This study examined the frequency of small groups in university students’ coursework and how that related to their general attitudes toward learning in groups and their views about different aspects of group work. We administered a survey to 208 students in an upper-division interdisciplinary arts and sciences program. Students reported that they had been in multiple groups, of different duration and types, both in their current program and in courses at their lower-division institutions. A regression analysis uncovered strong relationships between students’ past and present group experiences, peers, and instructor clarity about group purpose. The findings suggest that successful group work is no longer a matter of instructor effort but requires campus initiatives and interdepartmental coordination if students are to understand and experience the benefits of learning in small groups.
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