Getting Into a Group Scene

So . . . continuing with my "back to school" theme (the time of year, not the movie, though that Triple Lindy was sweet), today I'm talking about group work. I include group work in some of my courses, and typically students dislike it. It also presents many headaches for me too. So why do it?

Besides the fact that I'm a sadistic jerk, I include it because most of the work that anyone does in any job includes interactions with others. Outside of lighthouse keeper or Unabomber, there aren't many jobs where you never have to work in a group situation. Sure, relying on others is a pain in the ass, but you can't do everything yourself (even I know that, and apparently I have a superman complex - though I don't get the same reaction when I wear colorful spandex). Students should learn early that they will be disappointed by their colleagues, that other people will do as little work as possible, and that coming together to reach a common goal is a painful process.

This year I'm instituting some changes in how I manage my course group work. First of all, in at least one of my courses I'm going to assign the groups myself, rather than letting the students pick them. There are advantages to letting the students pick their own groups, but two big problems. First, that's not how it works in the real world. Second, there are invariably one or two groups that are composed of those who could not form groups on their own, and they could be at a disadvantage because there is then the need for members to get to know one another, an issue that would not be present in other groups.

The second change I'm instituting is that each group must meet with me a minimum of once during the term (prior to the assignment due date). This will not only allow the students to ask questions and get guidance from me (I may not know everything, but I will be the person grading the assignments, after all), but also allow me to observe group dynamics. Too often I have only heard about intra-group problems on the day the assignment is turned in, and that is too late for me to do anything about it (even Superman couldn't go back in time, I don't count the spinning-round-the-world thing in the first movie, it was a cop out). Not that I especially want to play cop to a misbehaving group, but I also don't want five people's grades to be bad because of one disruptive member.

Which brings me to the last point about group work - assigning grades. The first time I taught a course that included a group component, I asked for peer evaluation of group members. Never again. Led to many issues, vendettas, and at least one threatening e-mail. It seems that every group agreed amongst themselves to evaluate everyone the same, and then everyone did just the opposite. I had students complaining that other group members got higher grades than them, even though they all evaluated each group member the same (which they hadn't). I had one group in which four members downplayed the contributions of the hardest-working member, because they were all friends with each other and she wasn't. Too much pettiness.

My typical way of dealing with this is to make clear at the outset of the course that all group members will receive the same grade, regardless of anything that goes on within the group. Therefore, students should choose group members carefully. However, this method is far from perfect (especially if you are imposing groups on students). It assumes all students have the same goal (to do well) and are fair-minded (hah! why should students be any different than the rest of us?). But it is the most egalitarian. Furthermore, it should provide an incentive for those who want higher marks to manage the groups and light a fire under the butts of the lazier members. Or at least do more work and cover for their coasting.

And if that isn't like working in a group in the real world, I don't know what is.