Project Investigator: Arun Verma, Associate Professor of Teaching, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Additional team members: Serena Zhang; George Pachev
Project Description
In the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program at UBC, a critical portion of case-based learning is done in groups. Therefore, the group formation strategy utilized potentially impacting the learning experience of students. Group formation has long been a topic of interest among researchers and results have shown that there are advantages and disadvantages to each allocation strategy. This project explores the effect of random assignment versus grouping students by grades (achievement) on students’ academic performance and group learning experience.
Project Questions
- What is the effect of homogenous and heterogenous group formation on students’ academic performance and group-learning experience.
Specifically, we wanted to explore: - What is the feasibility of different group formation approaches for creating homogenous and heterogenous groups in the context of the program?
- How does learning in homogenous vs heterogenous groups affect academic performance of different student groups (e.g., higher-grades vs lower grades)?
- How do the experiences of small-group learning, attitudes to group work, and satisfaction compare among the different student groups?
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
Small-group case-based learning is an education approach that is frequently used in professional programs at UBC and beyond. The outcome of this study would guide group formation strategies used in the future, to ensure that students receive an optimal learning experience during case-based learning.