Collaborative projects: a study of paired work in a Malaysian university

Abstract

There has recently been considerable interest in various forms of collaborative learning. This study examines the project work of university students in a TESOL (Teaching of English as a Second Language) programme for whom English is a second language. It compares the phonetics and phonology projects completed by students working in pairs with those completed by students working alone. It was found that those who worked together produced better work and had more positive attitudes. However, it was observed that working in pairs sometimes involved conflict, manipulation and/or deception. It is suggested that while this type of work can be of value in academic writing there is a need for caution when assigning or allowing collaborative academic activities.