Understanding group learning processes in university business classes

Learning by working in groups can be an educationally productive technique that enhances students' learning in tertiary business classes. This study gives an insight into how the benefits of peer group learning as posited by Biggs (1999) applied to the group learning experience in an Australian University. To do this, exploratory research using depth interviews was conducted with students who worked on an assessment task in small groups of three to four students, in two different business subjects. This research investigated whether the learning outcomes matched those of effective peer learning, as specified by Biggs (1999). The findings indicated that positive outcomes applied to both groups' description of their learning experience, and that this outcome was not based on ethnicity or culture, but on a degree of shared values in regards to a work ethic and expected outcomes. The research suggested that for a productive outcome from a group's assessment task, students need to have an input into choosing their group members; share a common work ethic; and that they should be required to connect the different parts of a project by demonstrating to the lecturers an understanding of the task as a whole. In response to these findings, the paper suggests ways to assist achieving deep learning outcomes through group assessment tasks.