| The research presented in this thesis reported on the nature of students learning undertaken with peers outside the classroom. Data were obtained from 15 focus group interviews and 54 individual interviews held with a sample of university students chosen across 7 institutions and 24 disciplines.; The ways students described their peer group work highlight the vastly different manner and course of actions which can be taken by students for group learning. Students with low commitment towards their course tend to associate with low involvement strategies such as copying finished assignments, collecting model answers and guessing examination questions with hints from teachers. In contrast, those adopting high involvement strategies worked together to achieve understanding of the course content. They emphasised construction of knowledge with input from classmates. These two types of students are named respectively as 'avoiders' and 'engagers' to indicate their difference in attitude towards group learning.; To better understand the process of building coherent groups and determine the impact of group behaviour on learning, four groups of contrasting characteristics were selected for in-depth study. The first group is high in both task involvement and social engagement. Their class was 'a family'. The group they formed was a good instance of 'engagers'. The second group is the opposite. It is low in both dimensions. Students in this case called themselves 'small detached circles'. The way they worked together demonstrated the characteristics of 'avoiders'. The third group were high in task involvement and learning group engagement but pushed towards avoidance and low social engagement. They were an example of 'engagers' with preference for high involvement group learning strategies but adopted alternative strategies in response to environmental influence. The fourth group is the other way round, i.e. high in social engagement but low in task involvement. Their collaborative efforts were directed more towards minimising individual work. They could be regarded as a group of highly co-operative and therefore efficient 'avoiders'.; Comparison across the four cases illuminates the effect of the teaching and learning environment on the social and learning behaviour of the students. Students in the first group witnessed their transition from passive secondary school learners to competent participants in their learning community. Steps were taken in their department to create a purposive interdependent learning environment and develop a strong rapport between teachers and students. The other contrasting cases featured a combination of unfavourable conditions which include: great within class ability and commitment difference, poor teaching, uninspiring curriculum, heavy workload, high stress, defective assessment methods, and limited interaction between staff and students. Prolonged exposure to environment characterised by these features seemed to erode students intention for deep learning.; The findings from this research challenge the individualist and objectivist view of education which assumes that students acquire knowledge through learning predominantly on their own the content prescribed by the university and delivered by the teachers in time-tabled classes. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
