Improving student processing and assimilation of conceptual information: GSS-supported collaborative learning vs. individual constructive learning

A great deal of time in the traditional classroom environment is spent gathering information (taking notes) rather than processing the information and assimilating the information. The traditional learning model goes from the gathering to recall stage without regard for whether the information is actually comprehended (processed and assimilated). This paper examines whether technology-enabled collaborative learning involving case analyses is superior to individual constructive learning involving individual case analyses, where the goal of both methods is to increase student interest in the course, increase student understanding of the material, and enhance student performance. The study found that students working collaboratively in either small or large groups were more interested in the material and perceived themselves to learn more than students that worked individually but that students that worked individually outperformed students that collaborated in small or large groups before working individually.