Evaluating Group Dynamics through Peer Assessment during a Global Student Collaboration of Interprofessional Healthcare Education: A Longitudinal Study across 33 Universities

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluating Group Dynamics through Peer Assessment during a Global Student Collaboration of Interprofessional Healthcare Education: A Longitudinal Study across 33 Universities

AU - Sagoo, Mandeep

AU - Lam, Pak Yin

AU - Sharma, Tanvi

AU - Arora, Arisma

AU - Siddiqui, Maheen

AU - Adeniyi, Adedeji

AU - Brassett, Cecilia

AU - Noel, Geoffroy

AU - Wingate, Richard

AU - McWatt, Sean

AU - Stearns, Dana

AU - Garcia Souto, Pilar

AU - Wu, Anette

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Anatomical Sciences Education published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association for Anatomy.

PY - 2025/3/27

Y1 - 2025/3/27

N2 - With the advent of healthcare globalization, interprofessional collaboration has become increasingly important on an international scale. This longitudinal study evaluated group dynamics in the International Collaboration and Exchange Program, a global online program of students across 33 universities from diverse healthcare backgrounds, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and biomedical science. In groups of 4 to 6, participants engaged in regular discussions and projects relating to anatomy education and global health. Peer assessment was used to determine (1) whether a relationship existed between group cohesiveness and disparities in individual contribution levels and (2) whether group cohesiveness and individual contribution levels changed over time across varying group sizes. Two student cohorts were studied using the Individual Peer Assessment of Contribution methodology. Peer assessment surveys were distributed at two time points for the first (2021–2022) and second (2022–2023) cohorts, respectively, yielding 423 responses from 126 groups. Collaboration quality and effectiveness were evaluated through numerical ratings and qualitative feedback. Peer assessment is a viable tool for evaluating the dynamics of group interactions in virtual collaboration on a global scale. A reduction in group cohesiveness was associated with greater imbalances in individual contribution levels (r = −0.71, p < 0.001). Furthermore, larger groups (n = 6 students) demonstrated improved cohesiveness and equality in individual contribution levels over time compared to smaller groups (n = 4 students). This study on international healthcare student collaboration provides insights into sociocultural and educational factors impacting virtual group interactions and offers strategies for enhancing interprofessional collaborative practices in global health education.

AB - With the advent of healthcare globalization, interprofessional collaboration has become increasingly important on an international scale. This longitudinal study evaluated group dynamics in the International Collaboration and Exchange Program, a global online program of students across 33 universities from diverse healthcare backgrounds, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and biomedical science. In groups of 4 to 6, participants engaged in regular discussions and projects relating to anatomy education and global health. Peer assessment was used to determine (1) whether a relationship existed between group cohesiveness and disparities in individual contribution levels and (2) whether group cohesiveness and individual contribution levels changed over time across varying group sizes. Two student cohorts were studied using the Individual Peer Assessment of Contribution methodology. Peer assessment surveys were distributed at two time points for the first (2021–2022) and second (2022–2023) cohorts, respectively, yielding 423 responses from 126 groups. Collaboration quality and effectiveness were evaluated through numerical ratings and qualitative feedback. Peer assessment is a viable tool for evaluating the dynamics of group interactions in virtual collaboration on a global scale. A reduction in group cohesiveness was associated with greater imbalances in individual contribution levels (r = −0.71, p < 0.001). Furthermore, larger groups (n = 6 students) demonstrated improved cohesiveness and equality in individual contribution levels over time compared to smaller groups (n = 4 students). This study on international healthcare student collaboration provides insights into sociocultural and educational factors impacting virtual group interactions and offers strategies for enhancing interprofessional collaborative practices in global health education.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105001874304&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/ase.70026

DO - 10.1002/ase.70026

M3 - Article

SN - 1935-9772

VL - 18

SP - 436

EP - 447

JO - Anatomical Sciences Education

JF - Anatomical Sciences Education

IS - 5

M1 - ID ASE-24-0321.R2

ER -