Investigates out-of-class academic collaboration among students at a polytechnic in Singapore as they worked on collaborative assignments. Data were collected via a questionnaire completed by 232 students, interviews were conducted with 10 lecturers, observations were made of eight student groups as they collaborated on teacher-required work…

This paper is divided into three parts. The first explains concepts in the design of group activities that encourage learner cooperation, and ways in which they differ. Activities are distinguished by: (1) whether or not they involve learner time for planning language use before interaction; (2) whether they have one predetermined correct answer…