2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Collaborative Learning in Engineering: Analyzing the Effects of Group Formation on Student Outcomes

Presented at Tech Session 6: Transformative Practices in Evolving Learning Environments

Abstract
Learning and problem-solving in the fields of environmental engineering and sustainability necessitate the formation of student groups in academic settings. Group performance varies. This study examined how different group formation methods affect individual student performance in a collegiate collaborative learning environment. Groups were divided randomly, by student selection, or by using the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME) System for Management, Assessment, Research, Training, Education, and Remediation (SMARTER) Teamwork tool by Purdue University. This study analyzed academic outcomes to determine how student group formation affected individual performance. The study found no statistically significant differences in individual performance between group formation methods. However, scores in all group types significantly improved between pre- and post-quizzes. That improvement indicated that collaborative learning positively impacted overall student performance. These findings suggest uncertainty about the extent to which educators can choose group formation methods without significantly affecting individual learning outcomes. This discussion also addresses the importance of other factors, such as group dynamics and instructional methods, in enhancing collaborative learning. Future research should explore additional group formation variables and unmeasured factors influencing group and individual performance.
I am an untenured faculty member within the first four years of total academic experience, lead author of the paper, and eligible for the Environmental Engineering Division Early Career Award.

Authors

Major Brett Ryan Krueger United States Military Academy [biography]

MAJ Brett Krueger, Instructor of Environmental Engineering, USMA; brett.krueger@westpoint.edu

MAJ Krueger is an Infantry Officer and Instructor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at West Point. Brett currently teaches courses in Environmental Engineering Technologies as well as Environmental Engineering in Developing Communities. He holds an MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and a BS from the United States Military Academy in Environmental Engineering. Before joining the faculty at West Point, he served as an Infantry platoon leader and company commander in airborne and mechanized units with operational assignments in Poland, Germany, Ukraine, and Korea.
William B Vass United States Military Academy [biography]

William Vass is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at the United States Military Academy. His PhD research involved air sampling to assess potential airborne virus exposure risks. Specifically, his work included virus aerosolization and collection, with a focus on the enrichment of viruses in samples while conserving their viability. He also conducted air sampling to quantify virus presence in occupational and residential settings and thereby better understand potential human health risks.
Matthew Baideme http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-2556-0624 United States Military Academy [biography]

Matthew Baideme is an active duty officer in the United States Army. He received his B.S. from the United States Military Academy (2002), M.S. from Stanford University (2012), and Ph.D. from Columbia University (2019). He teaches courses in environmental engineering at the United States Military Academy, with research and teaching interests focused on engineered biological treatment systems, microbial nitrogen cycling, and microbial biochemical degradation pathways.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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