Based on another thread: what do you think of group projects?

[starrzone]

If you're a student (like me!) for yourself, for your kids if you have them, or just in general, if you've done them in the past.

I've had both good and bad experiences. A good one was in a Health Psychology course I took; for our final project, we were to form groups and perform a skit using the lessons we had learned that semester. My first thought was "Oh, boy, here we go; I don't know anyone in this class and I'm going to get stuck with a dud group." In a rare move for me (since I can be super quiet and passive around people I don't know), I went up to a group of "older" students (they were all obviously 30+) and asked if I could be in their group. It ended up being the best group experience I've ever had; we set up a schedule of meeting times, people showed up every time (if someone couldn't make it, they e-mailed the group in advance), and we all got along really well. I don't think it was a surprise that we got an A on the project

A couple years later, I had an awful experience. Maybe it was because the prof picked the groups, or because we all had such different styles...but it did NOT go smoothly. People couldn't meet, they didn't do their part of the project (that they had picked themselves)...it was an experience I never want to have again. We did get a good overall mark in the end, but it was only after 1/2 the people in the group did no work, and many, MANY hours of work on the part of those who actually did participate.

 

[gina2000]

Hate 'em. They're exercises in futility. One person heads the group. organizes the group, and ultimately ends up doing a ton of extra work that the group is incapable of or disinterested in doing.

 

[paintnolish]

In general, I don't like them. I am an overachiever (at the college level) and am often times stuck with others who don't feel the same way. I end up doing the brunt of the work. I don't mind ones which allow students to choose their own groups as much, though.
At the same time, I think they provide good experiences. People have to learn to work in gropus, but I still don't have to like it!

 

[diznygirl]

I understand their purpose (teaching you how to work in a group setting) but I loathe them. Even more now that my son has started them in elementary school and we have to work around everyone's extracurricular activities to get them done.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I hate them so much! I hate leaving responsibility to people I either don't know, or cannot trust my grade with. I hate when people sit back and do nothing as well.

I'd really rather just get all the work and do it myself. That way I only have myself to blame if it doesn't get done.

ETA: I have had a teacher for A&P make groups where everyone has to do their own work, but we have to work together to find the answer. I like group work like that.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm not a fan. Dd13 ended up in a group of 3, and one kid did NOTHING. Then dd9 was in one with a friend, who's mom tends to do all of the work. Sure, it was a gorgeous representation of our solar system, but I'm the type of mom who buys the supplies they need, and they are on their own. The girls actually did a little work here, and the mom changed it (and I'm good friends with this mom).

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

I hate them. No matter what, 2 things always happen: either I end up doing all or most of the work OR someone else ends up doing the work but not letting anyone else help. There is never a happy medium! Then, we all get the same grade no matter who did what or how it was done.

 

[ksumn1]

If you're a student (like me!) for yourself, for your kids if you have them, or just in general, if you've done them in the past.

I've had both good and bad experiences. A good one was in a Health Psychology course I took; for our final project, we were to form groups and perform a skit using the lessons we had learned that semester. My first thought was "Oh, boy, here we go; I don't know anyone in this class and I'm going to get stuck with a dud group." In a rare move for me (since I can be super quiet and passive around people I don't know), I went up to a group of "older" students (they were all obviously 30+) and asked if I could be in their group. It ended up being the best group experience I've ever had; we set up a schedule of meeting times, people showed up every time (if someone couldn't make it, they e-mailed the group in advance), and we all got along really well. I don't think it was a surprise that we got an A on the project


A couple years later, I had an awful experience. Maybe it was because the prof picked the groups, or because we all had such different styles...but it did NOT go smoothly. People couldn't meet, they didn't do their part of the project (that they had picked themselves)...it was an experience I never want to have again. We did get a good overall mark in the end, but it was only after 1/2 the people in the group did no work, and many, MANY hours of work on the part of those who actually did participate.

My experiences with group projects have been just like this. On the projects where you could pick your teammates, I've always done well and loved it. I usually work with older students like me or try to get with those who are obviously engaged in class discussions not those that are sleeping, texting or chatting with their friends. On projects where the professor picks, I alwas seem to get stuck with at least half a group that doesn't care or doesn't want to participate. But most of my professers are savvy enough to mandate that each individual must do some part of the project and label it accordingly. Then we get an individual grade and a group grade that reflects our participation, and usually the group grade is much less importance than the individual grade.

 

[Jcricket Fan]

I am a 46yr. old grad. student in a counseling program and I would rather chew my own arm off then work on group projects!

There will always be slackers and workers and every one knows this so the 'grading everyone the same' professors drive me crazy.

This semester I have a 2 person project but we both will be graded on our individual portion of the project so I should be a little less bothered by this.

My DH and family are driven crazy by me when I start my "have I said lately how much I hate group project work!"

Colleen

 

[hereyago]

I am a 46yr. old grad. student in a counseling program and I would rather chew my own arm off then work on group projects!

I just spit my tea out reading that, however, i do agree with you!!!!!!! DD11 is in 6th grade and if they do group projects, it is in school where the teacher can monitor them. There are no outside group projects, thankfully. That may change as her education furthers.

I was the quiet shy girl in school, until 11th grade. So I would never really talk to other kids with project just nod or write a note. But those were still in class.

 

[Nette]

I generally hate them. I understand their importance, but like others have said, one person always ends up doing more (whether by choice or not).

That said, I had a prof in college who had the best approach to group projects. He would let everyone pick their own groups, but you could not have the same group more than once. That way, there was not a single group that would get the good grade. He was a tough teacher, but man, he was good.

 

[Sparx]

I hate them with every fiber of my being.

I've never had a good group. Never. Ever. In my entire life.

Last semester:
The assignment was a 20 minute group presentation.
One particular group member never showed up to any meetings and only came to class about half the time. When she was there she would critsize everything that came out of anyone's mouth and never offer any alternatives, just talk about how stupid our ideas were.

The semester before that:
The assignment was a 10 page paper analyzing race in greeting cards and television. One partner wrote two 2.5 page papers, the other wrote the other 2.5 page papers and they were assembled into one 10 page paper over four topics.
My partner never emailed me his part of the paper. I did the whole thing and when he showed up to class on the day it was due, he had the audacity to ask me to put his name on it. Um. No.

And thats just within the last year.

I do not appreciate them, and I have learned nothing except to do all the work myself if I have any hopes of a passing grade at all.

 

[JimmyPicker]

Those projects are awful and can very easily end terribly ~~ for all the reasons already stated.

 

[LisaR]

I generally hate them. I understand their importance, but like others have said, one person always ends up doing more (whether by choice or not).

That said, I had a prof in college who had the best approach to group projects. He would let everyone pick their own groups, but you could not have the same group more than once. That way, there was not a single group that would get the good grade. He was a tough teacher, but man, he was good.

So many people say they understand their importance but I have to admit, I don't. I have never had a job where I have had to truly work with a group and neither has DH. We have both had projects where someone needs to do step 1 before the next person can do step 2. We have also done brainstorming sessions with a group. When we have worked in a true group setting, everyone seems to have their actual task spelled out for them. I am not saying there aren't any jobs that require group projects to be done the way a school "prepares" you for them, but I think they are few and far between.

Look at it this way, how many posts do you see on The Dis from adults complaining about group projects at work?

 

[Cooky]

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[Sparx]

So many people say they understand their importance but I have to admit, I don't. I have never had a job where I have had to truly work with a group and neither has DH. We have both had projects where someone needs to do step 1 before the next person can do step 2. We have also done brainstorming sessions with a group. When we have worked in a true group setting, everyone seems to have their actual task spelled out for them. I am not saying there aren't any jobs that require group projects to be done the way a school "prepares" you for them, but I think they are few and far between.

Look at it this way, how many posts do you see on The Dis from adults complaining about group projects at work?

I also can say that I do not understand their importance. Lets put it in the job/school parallel. I do all the assigned homework (work) and I get a grade (pay). In a job, if you don't do what you're responsible for, you get fired. None of my bad group members have ever been expelled. Most of them didn't even suffer with their grade (since the professors graded everyone in the group the same) so no, I do not understand their importance at all.

 

[worm761]

I hate them. We sort of homeschool DS. He goes to a virtual school. They have projects where they need partners. Here is the problem with that: everyone works at their own pace! and it is all done online. He had to wait over a month for a partner to do his science project. He would have been completely done with school for the semester in all subjects by May 5th had it not been for the fact that he was waiting on a partner. Then when he found one, the kid wouldn't respond to emails. So we call. Every time we call, he is sleeping. Ok. Move on and find another partner. This one responds to emails but doesn't really get the assignment. It wasn't hard. These kids are in 8th grade. The assignment was to choose a planet and tell about a fictional alien race that would live on that planet. You had to research what kind of environment they had, what they could export. What have you. Anyway, after 2 weeks of her just not getting it, I told him to just do the whole assignment. At that point, they only had 4 days left to get it in. She will get graded on his work. But at least he got the work done.

I have had to work with other people and I think that is the purpose of group projects. Simply to teach us to work with other personalities. I don't think it is to prepare our kids to do group projects as adults.

 

[KandD]

Hate them, always have, always will. I am in graduate school, in high school they were pretty terrible but once I got to college they were impossible. When I was an undergrad I worked full time and took mostly night courses. Most of the students lived on campus and did not have 9-5 jobs so meeting to complete the projects was impossible and I always ended up having to take time off from work. And of course there is always someone who does all the work and someone who does none of the work.
I have a class I am taking now where the professor has us do little mini assignments in groups but they are IN CLASS assignments. Honestly I really enjoy them. You get to know your classmates a little better, they break up the lecture, and you don't have to meet outside of class!

 

[Cat0727]

Hate them, always have, always will. I am in graduate school, in high school they were pretty terrible but once I got to college they were impossible. When I was an undergrad I worked full time and took mostly night courses. Most of the students lived on campus and did not have 9-5 jobs so meeting to complete the projects was impossible and I always ended up having to take time off from work. And of course there is always someone who does all the work and someone who does none of the work.
I have a class I am taking now where the professor has us do little mini assignments in groups but they are IN CLASS assignments. Honestly I really enjoy them. You get to know your classmates a little better, they break up the lecture, and you don't have to meet outside of class!

100% agree with this. I began to despise group projects even more so once I got to college. I was in the same boat as you- I commuted and worked and most of the students dormed and were not working. Every time a professor announced a group project I'd scream a little inside my head They were so, so annoying!

 

[MushyMushy]

So many people say they understand their importance but I have to admit, I don't. I have never had a job where I have had to truly work with a group and neither has DH. We have both had projects where someone needs to do step 1 before the next person can do step 2. We have also done brainstorming sessions with a group. When we have worked in a true group setting, everyone seems to have their actual task spelled out for them. I am not saying there aren't any jobs that require group projects to be done the way a school "prepares" you for them, but I think they are few and far between.

Look at it this way, how many posts do you see on The Dis from adults complaining about group projects at work?

My husband has been doing group projects through his job for at least 10 years. He doesn't complain really. Just a fact of life for him.

Anyway, in college they were a mixed bag for me. Doing my undergrad, they were the bane of my existence! You could never find a good time outside of class to work with the people, plus since I was an older student and commuted, it was always a huge hassle. I was always among those doing the bulk of the work, which I didn't mind THAT so much because I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to projects.

In grad school, my groups were great. I never had a bad group in grad school.

One question I have for people whose kids are doing them in school, have your kids ever actually had to meet outside of school? Because that's not the way it's generally done here. Any group project done in school is done in the classroom and is strictly overseen by the teacher. I've never seen kids punished with a bad grade because of any other student not pulling their weight.