Analyzing Learner Characteristics, Undergraduate Experience and Individual Teamwork Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Toward Identifying Themes to Promote Higher Workforce Readiness Page: 9

                                
ties (King & Furrow, 2004). Woolcock and Narayan (2000) described the concept of
linking social capital as a way to alleviate poverty. According to Pascarella, Pierson,
Wolniak, and Terenzini (2004),
Since first-generation students are likely to enter college with a lower stock of
cultural/social capital than their peers, one might anticipate their levels of
academic, and perhaps even social engagement, during college will function in
ways that may help them make up for this deficit. (p. 245)
Collaborative Learning
"Collaborative learning is in line with constructivist theories based on the seminal
works of Piaget and Vygotsky" (Draskovic, Holdrinet, Bulte, Bulhus, & VanLeeuwe,
2004, p. 451). Vygotsky's theory is a social-cultural cognitive theory that emphasizes
how culture and social interaction guide cognitive development. When students of
various performance levels work together toward a common goal, the instructional
method is referred to as collaborative learning (Gokhale, 2004). Student success is an
interdependent factor. Interpersonal communication and technical skills are improved by
collaborative work environments that are similar to those experienced in the
professional environment (Yazici, 2004). An important outcome to consider in team
learning is the relatively permanent change in the team's collective level of knowledge
produced by the shared experience of the team members (Ellis et al., 2005).
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this multiple case study was to analyze learner characteristics,
the higher education environment/undergraduate experience, and the job/skills
associated with individual teamwork KSAs of students from a senior cohort of the TRiO