Cohort, Group, and Individual Correlates of Student Achievement and Student Experiences in Group Research Projects

• In Event: 573 - Regular Session. Teaching Sociology

Abstract

Group research projects are frequently used to teach undergraduate research methods. This paper examines the individual characteristics, group characteristics, and task characteristics associated with student achievement and positive student experiences in group research projects. It also examines cohort differences in student achievement and experiences. The sample includes 241 students who completed a sociology research methods course at a small private liberal arts institution in the Northeast between 2004 and 2014. I find that group characteristics (group size, gender and racial composition) and assigned research method are associated with group achievement (grade on research project) but not individual achievement (grade on final paper). Individual characteristics (gender, race, and average grade on midterm exams) are associated with individual achievement but not group achievement. Cohort is associated with student experiences, but not student achievement; more recent student cohorts describe more negative experiences. The findings raise questions about whether to adapt the pedagogy of group projects in sociology research methods courses to reflect changes in the 21st century undergraduate population.

Author

• Renee A. Monson, Hobart and William Smith Colleges