Task focus, student back grounds, and participation are probaly the most common issues. Keeping the entire group on task - not just a few students dealing the pack. Enebling the diversity of students to influence the task out come, gives more comprehensive view of the groups efforts. Lastly, developing a open format with several taske enables students to maximize participation.
I often hear this from students about previous group projects they have worked on. For the first couple of projects, I like assigning the participants different "jobs" to make sure the workload is more evenly distributed. I have found that doing this once or twice gets the "non-participants" motivated, and more often than not, they will become more involved and willing to actively participate in group projects. Seems to build their confidence, which may have been a factor involved with their lack of participation to begin with.
Denise,
we have to make sure that we, as instructors, do our part to help the groups stay on track & focused.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find that if I continuously circulate throughout the classroom during the group sessions, I can monitor the conversations better to make sure everyone is on track. Most students will not veer too far off the conversation if the instructor is close by.
Nichole ,
this is so true & I feel the emphasis needs to be on our duty as the instructor. Too often we just sit back rather than keeping on top of the groups & monitoring the activity.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The biggest challenge I have found is making sure that all members of the group are actively contributing to the task at hand. Often times, students will sit back and ride the momentum of the group. As the instructor, it is your duty to make sure that all students are participating equally.
I find that strong personalities will often times attempt to reestablish the responsibilities of other members and in effect develop “helpers†for the project rather than a team environment. When this does happen I have found it difficult to step in and reset the group focus in a way that does not appear to micro manage the project. What I try to do is to meet with the groups for updates at intervals during the project to monitor the group dynamic as well as how the projects are tracking. This has allowed me to have a much more discreet effect on refocusing the group as a whole.
Melissa,
great point made here. Much of it comes down to how clear we are with the expectations & boundaries, etc. And do we hold them accountable & monitor?
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Instructors can streamline challenges of using student groups by setting the tone and expectations up front. I have had the pleasure of creating large, effective student groups even though challenging. It is my belief that the ground rules must be established even with our non-traditional student population.
Dana,
and this is an important part of our job as instructors. Group work is not a chance for us to take a break, but rather we use this situation as much for teaching as the lecture.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree. When I assign a group assignment, I have the students draw numbers from a bowl. This minimized any favoritism or choosing of best friends in any way.
I let the students know that in the work-force you may be assigned to work with someone you have never met, or you may even find yourself working UNDER someone that you previously did not get along with.
I feel that group projects are a necessary part of learning & growing maturity levels even with adult learners.
I also provide a survey at the end of the project that is annonymous so that the students may feel more open to give feedback, positive & negative.
Making sure the group members are staying on task and the group members are sharing the work fairly.
Cheryl,
this is a great approach & demonstrates what we all need to be doing. Take every opportunity to teach our students, even in these challenges.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Getting each student do participate with equal enthusiasm. I often have a student that wants to be in a different group than that assigned, I explain that it is good to work with those you may not know well, step outside their comfort zone, that that is real world work. The student is challenged but usually comes around and really gets something out of the experience.
I have used student groups in the past for a project. I have the students rate themselves and each member of their group. Some groups work really well but there always seems to be at least one person in a group that is not pulling the weight. The group will come to me and I use this as a teaching moment. When you are in the working world and you are given an assignment and one member of your team does not do the work what are you going to do? Are you going to go to your boss or are you going to make the project work without the input of the team member? You need to complete your project. Let me also say that I will approach the individual student on the side and try to find out the reason from their non participation.
Darlene,
this is definitely a challenge with the groups. I have found that by having clear & challenging directions as well as floating around helps keep the groups focused.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Some of the challenges that I have faced personally are keeping students on task and properly and fairly evaluating group work.
Miguel ,
we as instructors need to be carefully monitoring the groups at all times for this kind of behavior.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
renita,
and within this we then have a great chance to instruct both types of students in working with others & in a group.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
There is always one student that wants to do the work or solved the problem and then give the answer to the rest. The others in the group will let that student do the work.
