From “group work” to “teamwork”:students’ perception and lecturer’s reflections

The aim of our study is to understand students’ perceptions of the transferable skills in group assessment. The quantitative results of a survey of over 60 student responses in an optional final year economics module indicate that, overall, students benefitted from the assessment in terms of learning from other group members and developing interpersonal skills; while differences in work ethics within the group was reported as the most significant challenge by a quarter of the respondents. The free text comments analysis shows that free-riding and communications issues are the most frustrating concerns. In line with the literature, e.g. Johnson & Johnson (2009), we conclude that the experience is beneficial for most students, but may leave some others behind. We suggest that providing specific resources for efficient group work and focusing on “teamwork” as a term will help students to better acknowledge and reflect on the transferable skills they gain