The Utility of Group Learning in Large Undergraduate International Studies Research Methods Courses.

Teaching undergraduate international studies research methods to large classes poses many challenges to professors and students alike. One solution that many professors adopt is group research projects. This paper examines the utility of group learning in large research methods courses. The objectives of group projects in large research methods courses are to maximize the individual contact that students have with the professor through regular small group meetings, to allow students to learn from each other, and to help students share the burden of conducting original social science research in one short semester. However, group learning is also very risky in terms of the increased opportunity it provides for free-riding, interpersonal conflict, and misguided group-think throughout the research process. Survey data from two semesters of large research methods courses is analyzed to determine the utility of group learning in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]