Successful Group Work. Group work is a very common type of assignment In American universities. Teams of students are asked to work together to create something that helps them use the principles that they're learning about in class. Together they produce a project, report, or presentation. That is handed into the teacher and often shared with the whole class. The project may get a single grade for the whole group. So it's important for everyone to work together to be successful. Learning to work well in a group, is an important skill in university classes and also in your future career. In almost every profession, people need to work in teams to make decisions, do research, complete projects or create new products. Group work in class has many advantages compared to working alone. Besides being good training for your future career, it lets the members of the group put all their strengths and skills together. To come up with a better result than any of them might have been able to produce alone. Also, it allows the group to divide up the tasks that need to be done so that each person's load is lighter. And it gives you a chance to get to know some of your classmates better. But group work isn't always easy. There are some challenges. You can't always do things exactly your way when you work in a group. Sometimes you have to compromise and accept someone else's ideas. Communication and coordination can be tricky. The group has to make sure everyone knows the plan and understands what they need to do. Group work can take a lot of time for meetings and planning. And you have to rely on others to do their part of the project and that doesn't always happen. So, how can we make group work go more smoothly? Group work requires collaboration. Everyone must be willing to work together. It requires equal commitment. With all members being accountable for doing their own part and making sure the project gets done on time. It requires good communication. Everyone should be honest and straightforward sharing their ideas and concerns. And group work goes much more smoothly if group members each have a clear role. Who will be the leader? Who will keep notes about what the group decides? Who will be in charge of getting supplies or materials? All members should know what they're expected to do, so that they can get the job done. In short, everyone must work as a team. To keep the project from seeming overwhelmingly difficult, break the work up into steps or pieces. Who will be in charge of each part. Set goals and a timeline for completing each part and don't procrastinate. Waiting until the last minute to start working on a project, is a sure path to disaster. To make group work go smoothly, support and encourage other group members. Group work shouldn't be a competition. Try to see that every member has a chance to make a strong contribution. All voices need to be heard. But what if someone doesn't want to participate? They might not like the topic, or the assignment. Or they might be thinking, I don't know what to say, or my English isn't very good. They might even think the other students are better than me. You can encourage hesitant students, or yourself, if you're feeling a bit shy to take it one step at a time. If the whole project seems like too much, just look at the first step you have to accomplish. After that, do the next step before long you'll be finished. Also, remember that you don't have to be perfect, nobody is after all. If you make a mistake, just try to learn from your mistake and do better next time. If you want to encourage someone to participate, you might say some of these things. And what do you think? Do you have something to add? We'd like to hear your ideas. But what if someone participates too much and tries to take over the discussion and the planning? Or someone talks so much that the others don't have a chance to say anything. Or nothing gets done at all. This isn't helpful in getting the work done. So you may have to talk to this person about how his actions are affecting the group and its work. You don't want to be rude of course. So you might say, we appreciate your ideas, but let's hear from everyone. Or let's make sure we hear everybody's ideas. Or you could just ask a different member and what do you think? Another strategy you can use to encourage everyone to participate. Is to suggest taking some time to think before anyone gives their ideas or any decisions are made. You might say, let's take a few minutes to think and then we can all give our ideas. Or let's brainstorm and hear all the ideas before we decide what to do. And what should you do if you disagree? After all sometimes your opinion may be different from someone else's. It's good to listen carefully and be open to other people's ideas. Maybe they're saying something you hadn't considered. Also ask questions to find out more or to clarify what the other person is saying. You might say, I hear you saying that, is that correct? Or did I understand your point? Sometimes you'll want to give your opinion strongly, but without seeming rude. one way is to use this pattern yes, but. If you acknowledge the other person's opinion before giving your own, you have a stronger chance of being heard. You could say, that's a good point, but I think... I see your point but don't you think that... I agree, but we also need to look at.... I see what you mean, but how about, In a university setting, you'll often find yourself working with group members from different countries, cultures and language backgrounds. This can be a great learning opportunity, if you approach it positively. Be aware that group members expectations and assumptions may be different from yours. Don't be judgmental, but assume good intent on the part of group members. If you're not sure what the expectations of others are, it's good to talk about it. You can all benefit from learning to work well with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Be ready to learn and expand your horizons through group work.
