An Investigation of Group Work through Mcclelland’s Theory

Collaborative group work is commonly practiced nowadays, and it enhances cognitive engagement among students and their social interaction. However, the outcomes often vary due to individual motivation. Motivation plays an important role in successful language learning. This study aims to explore group work using McClelland’s theory, which addresses the need for power, achievement and affiliation, as well as the relationship between these motivational needs. This quantitative study used a survey that consists of four sections as the instrument, which is adapted from McClelland (1987), Studnicka (2023) and Bateman et al. (2002). The participants in this study were 157 students from a public university. The findings show that students perceived high levels of power, achievement and affiliation in group work activities, particularly roleplay. In addition, there are strong correlations between these three types of needs, suggesting that they are closely interconnected. This study offers pedagogical insights for instructors to design language activities in group work settings to address students’ motivational needs.

Group work, McClelland’s theory, collaborative learning

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