A Study of Self-Confidence in Collaborative Work in the Classroom

Participating and contributing effectively to collaborative classroom settings depends heavily on students' self-confidence. It is often necessary for students to share ideas, communicate effectively, and solve problems in group settings, all of which are influenced by their level of self-confidence. Those with a higher level of self-confidence are more likely to take initiative and collaborate more efficiently, while those with a lower level may find it difficult to fully engage in the learning process. This study was conducted to investigate how self-confidence influences collaborative work among students in the classroom. The objectives of this study are to investigate learners’ perceptions of their self-confidence, satisfaction in learning, and group dynamics in classroom collaborative work, and to examine the relationships between self-confidence and satisfaction in learning, as well as between self-confidence and group dynamics in classroom collaborative work. This quantitative study utilised a 35-item survey instrument based on a five-point Likert scale, adapted from Studnicka et al., (2023), and organised into two main sections. The respondents comprised 250 students from both public and private universities in Malaysia, representing two academic clusters, namely Science and Technology and Social Science and Business. The study found that learners had high self-confidence, satisfaction, and positive group dynamics in classroom collaborative work. Students were more confident when they received support from instructors and worked actively in groups. They also found collaborative activities, such as role-play, engaging and helpful for learning. In addition, self-confidence, satisfaction, and group dynamics were strongly related to each other. The findings suggest that teachers should use more collaborative and interactive teaching methods, provide clear guidance, and create a supportive learning environment. This can help improve students’ confidence, participation, and overall learning experience.

Self-confidence, learner’s perception, collaborative work

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