Abstract
The use of group work in classroom activities is a method used for motivating learning and increasing the idea ofpleasure through learning. The current study investigates the advantages of group work in exams in the Englishdepartment, in the College of Basic Education. 40 students in two classes of “The Introduction of Phonetics andPhonology” participated in the study. They performed six tasks; two prior to group work, two done in groupwork (by one group only) and two after group work. The tasks were all practical, and they were based onphonetic transcription. One of the groups participated in group work while the other did not. This was doneenable to compare the results. In addition to exam results, a five-open-questions questionnaire on the students’perception of group work was distributed to the participants. Throughout the application of the study, theinstructor took notes of her observation of the formation of and participation in group work. It was found that thestudents who worked in groups did not improve. However, most students reported that they enjoyed the tasksand would like to work in a group more often. The method of forming a group also seemed to affect learning. Itwas found that social and academic variables of age and GPA affected the formation, engagement and results ofgroup work.
Highlights
According to Gomleksize (2007) cooperative learning is when students work together to achieve specific goals
The use of group work in classroom activities has shown its usefulness in many fields of education
Many studies reported better learning and improved level of understanding, while others found group work to be useful in teaching communicative skills and build better debate characteristics
Summary
According to Gomleksize (2007) cooperative learning is when students work together to achieve specific goals. Wichadee states that cooperative learning is a pedagogical approach that encourages student-student interaction by working in small groups to intensify their learning and reach their intended objective. Considerable research shows, that cooperative learning results in higher achievement and more positive relationships among students (Wichadee, 2007). Group work depends on the attitude of the students. Hashemi (2005) states that attitudes towards something is the extent to which students accept the subject and their opinion towards it while the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005) defined attitudes as ‘the way someone thinks and feels about somebody or something’ Group work depends on the attitude of the students. Hashemi (2005) states that attitudes towards something is the extent to which students accept the subject and their opinion towards it while the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005) defined attitudes as ‘the way someone thinks and feels about somebody or something’ (p. 85)
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