Abstract
Structured collaborative learning activities undertaken in two graduate level classes are described. Student and instructor perspectives on these activities are explored based on data collected through interviews, open-ended evaluation instruments, and journals. Four perspectives on collaborative learning emerged from the data: (1) student expectations; (2) instructor tolerance for ambiguity and flexibility; (3) student reliance on authority; and, (4) evaluation of student learning. Suggestions for implementing collaborative groups in graduate courses are presented.
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Additional information
Julie A. Hughes Caplow is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in Higher Education Administration. Her areas of interest include postsecondary instructional strategies, faculty beliefs about teaching and knowledge, and postsecondary curricula. CarolAnne M. Kardash is an Associate Professor of Educational and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Educational Psychology. Her areas of interest include text processing, reading comprehension, and instructional and learning strategies.
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Hughes Caplow, J.A., Kardash, C.M. Collaborative learning activities in graduate courses. Innov High Educ 19, 207–221 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01191220
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01191220