The University’s values include actively creating an inclusive and collaborative environment. In regards to student mental wellbeing, this value of inclusivity and collaboration is said to “promote a University-wide culture where our community can flourish and thrive”.
This ethos aligns with the objectives of the recent MPLF training session I attended, focussing on enhancing the success of group work. One key value of group work we explored was in its ability to facilitate perspective-sharing among students, rooted in Piaget’s cognitive constructivist theory. According to Piaget, social interactions introduce differing perspectives, creating cognitive conflict that fosters learning and growth.
Why social capital?
Clearly there are developmental and cognitive benefits to group work. However, when considering these benefits I was inspired to do some research on how group work may impact social capital (my research focus). For those a little less familiar with the concept of social capital, this was a term popularised by sociologist Robert Putnam. Putnam described social capital as “refer[ing] to connections among individuals—social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them” (p. 19). He famously used the analogy of “bowling alone” to illustrate the decline in social capital in American society. He observed that while more Americans were bowling than ever, they were increasingly doing so individually rather than in leagues or organised groups. This shift, he argued, symbolised a broader trend of declining community involvement and weakened social networks.
There is a substantial body of research that demonstrates the benefits of social capital across various domains. Social capital has been linked to high self-esteem and has been shown to provide emotional support as a buffer against stress. These benefits also seem to be apparent in educational contexts. Research shows that feeling connected positively influences student health and wellbeing, academic success, and graduate prospects. By creating environments where students feel connected and supported, social capital has been shown to promote academic success through engagement and retention.
In light of this, fostering a sense of belonging and connection through collaborative activities like group work may be of great benefit to students.
One of the key takeaways of the MPLF session for me was underscoring the benefits of group work to students (i.e. why bother with group work?) The potential for social capital development might be one such benefit educators could use in these conversations.
What can I do to build it?
What can educators do within their units to build social capital?
- Design structured group work with clear roles: Encourage students to share different perspectives and develop relationships by assigning roles that require active participation, critical discussion, and reflective thinking (this article from Teaching@Sydney is a great resource for developing successful group work tasks).
- Incorporate reflective and peer-feedback exercises: Build trust and deeper understanding by facilitating debrief sessions after group work, where students can discuss challenges, share successes, and learn from one another (doing this successfully is outlined in great lengths in this fantastic resource).
- Create informal opportunities for students to connect: Complement formal group tasks with activities such as peer mentorship programs, or by encouraging study groups that allow students to connect on a personal level, further reinforcing their social networks.
- Leverage technology for collaboration: Use online discussion forums, or collaborative platforms to extend group work beyond the classroom, enabling students to connect asynchronously and build relationships in a digital space (the Education Innovation team run great sessions on the technology available to educators to facilitate this kind of collaboration).
If you’re also interested in pedagogical development and group work specifically, you can sign up to the MPLF Canvas site, then register for sessions from the session schedule.
Any comments, interest or feedback please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]
