The Benefits of Out-of-Class Group Study for Improving Student Performance on Exams: A Comparison of Outcomes in Active-Learning and Traditional College Biology Classes
Abstract
The authors conducted a study to determine whether students who studied together outside of class did better on exams than those who studied alone, and also whether pedagogical method (cooperative/active learning versus traditional lecture) influenced students' out-of-class study behavior. Self-reported data were obtained from students at the time that multiple-choice exams were administered in large classes of introductory biology. Mean exam scores generally were higher for students who studied in groups than for those who studied alone -- regardless of teaching style -- and students in the active-learning class were more likely to study with others than those in the traditional class.
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