Group learning

Abstract

We clarify the construct of group learning, encouraging new directions for research. Definitions of group learning vary considerably across studies, making it difficult to systematically accumulate evidence. To reconcile disparate approaches, we first present a set of features for distinguishing group learning from other concepts. We then develop a framework for understanding group learning that focuses on learning's basic processes at the group level of analysis: sharing, storage, and retrieval. By doing so, we define the construct space, identify gaps in current treatments of group learning, and illuminate new possibilities for measurement.