The perceived effectiveness of a pre-group intervention workshop for future management specialists : an exploratory study

Learning through group work constitutes an integral part of academic teaching and learning. Working in groups extends the frontiers of skills learning and knowledge acquisition, and increases students' chances of employment. However, despite the benefits of group work it is not without its challenges. Insight into some of the benefits and challenges identified from the students' perspective could inform lecturers in higher learning environments on how they could enhance the teaching and learning strategies adopted by the learning institute. This article presents research that aims to determine whether a workshop intervention focusing on group dynamics before the start of modules had enhanced the benefits and reduced the challenges of group work. To achieve this objective, a self-designed questionnaire was administered to students prior to and after the intervention of the workshop. The results are compared and are reported in this article. The findings reveal that while there have been some clear benefits to the workshop intervention, it has not reduced all the challenges related to group work. These findings are discussed and a number of recommendations made on further strategies that could enhance the benefits and reduce the challenges associated with group work in tertiary educational settings.