Revisiting Group Consensus: Collaborative Learning Dynamics During a Problem-Based Learning Activity in Education

Problem-based learning (PBL), especially in conjunction with collaborative learning teams, continues to gain momentum as a popular instructional approach in higher education. In this article, we address three common assumptions about how PBL groups function and report the outcomes of a study in which we examined group dynamics during a computer-assisted PBL module designed to train preservice teachers on the procedures for disciplining students with disabilities. We found that students often do not engage in the constructive dissonance assumed to contribute to strong consensus decisions: groups often defer to an individual or minority opinion with little persuasion or critical thinking. We recommend teaching subject content together with group skills such that future professionals can ensure that all voices are heard, quick answers are scrutinized, and alternative solutions are appropriately vetted by educational teams.