Students’ group work contribution: Influence of work preference, gender, and individual assessment

I explored the factors related to individuals’ contribution to group work, using 649 undergraduate students as participants. The focal variables were the individual characteristics of gender, age, academic year, and group work preference, and the group work conditions of duration of group work, group size, and the existence or lack of individual assessment methods. Results of a self-report survey indicated that both the students’ gender and their group work preference were significant factors in determining their contribution. Comparisons of group work contribution with the group work conditions showed that the existence of an individual assessment method was the only factor to influence group work contribution. Practical implications for organizing group work are discussed on the basis of these findings.