Interteaching: The Effects of Discussion Group Size on Undergraduate Student Performance and Preference

Abstract

Interteaching is a college teaching method grounded in the principles of applied behavior analysis. Research on interteaching demonstrates that it improves academic performance, and students report greater satisfaction with interteaching as compared to traditional teaching styles. The current study investigates whether discussion group size, a major component of the interteaching process, affects student performance and satisfaction. On different days, researchers exposed participants to one of three treatment conditions (pairs, small groups, and large groups) and then assessed the effects on performance and satisfaction. The study found no apparent differences on quiz performance based on discussion group size, although students performed better following pair and small group sessions. Students overwhelmingly preferred small groups compared to pairs or large groups. These results are especially relevant for instructors teaching a course with high student enrollment, in both traditional and online courses, where managing groups of two may prove difficult.