small-group learning on students’ achievement and attitudes in STEM.

Authors

• Xiushan Jiang, The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets

• Stacey Vicario Freeman, Arizona State University; UC-Irvine

• Fei Zhao, The University of Kansas