Verbal Participation in Group Work: A Case Study of First Year Students at Addis Ababa University
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Date
2000-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study is an attempt to gain insight into the verbal participation behaviour of first
year students at Addis Ababa University, as they take part in group discussion in
College English classes. The main aims are to investigate the extent to which students
differ in terms of verbal participation in group discussion, to explore the factors that
account for the differences, students' perceptions of low and high participators, and
whether students change their participation behaviour (increasing or decreasing in
participation) and, if so the factors responsible for the change. Thus a longitudinal
dimension has been used in which students' views and behaviours are seen
developmentally.
The main subjects of the study were 35 first year students at AAU Also 108 students
took part in filling in a questionnaire. Data on verbal participation in group discussion
were gathered by means of audio and video recordings and different types of
questionnaires (self-ratings, group member ratings, classmate ratings, and instructor's
ratings). Based on their participation level 18 students were selected for in-depth
individual and focus group interviews.
Analysis of the data indicated that there was a huge difference among students in terms
of their verbal participation in group discussion: some were extremely silent (17.1 %),
and others were very high participators (17. 1%), some times to the point of almost
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totally dominating other group members. Then students' (especially the silents' and the
talkers') views of the factors that accounted for the difference in participation were
discussed. It was also found out that by the end of the academic year or in the second
semester some high participators became silent; and some very silent students became
active participants. Students' perceptions of the silents and the talkers has also been
presented and discussed.
The thesis concludes by considering the implications of the findings for increased or
more equitable verbal participation among students in group discussion and the need
for research into internal and external variables affecting participation.
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Group Work