小組合作學習雖有豐碩的研究支持其成效，但近年來研究發現，運用合作學習的教師並非完全瞭解其內涵或遵循合作學習法的程序，教師可能僅是單純地將學生分組學習，尤其大學生常被假定心智已屆成熟，毋需教師多做指導或介入。合作學習固然有助於學生自發地探索學習，但也使得低期望地位或弱勢族群的學生受到更嚴重的邊緣化。本研究以訪談法為主，透過分析訪談內容探討原住民學生的小組學習經驗，訪談對象包括了7 位原住民學生及3 位較常與原住民學生合作之漢族學生。研究發現，小組合作的成員組成有原漢分隔的情況，除了族群分隔之外，工作或學習風格、學習態度及年齡等差異所造成的隔閡，也都是自由分組下的一些現象，但教師極少介入。原住民學生在離開自己所屬的系所修課時，對於分組亦存在著許多焦慮，擔心自己會面臨找不到組員的窘境。這些研究發現顯示了小組合作可能反而造成更多的相近相親，而未能實現小組合作原本意欲達成的相互提昇及促進民主包容理解等價值。

Cooperative learning has been developed and implemented for decades in the US and in Taiwan. However, recent research found that instructors who used cooperative learning or small group learning did not necessarily incorporate principles of successful cooperation. Many instructors simply divide students into groups, especially in the colleges where the maturity of their students is often assumed. Even though cooperative learning has been proven to help students’ inquiry and collaboration skills, it is possible for low status or disadvantaged students to get more marginalized within small groups with poor setup or structure. In the time of increasing demand for better teaching quality in higher education, it is the purpose of this study to gain understanding of the current practice and to enhance the knowledge of using collaborative small group learning in higher education. In the study 10 interviews and 1 focus group were conducted for data collection to understand the indigenous students’ experiences in small groups. This study analyzed the interviews from seven indigenous students and three Han students who had closely worked with the indigenous students. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative method informed by the Grounded Theory. The result showed that the segregation of ethnicity, learning achievement, learning styles and age was present and persistent. The indigenous students also expressed anxiety when it came to form groups freely in the context where they were the minority. The results provide significant information for instructors in higher education, suggesting free group formation might have impeded the purposes of collaborative learning.