Implementing a Successful Collaborative Learning Environment

Author

Andrea P. Beasley, St. Catherine University

Date of Award

12-2013

Document Type

Action Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Siri Anderson

Department/School

Curriculum and Instruction

Abstract

This action research report summarizes a study of 65 diverse student learners in a 10^th grade AP US History class. This research investigates the implementation of a collaborative learning environment to elicit positive effects on student attitudes toward learning and their achievement. To gain pre-intervention data, students were surveyed on their attitudes and took multiple-choice assessments. During the intervention period, students completed surveys regarding the effectiveness of the collaborative learning implementation and completed multiple-choice assessments. After the interventions, students were surveyed again on their attitudes toward learning. The results demonstrated insignificant effects on student attitudes but improvements in student achievement. Data supports concluding that collaborative learning may impact student retention of content and learning objectives. Future research may indicate whether the execution of such interventions over a longer period of time would have more considerable outcomes in the areas of retention or student attitudes about learning.

Recommended Citation

Beasley, Andrea P.. (2013). Implementing a Successful Collaborative Learning Environment. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/10