The effects of gender and ability on students' behaviours and interactions in classroom‐based work groups

This study examined the effects of mixed gender and ability compositions on students' behaviours and interactions in structured work groups. The students in the study were 440 Year 6 children (age range 10 years 1 month to 11 years 4 months) who worked on class‐based activities in small groups which were structured so that all the members had to cooperate in order for the group to achieve its academic objectives. Contrary to expectations and the findings of other researchers, the effect of the different ability and gender compositions in the groups on the members' behaviours and interactions was minimal. It appeared that as the group members (irrespective of gender and ability) had more time to work together they became more responsive to the needs of each other and gave more explanations to assist each other's learning so that all groups achieved comparable learning outcomes

Class (philosophy) · Developmental psychology · Group dynamic · Group work · Mathematics education · Early Childhood Education and Development · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Psychology · Social Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

• Some issues for cooperative learning and intercultural education

  Jagdish Gundara, Jagdish S Gundara et al.•European Journal of Intercultural…•2013

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