Assessment of attitudes about new learners' roles: factor analysis of the beliefs about Working in Groups Questionnaire.

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the factor structure of the Beliefs about Working in Groups Questionnaire, which is based on a model of teaching focused on the complementary roles of teachers as models and coaches and students who have to regulate their own learning and learn together with and from peers. This self-report questionnaire presents statements describing salient aspects of group work to elicit beliefs students hold about two main aspects of the quality of working in groups, firstly, the belief that working in small groups has important advantages over working individually for developing deep learning; secondly, beliefs that working with peers in close interaction does or does not facilitate learning-focused dialogue. The questionnaire was administered to university sophomores. The hypothesized two-factor structure emerged. It was tested whether the two factors were related to the students' familiarity with working in small groups in high school, to the frequency with which they worked in groups, and to their perception of the value high school teachers attached to working in small groups.