Group projects are often used in psychology courses to prepare students for future collaborative work. However, psychology alumni report that their education did not adequately prepare them for collaborative work. To better understand these perceptions, this study examined how instructor contributions (involvement and evaluation techniques) promote the benefits of group projects by positively influencing intragroup processes. In this study of current psychology majors, mediation analyses revealed an indirect effect of instructor involvement through goal orientation, as well as the direct effect of instructor evaluation techniques on perceptions of group projects. Moreover, instructor contributions positively predicted group cohesion, communication, goal orientation, and planning. Results suggest ways in which instructors can improve psychology majors’ collaborative experiences for experiential learning.
BaldwinT. T.BedellM. D.JohnsonJ. L. (1997). The social fabric of a team-based MBA program: Network effects on student satisfaction and performance. Academy of Management Journal, 40, 1369–1397. doi:10.2307/257037
3.
BarfieldR. L. (2003). Students’ perceptions of and satisfaction with group grades and the group experience in the college classroom. Assessment& Evaluation in Higher Education, 28, 355–370. doi:10.1080/0260293032000066191
BurdettJ.HastieB. (2009). Predicting satisfaction with group work assignments. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 6, 62–71. Retrieved fromhttp://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol6/iss1/7
6.
ChapmanK. J.MeuterM. L.ToyD.WrightL. K. (2010). Are student groups dysfunctional? Perspectives from both sides of the classroom. Journal of Marketing Education, 32, 39–49. doi:10.1177/0273475309335575
7.
ChapmanK. J.Van AukenS. (2001). Creating positive group project experiences: An examination of the role of the instructor on students’ perceptions of group projects. Journal of Marketing Education, 23, 117–127. doi:10.1177/0273475301232005
8.
ChenG.DonahueL. M.KlimoskiR. J. (2004). Training undergraduates to work in organizational teams. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 3, 27–40. doi:10.5465/AMLE.2004.12436817
9.
DobbinsG. H.ZaccaroS. J. (1986). The effects of group cohesion and leader behavior on subordinate satisfaction. Group & Organization Management, 11, 203–219. doi:10.1177/105960118601100305
10.
FestingerL.SchacterS.BackK. (1950). Social pressure in informal groups. Oxford, England: Harper.
11.
GuzzoR. A.SheaG. P. (1992). Group performance and intergroup relations in organizations. In DunnetteM. D.HoughL. M. (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (2nd ed., Vol. 3, 269–313). Palo Alto, CA; Consulting Psychologists Press.
12.
HackmanJ. R. (1987). The design of work teams. In LorschJ. W. (Ed.), Handbook of organizational behavior (pp. 315–342). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
13.
HackmanJ. R.WagemanR. (2004). When and how team leaders matter. Research in Organizational Behavior, 26, 37–74. doi:10.1016/S0191-3085(04)26002-6
14.
HackmanJ. R.WagemanR. (2005). A theory of team coaching. The Academy of Management Review, 30, 269–287. doi:10.5465/AMR.2005.16387885
15.
HansenR. S. (2006). Benefits and problems with student teams: Suggestions for improving team projects. Journal of Education for Business, 82, 11–19. doi:10.3200/JOEB.82.1.11-19
16.
HayesA. F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
17.
LandrumR. E.HarroldR. (2003). What employers want from psychology graduates. Teaching of Psychology, 30, 131–153. doi:10.1207/S15328023TOP3002_11
18.
LandrumR. E.HettichP. I.WilnerA. (2010). Alumni perceptions of workforce readiness. Teaching of Psychology, 37, 97–106. doi:10.1080/00986281003626912
19.
McGrathJ. E. (1964). Social psychology: A brief introduction. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
20.
MeyersS. A. (1997). Increasing student participation and productivity in small-group activities for psychology classes. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 105–115. doi:10.1207/s15328023top2402_5
21.
PfaffE.HuddlestonP. (2003). Does it matter if i hate teamwork? What impacts student attitudes toward teamwork. Journal of Marketing Education, 25, 37–45. doi:10.1177/0273475302250571
RobertsK. H.O’ReillyC. A. (1974). Measuring organizational communication. Journal of applied psychology, 59, 321–326. doi:10.1037/h0036660
24.
SeashoreS. E. (1954). Group cohesiveness in the industrial work group. Oxford, England: University of Michigan.
25.
StevensM. J.CampionM. A. (1994). The knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for teamwork: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Management, 20, 503–530. doi:10.1016/0149-2063(94)90025-6
26.
TomchoT. J.FoelsR. (2012). Meta-analysis of group learning activities: Empirically based teaching recommendations. Teaching of Psychology, 39, 159–169. doi:10.1177/0098628312450414
27.
VolkemaR. J. (2010). Designing effective projects: Decision options for maximizing learning and project success. Journal of Management Education, 34, 527–550. doi:10.1177/1052562909350452
28.
WagemanR.HackmanJ. R.LehmanE. (2005). Team diagnostic survey development of an instrument. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 41, 373–398. doi:10.1177/0021886305281984
WalkerA.StottK. (1995). Team development: A multidimensional approach. New Horizons in Education, 36, 29–36.
31.
WeldyT. G.TurnipseedD. L. (2010). Assessing and improving learning in business schools: Direct and indirect measures of learning. Journal of Education for Business, 85, 268–273. doi:10.1080/08832320903449535
