Which is More Effective: Individual Learning or Round Robin Group Learning

1
Which is More Effective Individual Learning or
Round Robin (Group) Learning? Oneil Reid, Peer
Leader The City College of New York

• Cooperative Learning
• A structural systematic instructional strategy
  in which small groups work together to produce a
  common product. (James)
• Goes beyond a lecture-based learning environment
  to let students discuss and work on the material.
• Strategy remains prevalent in middle and high
  school laboratories.
• Can be combined with visual aids to increase
  class participation and relieve boredom.
• Gives students the opportunity to form groups in
  which they will give help or be helped.
• Research studies indicate that students will do
  better with material if the work is not solely
  individual working in a pair or group is
  advantageous.
• Similar and comparable to the round robin
  technique.
• Round Robin
• Incorporates everyone in a group
• Gives each student a role in the problem into
  parts, allows the problem to become more
  manageable.
• Forces students to be active, involved, and
  participate.
• Encourages students to learn and contribute
• Forces students to depend on their peer for aid.
• Eliminates burden, strain, and expectation of
  solving the problem individually
• Problem will appear to be less challenging if
  attached by a group than individually.
• Possible Disadvantages
• Requires supervision and modification by a leader
  if students are too dominant, too passive, or
  still do not understand.

Discussion The data obtained from the test
shows the following During week one, the
students had the lowest performance. During week
four, the class performed the same on
average. During week two, when the class
congregated into groups, they performed better
than week one. During week three, the results
were very similar to week two During week five,
the students performed slightly better than week
two. During week six, the students performed the
best.
Hypothesis This poster presents the belief that
group learning is better than individual
learning. Workshops provide cooperative learning
environments which enable students to learn off
of one another as opposed to working individually
to solve a problem. Both group learning and
individual learning are present and play a role
in workshop. However, workshops should aim to
implement the techniques that stress
problem-solving in groups over individual
problem-solving because it will be to the benefit
of the student.

Experiment A test was performed to determine
which technique was more effective. For two weeks
each student worked alone then a group was
constructed for four weeks. In Week One each
student worked alone. In Week Two a group was
constructed In Week Three each group switched at
least one number. In Week Four each student
worked alone. In Week Five, the group from week
two was reconstructed. In Week Six, the group
stayed the same as Week Five.

• Implication
• The research demonstrates that group work
• Is favored and preferred more among students
  than individual work.
• Proves to be more advantageous and effective
• Does not have the boundaries and limits of
  individual work
• Will bring about a greater comprehension of
  material for a student, resulting in better test
  scores
• Potentially alters and significantly impacts a
  students learning
• Should be rigorously practiced and implemented
  in workshop.

Average Score on Quizzes over Six Weeks (Spring
2004)
Discussion The data obtained from the test
shows the following In Week One, the students
had the lowest performance. During Week Two, when
the class congregated into groups, they performed
better than week one. During Week Three, the
results were very similar to week two In Week
Four, the class performed the same on average as
in Week One. In Week Five, the students performed
slightly better than Week Two. In Week Six, the
students performed the best.

Citations James, D., Cooperative Learning in the
Analytical Chemistry Lab, http//www.cofc.edu/dea
vorj/posters/coop.htm. April 10,2004 Johnson, D.
Johnson, R., Cooperative Learning,
http//edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearn
ing.htm April 10,2004 Company, Round Robin,
http//whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gc
i214491,00.html April 10,2004 Roth, V.,
Goldstein, E., Marcus, G. (2001). Peer-Led Team
Learning A Handbook for Team Leaders, Upper
Saddle River, NJ Prentice Hall, Inc.