One of the courses I support as a writing fellow requires students to work in teams of 4 to 5 and write a literature review. The instructor asked me if I could do a workshop on how to work in groups, so I began outlining a presentation. I would explain why teamwork is good, then talk about the kind of problems groups might face while doing the work, and finally describe the ways in which students could make the best out it. Once I had most of my entries in place, I realized that I listed more problems with teamwork than benefits. Flashbacks of disastrous team meetings from my college days (with some members literally crying) rushed to my mind, and I remembered how much I hated it. Then, of course, I also remembered that there was no way I could have completed those assignments without the help of my teammates. Hence, in an attempt to fight my own bias, I decided to focus more on how conflicts in project groups could be solved. There are many online sources on teamwork in general and conflict resolution in study groups in particular, and some are quite helpful, but most don’t do a lot more than preaching respect and understanding for one another. Does anybody know any books, articles, websites that provide a more hands-on approach to solving conflicts in study groups?
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CAC.OPHONY is a weblog on communication-intensive instruction at the college level and its implications for students about to face the challenges of writing and speaking publicly in professional settings. CAC.OPHONY is written and edited by the Fellows of the Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute, Baruch College, City University of New York.
Baruch College is the 2008 recipient of TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award in recognition of the Schwartz Institute's outstanding faculty development programs.
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This might seem like a shameless self-promotion, but I can’t help it :o)
I just uploaded a document on teamwork into the CAC database, under “oral presentations.”
I created it based on some websites and my own experience. Maybe some part of it could be helpful for your workshop.
Reply to Yana
I, like Yana, also support BPL, which is a senior capstone course mandating two major assignments that involve teamwork. I understand your negative feelings, Nida, because my memories of undergraduate group experiences are of feeling impatient and annoyed with the whole process. However, as a Writing Fellow at BMCC I was involved in the required group process of the ‘Inquiry Project,’ which we then turned in to a paper. Working in such close quarters over a period of about 9 months, I learned quite a bit about myself and how perhaps I also can be annoying in groupwork, not just my teammates.
I have different feelings about working with teams now, and let students know that they can learn a lot about their own strengths and weaknesses. It’s also pretty cool to become aware of what other people in the group are good at and learn by observing them.
More practically, I suggest that students be open and honest about conflicts, yet tactful; that they be willing to share power among themselves; that they keep in touch throughout the process even if they divide up the work. Finally I ask their professors to post a document to Blackboard that goes over these issues and also explains how to use the “Track Changes” function in Word so that they have a way to physically share the work and show the changes they make to their group document.
Reply to Deborah