Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education
A common global perception of group work in the higher education context is that it has the potential to act as a platform which can enable student learning by means of interactions, shared diverse experiences, deep engagement with subject concepts and the achievement of tasks collaboratively. Inde...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of the Free State
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Perspectives in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/1883 |
| _version_ | 1797270921492299776 |
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| author | Gladman Thondhlana Dina Zoe Belluigi |
| author_facet | Gladman Thondhlana Dina Zoe Belluigi |
| author_sort | Gladman Thondhlana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
A common global perception of group work in the higher education context is that it has the potential to act as a platform which can enable student learning by means of interactions, shared diverse experiences, deep engagement with subject concepts and the achievement of tasks collaboratively. Indeed, in different socio-economic, historical and institutional contexts, group work activities have become levers by which deeper learning could be achieved. Drawing on perceptions and experiences of group work among environmental science students at a South African university, we investigate the ways in which group work could be more expansively viewed as ‘terrains of learning’ for students. The results in general indicate that students have positive perceptions and experiences of group work, though problematic elements are evident. This particular case study points to the attention that should be paid to understanding issues of background, ethnicity and various student personalities which could hinder or enable the desired student learning. Such an understanding could contribute to debates regarding the achievement of higher quality learning, given issues of diversity and transformation in the South African higher education context.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:41:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99f0c3d15cf9460485d502fe4123044b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0258-2236 2519-593X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:11:57Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perspectives in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-99f0c3d15cf9460485d502fe4123044b2024-03-07T11:17:28ZengUniversity of the Free StatePerspectives in Education0258-22362519-593X2014-12-01324Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher educationGladman Thondhlana0Dina Zoe Belluigi1Rhodes UniversityRhodes University A common global perception of group work in the higher education context is that it has the potential to act as a platform which can enable student learning by means of interactions, shared diverse experiences, deep engagement with subject concepts and the achievement of tasks collaboratively. Indeed, in different socio-economic, historical and institutional contexts, group work activities have become levers by which deeper learning could be achieved. Drawing on perceptions and experiences of group work among environmental science students at a South African university, we investigate the ways in which group work could be more expansively viewed as ‘terrains of learning’ for students. The results in general indicate that students have positive perceptions and experiences of group work, though problematic elements are evident. This particular case study points to the attention that should be paid to understanding issues of background, ethnicity and various student personalities which could hinder or enable the desired student learning. Such an understanding could contribute to debates regarding the achievement of higher quality learning, given issues of diversity and transformation in the South African higher education context. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/1883Group workhigher educationdiversitylearning |
| spellingShingle | Gladman Thondhlana Dina Zoe Belluigi Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education Perspectives in Education Group work higher education diversity learning |
| title | Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education |
| title_full | Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education |
| title_fullStr | Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education |
| title_short | Group work as ‘terrains of learning’ for students in South African higher education |
| title_sort | group work as terrains of learning for students in south african higher education |
| topic | Group work higher education diversity learning |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/pie/article/view/1883 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gladmanthondhlana groupworkasterrainsoflearningforstudentsinsouthafricanhighereducation AT dinazoebelluigi groupworkasterrainsoflearningforstudentsinsouthafricanhighereducation |