Let’s be honest here – a group project is not anyone’s favorite thing to do. Getting told that a group project has been assigned can be a student’s worst nightmare.
Being in a group project is typically categorized as being in a “good” or “bad” group. Having to be a leader in a bad group is a task that no one wants to do, but it has to be done. When it comes to a group project, there are pros and cons that play a hand in if the project is going to succeed or not.
PROS
Different perspectives: A group project can bring in different perspectives from group members. This is nice when one person may be stuck on figuring out what to do on the project, but another member has a great idea to bring to the table.
Shared workload: It is nice to be able to evenly divide work between group members, and not have a large workload put on one person. This can help make the project more manageable.
Accountability: Having group members holds people more accountable to get tasks done. Being in a group should make a person want to work harder so everyone can get a good grade on the project.
Skills: Being in a group project helps build skills that will be used in a future job. Communicating, actively listening, problem-solving and taking criticism are all skills that can be learned by having a group project.
CONS
Arguments: Sometimes while being in group projects, arguments can occur. One member may feel very strongly about an idea, while another may feel strongly against it. Situations like these do take place.
Unequal work: Splitting up the tasks that need to be done for a group project can be difficult. It can be annoying to be the person who is doing the majority of the work when everyone is getting graded the same.
Meeting times: When finding a time to meet outside of class to work on a group project, it can be hard for busy college students to make time in their schedules. Everyone has commitments at different times such as work and sports that can cause scheduling issues.
Different personalities: Having different personalities in a group can either work well together or clash. Having all strong personalities in a group can lead to more conflicts with everyone feeling strongly about their ideas.
There are many factors that go into group projects and these are just some of the pros and cons. It depends on each person how they with a group project. Some people’s personalities may not mesh well together.
Even when professors assign groups based on skills and people they feel will work well together, that does not always work. Being able to pick groups especially while being in college would be beneficial to many students.
Personally, I prefer to work on my own over working in a group. This is how I have always been. Being in college though group work does happen. When I get put in a “bad” group, I try to look at the positives that the group can bring.
The question at hand is: Do the pros outweigh the cons of having to do a group project?
