Try Before You Buy: Are There Benefits to a Random Trial Period before Students Choose Their Collaborative Teams?

The cognitive and performance benefits of group work in undergraduate courses depend on understanding how to structure groups to promote communication and comfort while also promoting diversity and reducing conflict. The current study utilized social network analysis combined with self-reported survey data from 555 students in 155 groups to understand how students identified group members whom they wished to work with. Students' willingness to work with their peers was positively associated with behavioral traits pertaining to attention, participation, and preparedness in class.