Academic procrastination on the performance of graduate-level cooperative groups in research methods courses

• Published in: The journal of scholarship of teaching and learning 2011-01, Vol.11 (1), p.119-138
• Main Authors: Jiao, Qun G, DaRos-Voseles, Denise A, Collins, Kathleen, Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Cooperative Learning; Courses; Graduate Students; Group Dynamics; Research Methodology; Time Management; United States (South)
• ISSN: 1527-9316; 1527-9316

This study examined the extent to which academic procrastination predicted the performance of cooperative groups in graduate-level research methods courses. A total of 28 groups was examined (n = 83 students), ranging in size from 2 to 5 (M = 2.96, SD = 1.10). Multiple regression analyses revealed that neither within-group mean nor within-group variability pertaining to levels of procrastination predicted the group product (i.e., quality of article critique). However, cooperative groups that attained the highest levels of procrastination due to task aversiveness, on average, tended to be those with the lowest levels of performance on the group product. Groups with the lowest levels of achievement tended to be those containing students who reported procrastinating most frequently on performing administrative tasks (26.4% of the variance explained), keeping up with weekly reading assignments (8.8% of the variance explained), and writing term papers (11.8% of the variance explained). These three procrastination variables together explained 46.9% of the variance in performance. This finding suggests that level of academic procrastination appears to play an important role among graduate students with respect to the performance of cooperative learning groups. (Contains 1 figure.)