Learning together or apart? Exploring the effectiveness of group work in schools

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Project Detail:
Applications are invited for a funded full-time PhD at Loughborough University to start October 2017. The project will be based in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University.

There is evidence that group learning has better effects on pupils’ academic outcomes than competitive and individualistic learning (Pai et al., 2015). However, relatively little is known about what is recalled at the end of a lesson or how recall is affected by group interactions.

This PhD will investigate the impact of individual and group work on learning and recall in schools (within physical education). This study will build on previous work using cooperative learning (CL) (Dyson & Casey, 2016), autobiographical memory (Casey & Quennerstedt, 2015) and memory recall (Grenfell-Essam & Ward, 2012, 2015; Grenfell-Essam et al., 2013) to explore how lessons, using CL and traditional teacher-led approaches, are remembered.

In contrast to prior work, this PhD will adopt a mixed method design allowing richer understanding of the complexities surrounding learning and teaching and how they impact on (1) pupils’ in-lesson interactions and (2) post-lesson memory performance. It is anticipated that ‘GoPro’ cameras will be used to record pupils’ interactions with task, teacher and peers for subsequent qualitative analysis. Simultaneously, memory recall will be used to explore how different learning approaches affect what is remembered. At its heart the PhD seeks to explore (1) the impact of cooperative vs. individual work, and (2) the nature of collaborative recall, on memory performance.

Find out more:
General information about the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences can be found at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/

Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in sport and exercise science, psychology or a closely related subject. A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: physical education, education, or cognitive psychology.

Funding information:
The studentship is for three years and provides a tax free stipend of £14,553 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. International (non EU) students may apply however the total value of the studentship will be used towards the cost of the International tuition fee in the first instance.

Contact details:
Informal enquires about the research project should be addressed to Dr Rachel Grenfell-Essam, email: [Email Address Removed].

How to apply:
All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Please include a CV and a personal statement (one page maximum) detailing how your qualifications, experience and research interests make you a suitable candidate. Please quote reference number: SSEHS/RGE.

Application details:
Reference number: SSEHS/RGE
Start date: October 2017
Closing date: Friday 7 July 2017
Interview date: Wednesday 19 July 2017

Supervisors:
Primary supervisor: Dr Rachel Grenfell-Essam
Secondary supervisor: Dr Ashley Casey