Abstract:
Translated title: The intrapersonal learner's experience of co-operative learning and group work. We report on research done on how learners with a preference for the intrapersonal learning style experience group work. We expand on Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Observation of group work in Afrikaans Methodology classes at the University of Pretoria revealed that these learners tended to experience co-operative learning and group work negatively. The observations were followed up by interviews with the participants. The researchers found that the participants withdrew from collaborative learning environments and they indicated both verbally and non-verbally that group work irritated them. They preferred to complete their assignments alone and disliked the interdependence a collaborative learning situation forced on them. We conclude with the recommendation that group work should be used with care and an understanding of differences in learning styles by teachers and lecturers.
