Structure group work to facilitate collaborative discussions and help-seeking behaviors among peers, particularly for low self-efficacy students¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The authors recommend designing collaborative group work so that peer discussion and help-seeking occur, because their data show peer help was the experience most reported by students with lower initial self-efficacy. As they state, "structuring group work to facilitate collaborative discussions and help-seeking behaviors among peers may be particularly beneficial for building self-efficacy in low self-efficacy students." In their courses, groups of three to five students met weekly on quantitative assignments with instructors and teaching assistants circulating to answer questions.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Persistent semester-long groups of three to five students
• Regular collaborative in-class assignments on quantitative problems
• Instructor and teaching assistant availability during group work

Constraints¶

• The recommendation is based on self-reported experiences in one introductory biology course at a single institution

Target Learners¶

• Undergraduate introductory biology students, especially those with low initial self-efficacy for quantitative tasks

Target Learning Goals¶

• Self-efficacy for solving quantitative biology problems

Claims¶

• Students' self-efficacy for quantitative biology tasks significantly increased after completing collaborative group work assignments, with large effect sizes [+W]
• Lower initial self-efficacy significantly increased the odds of students reporting that getting help from peers increased their self-efficacy [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Build relational school resources (teacher–student relationships, peer support, encouragement, extracurriculars) to scaffold self-regulation for low-efficacy marginalized students

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Aikens, M. L., & Kulacki, A. R. (2023). Identifying Group Work Experiences That Increase Students' Self-Efficacy for Quantitative Biology Tasks. CBE—Life Sciences Education. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-04-0076