An Explorative Comparison of South Korean and U.S. College Students’ Approaches to Team Project-Based Learning

• In Event: Facilitating International and U.S. Student Development

Abstract

The purpose of this explorative study is to compare students’ team project-based learning (TPBL) approaches and their correlations with GPA between universities in South Korea and the USA in order to compare how students from different countries and different cultures approach TPBL and to uncover implications for better instructional practices of college TPBL. A survey developed from interviews with 32 high-achieving students at a Korean university was administered at a university in South Korea (n = 1,022) and a university in the US (n = 973). Results focus on differences across the two universities with regard to four TPBL factors: leadership within teams, approaches to social relationships, teamwork engagement within teams, and general preferences for TPBL within college classes.

Authors

• Hye-Jung Lee, Seoul National University

• Kara A. Makara, University of Michigan

• Kyoung-Ae Choi, Joongbu University

• Young-Il Hong, Seoul National University