The Myth of Group Projects

Here’s a foolproof way to ruin a student’s day: assign a group project. It puts in motion the undesirable search of compatibility, in which you find yourself judging the others around you. Does the girl with the glasses or the one with the neck tattoos look more dependable? Do you let your friend join the group even though she’s a slacker? These decisions hold so much weight because your grade really does depend on it. This past semester, I took an Evolution class where the group project had been worth 40% (which meant a whole month dedicated to spending time with people I was not friends with whatsoever.)  In my head, I split the members into 3 categories: the ruler, the followers, and the rebels. While the ruler was smart, she made us all feel shitty with her remarks and demands of change. Since I was more of a follower, I ended up revising my part of the project more often that I’d like to admit. However, I was also part of the rebels in the fact that I didn’t care much about what we were doing. Sure, I did my work but was it my best? Probably not.  Unfortunately, there’s this growing myth that group projects stimulate social interaction, the ability to work efficiently, and the potential to make compromises. But really they are just about tolerating people and trying not to picture punching them in the face too often. Professors need to reevaluate and not use group projects as an easy way out. Individual work showcases a student’s ability and although it takes more time to grade, it’s the better option.  

 Until next time,

 Val