Working in Groups How to strategically Navigate Group projects to ensure a successful outcome. Janelle Pass Slide #1 Hello. My name is Janelle Pass and I am an academic coach at USC’s Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity. Today we are going to talk about working in groups. They say that many hands make light work, but this can only be so if group work is set up strategically to ensure a successful outcome. Retrieved from Google Imanges 2019

Learning Objectives Understand the value of group work Implement strategies to create an effective working group Identify barriers to successful work groups and how to overcome those barriers Slide #2 The learning objectives for this presentation are to gain an understanding of the value of group work, discuss strategies to create an effective working group, and finally identify barriers to successful work groups and how to overcome those barriers.

THE VALUE OF GROUP WORK Slide #3 According to Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017), working with an effective group can result in social support during stressful academic times, sharing of knowledge and diverse perspectives, and better cooperation. Additionally, they found group work to be a valuable opportunity to learn collaboration and teamwork skills. Myers, et al. (2009) observed that group work provided the opportunity to develop real life skills such as conflict management, resource management, and interpersonal communication. Retrieved from Google Images 2019

How to have a positive group experience Collaboration Flexibility Feedback Shared Responsibility Slide #4 Colbeck, et al. (2000) noted that for a group to have a positive experience, it was necessary for the members to interact interdependently, understanding that the success of the group was dependent on the coordination of group members efforts. Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017) identified collaboration, flexibility, feedback, and shared responsibility as key traits of a successful group. Retrieved from Google Images 2019 Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017)

How to create the Dream team Choose group members that are compatible and reliable Establish clear expectations of member participation Assign tasks that are aligned with each group member’s expertise Snacks Slide #5 So how do you create this dream team that will work together to achieve a shared vision? If you have the opportunity to choose your own group members, try and identify compatible group members who you know are reliable and have skills that will support your team’s success. Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017) found that clear expectations of group members and participation at the inception of the group was important. Additionally, they found that it was crucial to assign clearly delineated tasks that were aligned with each group member’s expertise along with unambiguous deadlines. It never hurts to use food as a motivation to encourage attendance and promote sociability among members. Retrieved from Google Images 2019 Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017)

Communication is key! Slide #6 Communication is a crucial part of working in a group. Hampton and El-Mallakh (2017) suggest having an initial group brainstorm, sharing phone numbers and emails, setting up groups on your phones and email, creating a method for file exchanges, and setting up skype or phone meetings when in-person meetings are not feasible. Retrieved from Google Images 2019

Barriers to effective group work Slide #7 Although group work can facilitate collaborative learning, it also has the potential to interfere with learning. Hampton and El-Mallakh cited time management and unequal contributions of group members as the greatest challenges related to group work. In fact, one of the most problematic issues that interferes with group work is the presence of a “slacker”. Meyers, et al. (2009) defined a “slacker” as a member who fails to contribute equally or equitably to a group task. They go on to note that the presence of a slacker is found to be debilitating to group work and to cause others working with a slacker to be less likely to look forward to group work. Retrieved from Google Images 2019

How to respond to slackers Don’t ignore them or work around them Confront the slacker Draw upon the strengths of the group If you have a large group, subdivide it to prevent “social loafing” to group work. Slide #8 Meyers, et al. (2009) reported that the most common solution when first encountering slackers in a group setting is to ignore them and work around them. Yet ignoring their behavior affects the group in a negative manner and results in frustration among group members that the slacker will receive the same credit for work that they did not complete. Thus, those who had worked with slackers in the past reported that they would confront them in future work endeavors. Meyers, et al. (2009) noted that working with slackers can contribute to “group hate”, which is characterized by a feeling of dread when faced with group work. It is important to draw on the strengths of the group to deliver the best product and support one another in the best way possible. One method for dealing with slackers is to address expectations as a whole and establish group norms up front. Should this not work, confronting the slacker as a group may be the best alternative. The slacker should be given an initial warning that the group is aware of their behavior. The group should inquire as to how the slacker would like to contribute. If they continue to be resistant to cooperation, the best course of action may be to assign the slacker minor tasks with frequent friendly reminders. Dembo and Seli (2016) note that with increased group size the potential for “social loafing” increases. Thus, if you have a large number of people on a group project, it may be in the best interest of the group to subdivide into smaller units to hold everyone accountable. Retrieved from Google Images 2019

references Colbeck, C. L., Campbell, S. E., & Bjorklund, S. A. (2000). Grouping in the dark: What college students learn from group projects. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 60-83. Hampton, D. C., & El-Mallakh, P. (2017). Opinions of online nursing students related to working in groups. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(10), 611-616. Meyers, S., Smith, N., Bogdan, L., Zachery, B., Thompson, M., Schoo, M., & Johnson, A. (2009). Dealing with slackers in college classroom work groups. College Student Journal, 43(2), 592-598. Slide #09 Group work can be a great opportunity to divide work and make what would be an individual project much more manageable with social support, drawing on a variety of skills and a diverse set of knowledge, and learning and gaining new perspectives from your group. Planned appropriately, group work can be very rewarding and engaging. Yes, there are pitfalls and challenges to be overcome. However, if they are addressed appropriately their impact can be minimized and the benefits of group work can be maximized.