Improving student learning with group assignments

Group assignments in a cooperative learning environment can improve student learning. The paper discusses the use of cooperative learning in a junior level electronics course where the students work in groups on both complex classroom problems and laboratory projects. The discussion outlines the types of assignments and presents an evaluation of the use of the cooperative learning method in this course. Although the paper focuses on the application of cooperative learning in an electronics course, the method and the types of assignments are appropriate for any problem solving course.