Bentley’s GB courses love to assign group work and we have all suffered an equal amount from them. Most of the stress is brought on by the fact that our group members aren’t always ideal and the community at Bentley is always so overwhelmed with work, in general. The first (unofficial) step is acceptance: we need to accept that these group projects are going to be a part of every semester and every semester we will power through them together!
However, there are solutions to achieve a great grade and not get too stressed:
1) Take the Initiative
You cannot expect anyone else to do it. You know that awkward moment when the group gets assigned a project and no one says anything…it never hurts to be the one to start the conversation. Most of the time all your group needs is a tiny push to get the ball rolling. You’ll be surprised with the positive response.
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2) Don’t divvy out all of the work separately
We’ve all come across that group that simply splits up all of the work between the members and never meets to actually discuss the work that has been done. I have had plenty of groups like this and while the work usually gets finished, it is almost never consistent. The point of group work is to make it sound like one really great paper or one great presentation.
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3) However, don’t do the entire project sitting together in the same room
There needs to be a very cohesive balance between working separately and working together at the same time. Groups of people distract each other from a constant work flow (it’s human nature!), so it is important to assign mini-projects to each member. Then reserve a study room in the library for a couple of hours well before the project is due to make sure it sounds perfect.
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4) Use your resources
We need to remember that we go to a very high-tech school and we pay for these high-tech opportunities…so use them! We have access to the trading room, the library reference desk, the ACELAB, and tutors in every subject. All you have to do is ask and help will be on its way!
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5) That one kid that does absolutely NO work…ever.
One common problem is dealing with members that simply aren’t motivated, can’t seem to keep attention during meetings, and rely on the fact that everyone else is determined to get a good grade. Make sure he/she knows exactly what the assignment is. Sometimes the problem is as simple as not fully understanding and he/she needs some assistance. Overall, stay positive!
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6) Get to know your team!
My last piece of advice is to become friends with your other group members. There is no way you’ll do work for people you do not know or respect, and vice versa. If you’re group likes you as a person, they are more likely to help you out.
“If you can laugh together, you can work together.” –Robert Orben
Image Sources
http://cloudfront.qualtrics.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/leadership-penguins1.jpg
http://www.associatedegreeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/21377372…
http://www.schoolguides.com/collegefiles/45/Bentley_University_16.jpg
http://images.smh.com.au/2012/02/03/2934426/729monkeys-420×0.jpg http://ibcwausau.org/files/Graphics-Ministries/D3/hands.jpg