A challenge faced by many instructors of systems analysis and design courses is the selection or development of projects that provide challenging, yet suitable, learning experiences for the students. Employing a system development project case in undergraduate MIS courses offers students a multitude of opportunities to experientially examine…

A common complaint of employers of entry-level workers is that those workers have no understanding of how to work as a member of a team. Cooperative learning is a step in that direction. Working together toward a common goal is an admirable quest: however, within this system the wayward student occasionally is allowed to "coast" while the…

This study aims to investigate the patterns and the quality of online interaction during project-based learning (PjBL) on both micro and macro levels. To achieve this purpose, PjBL was implemented with online group activities in an undergraduate course. Social network analysis (SNA) and content analysis were employed to analyze online interaction…

The goal of this study was to explore the processes of group role formation in online class settings. Qualitative analysis was used to code chat logs and discussion threads in six undergraduate Family and Consumer Sciences online courses that required online group projects. Four themes related to the process of group role formation emerged:…

This paper discusses a sophomore-level course that teaches engineering design and technical writing. Historically, the course was taught using semester-long design projects. Most students' overall approach to design problems left considerable room for improvement. Many teams chose a design without investigating alternatives, and important…

The advancements of ICT have impacted significantly on educators to utilise the technologies in their classrooms (Sivapalan & Wan Fatimah, 2010). There is also a significant move to make curriculum and content more authentic and relevant for student learning (Apple, 2008) and to allow students to become creative thinkers and problem solvers.…

Many studies have indicated that by having students work in groups and participate in project-based activities provide a more active approach to their learning process. With the increased emphasis on social constructivism, the need to acquire communications, organizational and teamwork skills have become vital lifelong learning skills for the…

Helping students take ownership of their learning is often a challenge in a large lecture course. In this article, the authors describe a nature of science-oriented group project in a chemistry course in which students gave presentations in concurrent conference sessions as well as its impact on student learning as evidenced through multiple data…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical, reflective examination of the organisation, delivery and evaluation of a training event conducted by postgraduate students undertaking a module on human resource development. Design/methodology/approach: The paper seeks to offer a triangulation of semi-structured interviews, archival…

To prepare students for effective workplace learning, it is necessary to have insight into the contextual characteristics that affect students' developing interest. Aiming at students to become self-regulated learners, teachers should act as mindful coaches, encouraging their students to monitor the quality of collaborative group work. A field…

Our full-year capstone design course, "Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Design Methodology and Application," focuses on both design methodology and design application. We redesigned the course to more effectively prepare students for the "application" aspect of design. The approach was essentially to implement a short…

This paper investigates the links between the "contributing student pedagogy" and other forms of peer-mediated learning models, e.g. "open-ended group projects" and "communities of practice." We find that a fundamental concern in each of these models is the attribution of "value"; specifically, recognition…

Group projects are common in undergraduate chemical engineering course. Wikis are a new medium for group projects because they are Webpages that are edited using the same software used to view the Webpage. Advantages include the ability to record changes made by each individual (helpful for grading), ability to continuously monitor progress, and a…

The purpose of this article is to describe a general procedure for implementing group poster projects in lower and upper division mathematics courses. The authors have found that students who complete projects gain a deeper understanding of the mathematics they study, refine their ability to communicate mathematically, and engage in an activity…

The authors report findings from a study into students' and teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of group project work (PW) in promoting students' motivation and learning. The authors gathered students' views on whether PW satisfied their basic psychological needs, affected their motivation, and created opportunities for life skills…