Students’ Perception of Group Work in Academic Writing

Abstract

This descriptive quantitative study explores the perceptions of university students from Honduras and Mexico regarding group work in academic writing. Conducted through an eight-week Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experience, the research investigates students' views on the benefits and challenges of collaboration. Using a Likert-scale questionnaire, the study assesses factors such as participation equity, communication effectiveness, and logistical coordination. Findings indicate that students value group work for promoting idea exchange and independent learning, with 71.4% affirming its role in developing self-directed habits. However, issues like unequal work distribution (42.9%) and free-riding (reported often by 71.4%) are major concerns. The study concludes with recommendations including role clarification, peer evaluations, and training to enhance collaboration in cross-cultural online environments.