122 - Conformity and persuasion as negative social influences during two-stage collaborative testing

Poster Board Number: 122
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Co-authors:

Judi Laprade - Division of Anatomy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine - University of Toronto; Aimee Perry - Faculty of Arts & Science - University of Toronto; Danielle Bentley - Division of Anatomy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine - University of Toronto

Abstract Body :
Background: Contemporary educational paradigms have increasingly integrated collaborative methodologies in line with the growing valuation of teamwork skills within academic and professional settings. Empirical evidence supports the beneficial effects of collaborative tasks (i.e., two-stage collaborative testing (TSCT)) on student academic performance and motivation for learning. However, these effects are not universally positive, and this omission inadvertently overlooks the challenges of negative student experiences. The varied effectiveness of TSCT remains underexplored with potential to reveal covert barriers to learning. Theorists have suggested that collaborative tasks are ubiquitously affected by social influences (SIs), defined as a process of individual action, thought, or feeling being modulated by the social demands imposed by their environment. Despite their potential impacts on learning outcomes, SIs have been minimally investigated in pedagogical research. This study aims to address such gaps by examining the potentially negative role of SIs on student performance outcomes. Building upon our lab’s prior research on TSCT, this study focuses on the subset of students who had lower collaborative assessment marks than their independent counterparts. Termed CIS (correct-incorrect-switch) students, these cases suggest the presence of SIs, specifically conformity and persuasion, which may undermine the intended benefits of collaborative learning. Conformity and persuasion are distinct in intent, thus necessitating tailored interventions to address their respective impacts.




Objective: Specifically, this research aims to quantify the frequency of CIS instances, evaluate the academic impact of these modifications, and investigate SI’s influence in driving these changes.




Methods and Planned Results: Using a convergent mixed-methods approach, retrospective test data from students who completed TSCT in the Fall 2023 semester will be examined to identify our CIS cohort. Those students will then be contacted during the Winter 2024 semester and invited to complete a survey to help us better understand the SIs that may have influenced their group dynamics. Expected results will indicate whether conformity, persuasion, both, or neither influenced CIS cases, validated by quantitative and qualitative analyses.




Significance: Collectively, this research will provide insight into the differential roles of conformity and persuasion in collaborative learning environments. Thus, future pedagogical mechanisms may be refined to be more effective, inclusive, and enhance learning outcomes for diverse student needs.