Student groups as learning entities: The effect of group diversity and teamwork quality on groups' cognitive complexity

Collaborative learning has important group-level benefits, yet most studies in higher education only focus on individual benefits of collaborative learning experiences. This study extends these insights by testing a model in which teamwork quality mediates the impact of several compositional differe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in higher education (Dorchester-on-Thames) 2013-02, Vol.38 (1), p.87-103
Main Authors: Curşeu, Petru L., Pluut, Helen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business Administration Education
Cognitive Mapping
Cognitive Processes
Cognitive style
Collaboration
collaborative learning
College Students
Cooperative Learning
Foreign Countries
Gender Differences
group cognition
group cognitive complexity
Group Dynamics
Group Unity
Higher Education
Interpersonal Communication
Learning
Motivation
Netherlands
Planning
Quality standards
Questionnaires
Student Diversity
Students
team composition
Teamwork
teamwork quality
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Summary:Collaborative learning has important group-level benefits, yet most studies in higher education only focus on individual benefits of collaborative learning experiences. This study extends these insights by testing a model in which teamwork quality mediates the impact of several compositional differences (gender, nationality and teamwork expertise diversity, as well as need for cognition disparity) on groups' cognitive complexity in a sample of 159 student groups. The results support the mediating role of teamwork quality, and have important practical implications for the design of student groups in higher education.
ISSN:0307-5079
1470-174X
DOI:10.1080/03075079.2011.565122