Can Peer Group Design Improve Engagement in Online STEM Courses? The Role of Motivation to Lead

Peer interaction is important for student engagement and success in higher education and becomes even more critical in online STEM education, where limited interaction can undermine motivation and belonging—key factors for success in rigorous STEM coursework. Despite the widespread use of peer group activities to foster collaboration, there is limited understanding of how to effectively form peer groups to optimize interaction and engagement. Prior research on group dynamics suggests that leadership disposition—a non-cognitive trait reflecting a student’s tendency to lead in teamwork—can lower coordination costs and improve group engagement. Thus, we hypothesize that diversifying peer groups based on leadership dispositions enhances group interaction and learning outcomes. To test this hypothesis, a randomized controlled trial was conducted in a large online STEM course, where students studied together in groups. Students were assigned either to a control condition with randomly assigned peers or to a treatment condition with peers diversified by leadership dispositions. The results indicate that students in the treatment condition demonstrated significantly higher levels of participation, interactions, and satisfaction. Analysis of conversational data from group interactions further shows that treatment students displayed higher levels of leadership and a more positive tone in discussions. Finally, underrepresented minority (URM) students in the treatment condition showed particularly pronounced improvements in group participation, satisfaction, and sense of belonging. These findings suggest that structuring peer groups to include diverse leadership dispositions can enhance engagement. More broadly, this low-cost, scalable intervention offers a promising approach to improving collaboration in various contexts.