Affective and Motivational Outcomes of Working in Collaborative Groups

Abstract

The Quality of Working in Groups Instrument (QWIGI) was used in this research to measure students’ fluctuating psychological need states as well as their situational interest online. Based on previous research with the QWIGI, it was predicted that the variance in university sophomores’ situational interest in each of the five different topics of an introductory course in education could be explained in terms of the students’ situational interest in previously studied topic‐related material (both within‐topic transfer and across‐topic transfer) and their perception of the learning conditions. An introductory course on education was taken by 95 sophomores; the course was given by five different teachers, covering five different topics. The course lasted 14 weeks and was set up according to the principles of social constructivism. Students’ situational interest as well as their satisfaction with the learning conditions in terms of competence level, autonomy granted, and social relatedness was registered on nine occasions during the course. Results indicate that high situational interest generated in the previously recorded learning episode counteracts a decline in situational interest, both within and across the topic boundary. Satisfaction with the learning conditions in terms of the three psychological need states also contributed to the variance explained, particularly satisfaction with the level of competence.