Success in Learning Groups: Where have we been? And Where are we going?

Group discussion activities and collaborative projects for teams are some learning strategies widely used by instructors; however, limited research has examined comparative effects of these strategies. The present study examines collaborative learning activities, trust, the “bad apple” effect, and other variables that relate to learning effectiveness for teams. The paper summarizes several years of research on different collaborative activities across different team settings. It also presents an agenda for future research in team training and learning, and provides best practices and guidelines for both researchers and practitioners. With a growing focus on the importance of teamwork and collaboration in the workplace, it is critical that we better understand best practices for promoting learning effectiveness for individuals who work in groups. This research paper offers an examination of collaborative learning activities and group learning effectiveness, while also providing practical suggestions, based in research, for facilitators and training specialists