Home / Instructional Strategies / Active Learning Techniques / Assigning Group Work (That Works)

 

February 19, 2018

Students hate group work. From meetings with no agendas to students who stop showing up and projects in which one person completes all of the tasks, the list of complaints feels interminable. Unfortunately, the issues plaguing student groups can haunt us throughout our lives. Anyone who has endured a 90-minute meeting without a clear purpose and half the invitees absent can attest that group pains continue years after graduation. The Teaching and Learning Services team feels your pain.

Students hate groups, faculty dislike managing them, so why not throw in the towel? Because life continues to require group work. Employers rank group work as one of the most important skills, and participation as an active member of civic life frequently requires the ability to work well with others. So how do we teach students to work successfully in groups?

Luckily, with the proper setup, work assignments, and processes, groups can be constructive, creative, and beneficial. To accomplish this, students need to know how to work together. Fortunately, Teaching and Learning Services offers resources and workshops to support group work, team development, and cooperative learning.

Don’t see a group work session coming up or can’t attend during the scheduled times? Request a workshop or schedule a consultation with our staff.