LETS TALK ABOUT GROUP WORK!

I would like to start this blog on group work with a gratuitous song that vaguely relates to the topic if you ignore the romantic undertones. Also Jefferson Starship are amazing! Please listen whilst reading my blog. Thank you.



"AND WE CAN DO THIS THING TOGETHER
STAND THIS STRONG FOREVER
NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US NOW"

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Group work can be tricky. Each group member is coming from a different background and may have different expectations of the task. Here are a few important tips which can help any group work more effectively together:

♥ Communicate - make sure everyone is 100% clear on what the aim is, what the roles are and how the goals are to be achieved. Some people may have difficultly communicating in a group situation, so it is sometimes up to the people who are more experienced in group situations to prompt or allow the quieter ones to have their, often valuable, input.

♥ Make use of all available resources. Check in with the lecturers if needed to make sure the group is on the right track. This particularly was useful for my group in the presentation project (though we haven't had to present yet!) as there were a few points we were considering working on in-depth that ended up being less important for the specific presentation and we were guided to focus more on other areas. Without this feedback we would have wasted quite a bit of time on the wrong path so I am very grateful for our lecturers availability to help.

♥ Share the workload - an unfairly distributed workload can make for disgruntled group members which causes a negative experience for all involved. Assess how much work each part will be, and allocate accordingly. There may be small inconsistencies in the amount of work but so long as it's generally about right, then everyone should be happy.

♥ Consider each group members strengths and experience and use this information in allocating work. People like to be able to showcase their knowledge and it can make for an easier group environment if everyone is working on the section that aligns with their particular interests, plus it can be completed in a quicker time which can be a positive in some situations!

♥ Positive and constructive - make all group dealings positive and any criticisms constructive. No one likes to be told their ideas are bad or wrong, or deal with a group member who is constantly complaining about the work. While it may not be the dream project for the group, if it needs to be done a positive approach is best no matter the project.

I feel these are the 5 main points of importance and will help any team navigate the world of group work!

That and the Starship song.

Annette