Blog 3

How are methods of measuring group learning similar to and different from measuring individual learning?

            It can be very difficult to measure group learning compared to individual learning, especially since it can be hard to measure what was actually learned. Goodman & Dabbish (2011) talk about “knowledge sharing” as a way of learning in groups. I think that if a group member shares something with you, you are more likely to view that piece of information under the same lens as your other group members. The group dynamics would shape the way you thought about new information (Soller, 2004).This would help the group to think more like one body instead of individuals, which would help with task completion.

Magni, Paolino, Cappetta, & Proserpio (2013) talk about cognitive absorption being important for individual learning. They define cognitive absorption as a state in which one becomes so engulfed in a task that they forget everything else around them. This reminded me of “flow.” Cognitive absorption is useful for individual learning because it allow the individual to zone in and focus completely on one thing. However, cognitive absorption doesn’t work very well for group learning because it would be difficult for all of the members of the group to have that kind of focus on one thing. I think that when people are in a group they cannot tune everything else out because they are also thinking about their group members.

            Another interesting method of group learning from the article was transactive memory systems (TMS). This is when group members learn about each other’s strengths and interests and store that information away until it is needed (Peltokori, 2012). Because of TMS, group members tend to assume responsibility for the things that they have established they are good at. I think that this would make a group closer because it provides a foundation for relying on each other to complete a task. This type of learning only works at a group level.

References:

Goodman, P. S., & Dabbish, L. A. (2011). Methodological issues in measuring group learning. Small Group Research, 42(4), 379--‐404. doi:10.1177/1046496410385471

Magni, M., Paolino, C., Cappetta, R., & Proserpio, L. (2013). Diving too deep: How cognitive absorption and group learning behavior affect individual learning. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(1), 51-69. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=bb4575d6-0885-425b-9285-c07abab23bf4@sessionmgr15&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==

Peltokorpi, V. (2012). Organizational transactive memory systems: Review and extension. European Psychologist, 17(1), 11-20. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=ed9e634f-4cea-40b1-926a-9881967723d6@sessionmgr15&vid=8&hid=21

Soller, A. (2004). Understanding knowledge-sharing breakdowns: A meeting of the quantitative and qualitative minds. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 20(3), 212-223. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=daaddad7-40bd-4a0b-94db-5e9c44b8f229@sessionmgr12&hid=21&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3Q tbGl2ZQ==