A Longitudinal Analysis of Satisfaction with Group Work

Abstract

Satisfaction with group work is an important and frequently studied phenomenon that often determines whether a new tool, technology, or method is successfully implemented in an organization. We report on a longitudinal study of small groups which used regression to model how satisfaction with the process, outcome, and group evolves over multiple sessions as a function of performance measures and prior satisfaction levels. The results indicated that current performance contributed less to satisfaction as the study proceeded and by the end of the study period satisfaction with the process and outcomes were determined almost exclusively by prior satisfaction levels. In general, the conclusions were dependent on the point in time at which the analysis was conducted and on the object of satisfaction under consideration. The results highlight the importance of longitudinal studies, rather than one-shot approaches, for understanding individual satisfaction with group work.

The Effect of Team‐Based Learning on Student Attitudes and Satisfaction

“…As Beggs and Graddy (2009, p. 1027) remark, “overweighting of often irrelevant initial cues in judgment has been documented in a wide range of laboratory experiments” (several of which they reference). And in a tangentially related context, we have also found this to be true of the RAP (Reinig, Horowitz, & Whittenburg, in press). Thus, we hypothesize:…”

“…That is, the greater is the degree to which students perceive the group experience to have enhanced their professional team‐related and interpersonal skills, the greater will be the student's satisfaction with the RAP. Although we have not set forth any hypotheses as to how either gender or first language will affect student attitudes toward team exams as part of their final grades and learning experience, our previous work Reinig et al (in press) leads us to conjecture that these will have no impact on those attitudes; i.e., β 4 = 0 and β 5 = 0.…”

“…The RAP was conducted bi‐weekly over an 8‐week period and was administered similarly to the procedures described in Reinig et al (in press). Students were informed in advance of the assigned set of readings from the course text book associated with each quiz.…”