Navigating Group Conflict: Gender Differences in Emotional and Strategic Responses During Storming Phase Among ESL Undergraduates

Collaborative work is a common practice in tertiary education, enhancing learning outcomes by fostering deeper engagement and helping students upskill their potential. However, gender-related differences in emotional involvement and conflict management may influence the dynamics of group work. While students often navigate conflicts that arise during the group development stages—forming, storming, norming, and performing—collaborative work remains a valuable pedagogical approach. Given the limited studies addressing differences in perceived experiences between males and females, gender-related dynamics in group work remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to explore learners’ perceptions of group work stages across gender. A quantitative approach was employed using Tuckman’s Teamwork Survey (2016), with data collected from 176 tertiary-level students. Analysis using ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences between male and female students in managing conflict across all group work stages. Nonetheless, subtle differences were observed in emotional involvement and group conflict, suggesting gender-based variations in group interactions. These findings can assist educators in tailoring instructional strategies and scaffolding student development in conflict resolution. Future research should incorporate variables such as personality traits, cultural background, and communication styles to deepen our understanding of gendered group dynamics in collaborative learning, particularly in ESL contexts.

Group work, Collaborative learning, Gender differences, Group conflict

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