Improving Student Participation in Group Project Work: An Action Research

Group project work is a tool to share knowledge and skills among students and it is one way to assess students in a semester. However, a large number of students are not participating in group project work. This paper aims to improve students’ participation in group project work and identify challenges that hinder students’ participation in group project work. The primary data were collected by questionnaire and observation data gathering tools. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches and purposive sampling were used. Advanced Database Systems course was selected from the Information Systems Department and 13 groups were formed and each group has 5 members. The questionnaires distributed to all 65 students, and of which 61, were properly filled for analysis. Descriptive statistical analyses of percentage were calculated. The major factors that hinder students’ participation were a shortage of time, lack of interest and awareness, lack of monitoring, group members not given individual responsibility, and assessment method. The taken actions to improve students’ participation were creating awareness, distribute project guidelines, assigning roles, monitoring group members’ participation, and prepare assessment criteria. After the implementation of the actions and there is a great change in the participation of students in the group project work.

student's participation in the classroom. To collect data, both interview and observation methods are used as a data-gathering tool. To improve student's participation in a classroom different action strategies were taken such as give advice, changing the seating arrangement, positive reinforcement, and using active teaching methods. The author has been used both quantitative and qualitative research approach and the data was analyzed by using Microsoft Excel. The findings of their study put into three categories such as level of participation, the teaching method of the instructor, and problems of students. Regarding this, the author increases the behavior of students actively participates in the classroom.
This case study (Fesiha M. Guangul, 2018) has present improvements in student's participation in classroom group tasks. These authors have introduced different techniques to improve student's participation in classroom group tasks. Carpentry and Joinery II (WT-392) course was selected from Wood Technology Department. The selected course was taken by 27 students and five groups were formed. The authors have prepared ten group tasks. The five tasks were distributed on the first day to the group members without introducing the techniques. On the other day, the remaining five group tasks were distributed to the same group and eight techniques were introduced to enhance student's participation in classroom group tasks. Before implementing the techniques only 10(37%) of students were able to summarize the class group task satisfactory from the groups. However, after implementing the techniques 24(89%) students have summarized their group tasks satisfactory.

Methodology Data Collection Tools:
The authors used questionnaires and observation data gathering tools. The questionnaires contain both open-ended and Likert rating scale closed-ended questions which were developed based on the objectives of the study. Sampling Techniques and Sample Size: This study used, purposive sampling technique to select all second-year IS department students from first-year to fourth-year students. Advanced Database Systems course was selected from the Information Systems Department at Wolkite University. The total number of Section A and Section B second-year students that take the selected course was 65 and the authors were selected, 65 students. The number of Section A and Section B students is 35 and 30 respectively. There are 13 groups and each group has five members. In total, 65 questionnaires were distributed to all second-year Information Systems students, and 61 were appropriately filled. Research Method: In this study, the authors used a descriptive research method such as a percentage. Also, both qualitative and quantitative research approach has been used to provide more comprehensive answers to the research questions. Data Analysis: After the data is collected from the respondents, the authors used descriptive statistics method to analyze the data by using SPSS 20.0.

Data Analysis and Finding
In this section, the authors presented the results from the key close-ended questions in the survey form. The findings of the study answered that 49.2% of students strongly agreed and 26.2% of students agreed that preferred group project work because which gave them more chance to share knowledge and skills. Also, 4.6% of students strongly disagreed and 9.2% of students disagreed with group project work because a large number of students were not participating in group project work. The remaining 4.6% of students were neutral with group project work.
The study answered that 9.2% of students strongly agreed and 46.2% of students agreed on group project work as the best student assessment method. About 4.6% of respondents are neither agreed nor disagreed and the remaining 7.7% of respondents strongly disagreed and 26.2% disagreed with the group project work assessment method.
About 38.5% of students stated five group projects were done by group leaders only. The remaining four group members will come to learn from the group leaders after the project was completed without any involvement. Also, about 46.2% of students stated that six group projects were done with only two students participation and the remaining three students did not participate until the project was completed. Moreover, about 9.2% of students stated that one group project has six group members, this project worked with only three students' participation. The remaining two students did not participate until the group project was completed. The remaining 6.2% of respondents not appropriately filled the questionnaires.
Here below, the authors presented the results from the key open-ended questions in the survey form. The respondents frequently answered the problems that occurred interacting as a group member are an absence of group members, lack of interest, shortage of time, late during discussion time, and disagreement. Sometimes the group leaders are careless and not motivate their group members. Also, some group members are not easily understanding the project.
As the respondent mentioned most of the time a large number of students consider group project works is the responsibility of group leaders. Most of the time group projects are done by the group leaders and other group Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol. 11, No.13, 2020 51 members are ready for only what the teacher could ask them during project presentation. A large number of student needs only mark but not knowledge and skill from the given group project.
In another open-ended questionnaire, the group members don't understand the benefit of working together. Since the lack of monitoring, the task is not divided, individual responsibility not given to each group member, the assessment method, and the project are given to the students around at the end of the semester. In many cases, the group leaders don't give an assignment and role to the group members. A large number of respondents frequently stated that these factors as the main factor that hinders student's participation in group project work.
The authors investigated the preference of current group member's arrangements in group project work. The current group arrangement is based on a 1 to 5(one to five) principle i.e. each group has four group members and one group leader. To implement a 1 to 5 group arrangement principle, first, the student with high academic performance and high CGPA is selected as a group leader. Then, select the student with medium academic performance and medium CGPA and then select the student with low academic performance and low CGPA. This group arrangement helps the student to share knowledge and skill. According to this, most respondents have preferred the existing group arrangement.
The authors have identified the factors that hinder IS second-year student's participation in a group project work. As per the response of the majority of the respondents, the following factors have been stated frequently as factors that hinder students to participate in group project works: Shortage of time, lack of awareness, lack of interest, lack of monitoring, group project tasks are not divided, group members not given individual responsibility and group evaluation have a higher mark than individual evaluation.

Implemented Actions
In this study, the authors have implemented five actions to improve IS second-year student's participation in group project work. The implemented actions are creating awareness, prepare project guidelines, assigning roles, monitoring student's participation and contribution, and assess the student both individually and in the group. Creating Awareness: the first implemented action was creating awareness about the benefit of participating actively in group project work. So that the authors prepared notes about group project work purpose, benefit, and the outcome of working effectively in a group project. Preparing and Distribute Group Project Guideline: The second implemented action was preparing and distributing project guidelines that cover all chapters of the course. This makes it easier to do the project step by step, to give an assignment to the group members, to monitor the group project progress, and to evaluate group member's contribution to the project. Assigning Roles: The third action was identifying and assigned roles to each group member such as group leader, facilitator, reporter, recorder, and checker. The roles of the students have been assigned depending on the goals of the group project work and the size of the group members. Monitoring Students' Participation and Contribution: the fourth implemented action was monitoring group member's participation and contribution to the group project work. Also, monitor student's discussion points to record what they did during their meeting and record the assignment given to each group member for the next group work meeting. Assess the Students' Individually and in the Group: the fifth implemented action was evaluating the students both individually and in the group. The advanced database project work total load was 20 points(mark), from this individual evaluation has 15 points and group evaluation has 5 points. This implemented action planned to evaluate the students both individually and in a group.

Implementation of the Actions
After identified the five most appropriate actions, the authors have implemented the actions in the middle of the semester. One semester has sixteen weeks or four months' length. The authors have randomly observed the number of participant students in each group project work before implementing the actions for two months.
First, the authors taught the student what group project means and the purpose, benefit, and mechanisms of group project work to create awareness and motivate them. Also, I taught each student to understands the group project, the purpose of the project, the learning objective, the knowledge, and the skills that need to be developed through group project work. Give training and advice to create awareness and motivate the student on the group project work.
In the second action, the authors selected an advanced database systems course and this course has six chapters. Then authors have prepared questions starting from chapter one to chapter six. Then write each question sequentially, this helps the student to understand the project questions easily. After this, the researchers distributed the project guideline to the student and taught what they will do in each step of the given project manual within their project. Also, prepared sample project based on the prepared advanced database project manual. Moreover, when the instructor taught in the class have indicated that what the student include in their project. Additionally, in each session, the course instructor randomly asked one group project title and give direction to what they include Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol. 11, No.13, 2020 52 in their project.
In the third action, the authors have assigned a role to each group member. The assigned roles are the group leader, facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, and checker. The top scorer student assigned as a group leader that leads all group members, activities and gives an assignment to the group members. The facilitator role this role can be assigned to any group members that keeps the group on task tries to create a positive group atmosphere and do the given assignment to the next meeting. The timekeeper that keeps deadlines of the project, makes sure meetings start on time, prepare a schedule, make sure the tasks completed within a given time, and do the given assignment. The recorder takes notes summarizing group member's discussions, keeps all necessary records, serves as a group spokesperson, and does the assignment for the next meeting. The checker that checks to make sure all group members understand the project and the group's conclusions and do the assignment for the next meeting.
In the fourth action, the authors prepared a monitoring form to monitor the group member's participation and contribution to the group project. The monitoring form has an attendance sheet to take the active participant group members' attendance, 10 questions to evaluate the group member's contribution to the project, and group member's discussion points.
In their first meeting, the group leaders give an assignment for each group member to submit in the next meeting from the project guideline. The timekeeper prepared a schedule and set deadline, the recorder records each group member assignment and role. In their next meeting, each group member submits their assignment to the group leader and discussed it together. The checker checks whether the group member did their assignment or not. After this, monitor and evaluate the group member's contribution to the group project from a very low contribution to a very large contribution.  2  3  4  3  3  3  3  Group 3B  1  5  5  5  5  5  5  Group 4A 3  4  5  5  5  5  5   Group 4B  1  5  5  5  5  5  5  Group 5A 2  3  3  4  3  3  3  Group 5B  1  5  5  5  5  5  5   Group 6A 1  2  5  5  5  5  5  Group 6B  2  3  3  3  3  3  3  Group 7A 2  5  5  5  5  5  5 The authors have implemented the prepared individual and group presentation evaluation methods. The evaluation criteria, the project manual, and sample project work were distributed for each student. The group work evaluation criteria have individual evaluation criteria with 15 marks and group evaluation criteria have 5 marks. The advanced database systems course project manual has 34 steps the student must know each content of their project. Because during presentation time the presentation portion was given randomly to each student by their examiner teacher from their document. And each student has presented the randomly given project portion for a 10 minute.

Evaluation of the Actions
In this section, the authors evaluated the changes as a result of the actions taken, the practice changed and the students benefit from the actions. After implementing creating awareness and advice actions the students were understood the purpose of the project, the significance of working in a group project and the skills and knowledge's that need to be shared among group members. Regarding this, a large number of students were interested and motivated to do in group project work.
As the authors evaluated, a large number of students have preferred the advanced database systems course project guideline. After implementing the group project guideline, the group leaders can give assignments easily, give responsibility to the group members easily, and minimize the group leader's workload. Furthermore, the course instructor can easily monitor their progress and makes the group members actively participate in group Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol. 11, No.13, 2020 53 work.
As the authors observed and evaluated assigning a role certainly improves student's participation in group project work. The assigned roles have created a positive atmosphere among group members, enhanced student's cooperation, and complete the given assignment on time. When students are working in groups without a designated role there are possibilities of spending their time on unrelated issues and may depart from the topics; so the presence of the designated roles is very important. Also, the assigned role improved students' group work skills, make each group member responsible, know their performance, improved student's communication skill, and improved their knowledge and skill sharing.
As the authors observed, before implementing monitoring actions only, the group leaders were asked about the project and related issues in the class and the office. However, after implementing monitoring action, the students participate actively and contribute to the project. Also, large numbers of students were asked questions about the project in the class and the office. The student who has a group leader and recorder role has submitted their project progress, group member's participation, and contribution monitoring from the course teacher based on the schedule.
As the authors observed and evaluated, after applying the individual and group student's assessment method. And the students have presented the randomly given portions by their examiner. Each student has present the given project portion for 10 minutes and the student was given attention to the project because individual evaluation has a higher mark than group evaluation. This action has motivated each student to actively participate and contribute to the group project. The table below shows the evaluation of the number of participants before implementing the actions and after implementing the actions.  Table 2 the participation of students in group project work showed significance enhancement after implementing the actions than before implementing the actions. Before implementing the actions 38.5% of students stated five group projects were done by group leaders only. The remaining four group members will come to learn from the group leaders after the project was completed without any involvement. And about 46.2% of students stated that six group projects were done with only two students participation and the remaining three students did not participate until the project was completed. Moreover, about 9.2% of students stated that one group project has six group members, this project worked with only three students' participation. The remaining two students did not participate until the project was completed.
However, after implementing the actions 61.5% of eight projects were completed with the participation of all group members. In other words, 40 students working in eight groups, all actively participated in their group projects. The three group projects were done by four students, but one student in each of the three groups did not participate until the project was completed. One group project was undertaken by three group members and the other two members of the group did not actively participate within their group project. The remaining group project was undertaken by two group members only and the other three members of the group did not participate. The result indicates that the implemented actions motivate, interested, and responsible students in group project work. As the evaluation showed, the of five actions have improved the involvement of Information Systems second-year students in group project work.

Conclusion
Group project work is a tool to share knowledge and skills in higher education. The authors have investigated literature and identified data collection tools, research approaches, and research analysis methods and data analysis tools. Following prepared the questionnaires and distributed to all 65 Information Systems second-year students, and collected properly filled questionnaires for analysis. Next, analyze quantitative data, descriptive statistical analyses of percentage were calculated using SPSS. After this, the study identified that the major factors that hinder student's participation in group project work from the qualitative data. The identified factors that hinder students' participation were a shortage of time, lack of interest, lack of awareness, lack of monitoring, group members not given individual responsibility, and poor assessment methods.
The study obtained about 38.5% of students stated five group projects were done by group leaders only. And about 46.2% of students stated that six group projects were done with only two students' participation. Moreover, about 9.2% of students stated that one group project has six group members, this project worked with only three students' participation. Next, the authors have taken five actions to improve the student's participation such as created awareness, prepared project manual, assigned roles, monitor group member's participation, and contribution, and prepared group and individual evaluation criteria. After implementing the actions 61.5% in eight group projects all group members have participated and 23.1% in five projects four group members actively participated. After the actions were implemented and there is a great change in the participation of students in the group project work. after implementing the actions 61.5% of eight projects were completed with the participation of all group members. The three group projects were done by four students. One group project was undertaken by three group members and the remaining one group project was undertaken by two group members only. As the evaluation showed that, the actions have increased students' participation in a group project work. Future work will focus on analyzing students' individual and group results in group project work and will analyze with student's participation results.