Assigned group work is associated with increased student motivation and perceptions of belonging in an asynchronous online physiology laboratory course.

With the rise of online instruction, a better understanding of the factors that contribute to belonging and motivation in these contexts is essential to creating optimal learning environments. Although group work is known to be beneficial to student success, few studies have investigated its role in the context of asynchronous online courses. The present study addresses this gap through a survey of 146 undergraduate students in an asynchronous online physiology lab over two semesters, one with required group work and one without group work.