209 college men and 327 college women took a 20-item Likert survey to assess the types of education-related information students may learn from other students during their informal interactions. Students were very likely to ask other students low level questions such as which professors were good and which classes to take. They were less likely to ask other students about concepts discussed in class and how to solve problems generated in class. If students asked about test taking, these students were also likely to ask about study skills and writing skills for the class. Other research suggests these higher level help-seeking behaviors seem to be related to classroom mastery and achievement.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
JohnsonD.JohnsonR. (1975) Learning together and alone: Cooperation, competition, and individualization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
2.
JohnsonD.MaruyamaG.JohnsonR.NelsonD.SkonL. (1981) Effects of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures on achievement: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 89, 47–62.
3.
KarabenickS. (2003) Seeking help in large college classes: A person-centered approach. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 28, 37–58.
MillerJ.GrocciaJ. (1997) Are four heads better than one? A comparison of cooperative and traditional teaching formats in an introductory biology course. Innovative Higher Education, 21, 253–273.
