Educational literature is overflowing with testimonials, data, and research confirming that collaborative group work, at its best, produces better results (Baer 2003; Johnson and Johnson 1994; McKeachie 2002). Many claim that students enjoy group work and that it leads to both increased learning and enhanced social skills. If this is commonly known, why then do many college faculty still lecture most of the time? Some still believe lecturing is more effective, and it may be for students with particular learning styles. Some lecture because, to be frank, it's easier and it provides the teacher with a sense of control and importance. Some faculty lecture because they don't believe the literature, the basic premise that students working together can learn as much or more from each other than they can from passively listening to the expert. The two studies discussed in this paper explore the practice of group work and its efficacy in the college classroom. The first experiment examined whether groups scored higher on in-class assignments than individuals. the second experiment attempted to answer the question: Do students working in groups learn as much or more than students working individually? Both experiments were conducted in Oakland Community College's English composition classes.