Does gender matter for collaborative learning?

Abstract

In our recent work we have proven quantitatively that collaborative learning improves students' knowledge retention and boosts the quality of attained learning outcomes. In this research we investigate the role that the students' gender plays in their engagement during collaborative learning and their learning performance as assessed by the teacher. In the context of the EBTIC developed Collaborative Learning Environment deployed at Khalifa University along the sequence of three group courseworks over one semesters, we intend to explore the differences between the collaborative learning style and quality in female, male and mixed-gender groups. The series of detailed cross-gender learning engagement and performance comparisons indicate that female groups tend to work simultaneously and achieve better results while male group members engage less and work in sequence. As a result female groups exploit the added benefits of collaborative learning more than the male groups. What is striking, however, the members of the mixed-gender groups excel the most, significantly improving their engagement, focus and the quality of groupwork comparing to same-gender groups. We believe this outcome delivers yet another proof of the synergies and efficiencies of interactive learning in a diverse group of students and encourages mixing genders when composing groups for collaborative learning.

The impact of e-learning, gender-groupings and learning pedagogies in biology undergraduate female and male students’ attitudes and achievement

“…Also, in this setting, females paid more attention but showed less relevance and satisfaction towards the course than male students. Again, the socio-cultural context affected differentially female and male students' attitudes towards biology, supporting previous studies that posed the necessity to implement context-based learning environments for each gender within conservative societies (Almasri Firas et al, 2021;Brownell et al, 2013;Cen et al, 2014;Colbeck et al, 2001).…”

“…Female students are more committed to university life; they spend more time preparing for classes, studying, and reading (Grebennikov & Skaines, 2009) and prefer collaborative learning more than male students (Lundeberg & Moch, 1995;Opdecam et al, 2014;Stump, Hilpert, et al, 2011). Gender plays a role in collaborative classroom learning settings because students need to interact face-to-face, affecting their attitudes and achievements in science courses (Cen et al, 2014;Chennabathni & Rejskind, 1998;Colbeck et al, 2001;Opdecam et al, 2014;Stump, Hilpert, et al, 2011). The effect of gender-grouping was observed in many western countries, including the U.S. (Gnesdilow et al, 2013b;Guo et al, 2018;Myaskovsky et al, 2005;Sormunen-Jones et al, 2000;Xie et al, 2015b), the U.K. (Carli, 2001;Milliken & Martins, 1996;Takeda & Homberg, 2014), and the Netherlands (Harskamp et al, 2008).…”

Student Perceptions on Collaborative Writing in a Project-based Course

“…Previous research has also showed that single-gender collaborative groups work to the advantage of female students who seem to be more willing to share and cooperate with each other when faced with unfamiliar tasks [30]. Despite this, other research in the UAE context found that students in mixed-gender groups accomplished the task more successfully and achieved better academic results than did the same-gender groups [31]. This likely stemmed from "the synergies and efficiencies of interactive learning in a diverse group of students" [31, p. 433].…”

Visual Analysis of Contact Patterns in School Environments

“…Balanced-gender heterogeneous groups and homogeneous female groups tend to (i) outperform the others (Zhan et al, 2015;Cen et al, 2014).…”

“…tributions (Cen et al, 2014). Some individual aspects, such as depressive symptoms and self-esteem, are differentially stratified by gender (Pachucki et al, 2015) and thus should be carefully observed by the teacher as they also affect individual and group performances.…”