Group Work

Group work can either be really good and helpful, or it can be really bad. Communication in group work is very essential. Some key points to communication between group members is to have a layout before you start whatever project you will be doing. If you first lay out all the rules and roles that each member has, it will be much easier to see who is doing their work correctly and who is doing their work incorrectly. Last semester my teacher had told us to write rules down on when we have to meet during the week and other things along those lines. We had certain days where we would meet and all group members would have to attend those meetings. If a group member missed more than 4 meetings, he or she would be removed from the group and have to do a presentation on their own. Thankfully, my group was very hard workers and we didn't have a problem with this. Another crucial part to good group communication is to make clear what each member is supposed to do, before the project is started. This makes it easier for each group member to know what he/she is supposed to do. It is also crucial to set dates on when things are supposed to be turned in so that the whole group is on the same page and can get work done more efficiently. Some problems that I see when working with a group is having a lazy or untrustworthy group member. A group can be made up of 4 people and 3 of those people can be the hardest working people, who get their work done correctly and on time, but the 4th doesn’t do a thing. These 3 people are punished because their group member, who was assigned by a teacher, didn’t do what they were supposed to. I can also see a single member of the group doing all the work while nobody else in the group does anything. They get the praise of what this member has done but they themselves put very little time or effort into it. I think the best strategy for problem solving within a group is to not create a problem to begin with. The group needs to lay the foundation of their project before it even begins. By doing this you can hold your group members accountable for their work.