Research in Higher Education Journal Enhancing Students’ Perceptions Page 1 Enhancing Students’ Perceptions of Collaborative Projects With Pre-Group Instruction Methods Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder North Carolina A&T State University gueldenzoph@att.net Kimberly R. McNeil North Carolina A&T State University krmcneil@ncat.edu Abstract This study sought to determine whether pre-group instruction about effective collaboration would promote positive group experiences and to assess students’ perceptions about group projects. The experimental group received instruction about group dynamics, effective communication strategies, and personality styles; the control group did not. The findings suggest that pre-group instruction positively impacts students’ perceptions of group experiences; however, students’ perceptions of group projects as positive learning experiences varied greatly. No patterns emerged among students’ demographic variables. The article concludes with several teaching resources to support pre-group instructional strategies and suggestions for future research. Keywords: