Effectiveness of group work among the final radiography students of the National Diploma

Abstract

Background: Group work is employed in higher education institutions to foster communication, collaborative learning, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. The rationale behind group work as a learning strategy is to ensure that graduates are equipped with teamwork skills.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish whether the final-year radiography students of the National Diploma curriculum in three universities in South Africa were exposed to effective group work.

Setting: The study was conducted in three universities in South Africa, all of which offer diagnostic radiography programmes.

Methods: This study used a non-experimental descriptive design to collect data. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. This was an attempt to conduct a census on 167 students, out of which 124 students responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 74.25%.

Results: The findings show that the majority (n = 81; 66.9%) of students did not enjoy group work, as 101 (81.5%) of them preferred less group projects. The results further demonstrated that participants rated factors such as co-operation, leadership, choice, diversity and effectiveness of group work neutral on the Likert scale.

Conclusion: The study results imply that factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of group work should be incorporated into group activities in order for student radiographers to be exposed to effective group work. The gaps identified in this study indicate the need for a follow-up study within the current 4-year bachelor’s degree in radiography.

Contribution: Identification of a gap in radiography education, which group work needs to be facilitated effectively.