Does group composition impact group scores in two-stage collaborative exams?

Table 2. Description of factors included in three-level model. Introduction Recently, two-stage exams were introduced in two large enrolment second year genetic courses at two different universities. The two courses follow similar formats and use course learning outcomes, activities and materials developed by both instructors. Two-stage exams are those in which students first write an exam individually, followed immediately by a second stage in which they write the same, or similar, exam as part of a small group. Exam grades comprised 85% individual mark and 15% group mark. Overall, student exam grades were improved by the group portion of the exam, however, the extent of score improvement varied between groups, and for several teams, group scores were lower than the members’ individual scores. Past studies have highlighted the importance of the highest performing member of a group, but also indicate that other factors may be taken into account as well, such as average and heterogeneity of team members1,2,3. As we try to provide effective collaborative learning experiences through two-stage exams, the goal of this project is to identify and assess the importance of factors that may improve or hinder outcomes for both groups and students.