A Framework for Differentiating Productive Group vs. Individual Tasks

In order to obtain reliable benefits of group-work for student learning, it is important to understand sources of process loss and process gain. Much research has examined the benefits of scripts, roles, and group-reward systems for promoting productive group interactions. Less attention has been devoted to characterizing task features that are naturally productive for groups. The current presentation describes a mathematically-grounded framework for identifying productive group vs. productive individual learning tasks. Recent results indicate benefits for group productivity, even beyond truth-wins levels, when tasks are simultaneously complex and demonstrable. 

The featured speaker, David Sears, is a faculty member in the Department of Educational Studies at Purdue University. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Reed College and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Stanford University. His research examines instructional practices for promoting learning and transfer in individual and group contexts with a focus on the STEM disciplines.

Part II of Seminar - 

ASEE Faculty Panel

Directly following Dr. Sear’s seminar presentation, ASEE will convene a faculty panel to explore research methods applied to learning collaboratively and/or in teams. Dr. Ohland of Engineering Education and Dr. Sara McComb of the School of Nursing and the School of Industrial Engineering will join Dr. Sears in discussing the investigation of group learning phenomena. Different academic disciplines have approached research on team learning and function in different ways, emphasizing different methods and building different bodies of research literature that may be of benefit to you. Gain new insights to strengthen your own future research or simply broaden your understanding of team learning by hearing from three experts with diverse approaches at the same event. A list of key works in team and collaborative learning research assembled by the speakers will be distributed at the end of the panel. As with all ASEE panels, questions from the audience are strongly encouraged and free snacks will be provided. TIME: 4:30 - 5:30 PM