Teachers and professors like to give out group projects. They say it helps develop teamwork or something like that. That's a complete bullshit lie. It does nothing for teamwork. It does develop skills where you can sense when a person isn't going to pull their weight and you are going to have to do their work for them, and it also helps those people develop the skills of picking a group member that they know will overachieve and do all the work for them so they can sit back and relax. That's what it does.
It also creates a larger assignment where one person ends up doing all the work, while the others pretend like they're doing all the work, and perhaps they contribute a scattering of information, but for the most part, the brunt of the work is left to the smart, hardworking, or, if you're in college, jobless group member. Usually, it ends up being me, because I end up getting exasperated with the other people waiting til the last minute to start, then not contributing much. In fact, I get the feeling one of my group members from the past has gotten a failing grade on a project we did together because I was persistent through the semester in letting the professor know what was going on, and she could see it when we were working. Thankfully. But not all professors are like that.
Sometimes, they make ways to circumvent this, like "oh, well you won't have to speak during the presentation, how does that sound?" OK, so you've cut yourself, what, 5 minutes of work compared to my research and preparation of a PowerPoint presentation and usually a paper and bibliography to accompany it? Sure, that's fair! Or I'll get "I'll put together the PowerPoint if you just give me all the information!" Ok, so I gather all the information, and you'll just put it on the screen for me? How nice of you!
It has made me have a very bitter taste for group projects. I tried to get into another group for this one, but the others already had their idea in place and were vigorously working, and I didn't have any choice left. I knew when they tried to put me out of the group that they would do this to me. I don't know; they may already have something put together behind my back, because they're pretty close friends, and when they turn it in, they'll make it look like I didn't do any work at all on it because I'll be clueless as to what I'm doing. Yea, that would suck too.
Alas, I have to learn to work with groups. I have no problem with working with groups, so long as the other people are pulling their weight too. I've had a few that had everyone pulling their weight, and the outcome was fantastic! This doesn't seem to happen very often, though, and it's depressing when you realize after a few weeks that your group isn't going to do anything, and you'll just have to pick up the dead-weight.
This means that my last few weeks, I've got a huge project to complete, by myself basically. They've got the summary of the idea, but they haven't contacted me at all, and all they have is an outline of the idea. They have no sources, no structure, nothing. I'm disappointed.
Last tidbit of information: My last social work class that I have to attend is August 9, and my final for abnormal psych is August 11. I have 18 days, 12 hours left until I'm done with my classes. YAY!!!!!!!
Deuces,
6 comments:
I hate group projects. The last one I did was a complete failure because everything had to be inputted onto one computer (I'm a Information Systems major). The student who was least able/whiling to meet with the group demanded we let him do the inputting and then complained to the instructor that he was doing all the work.
I usually end up the one picking up the slack. I just don't like that others get the opportunity to claim the credit for the work I've done. Usually when I say something it's overlooked.
I am a teacher and I rarely ever give group projects. I do pair students up sometimes, but I doubt I would do that with adults. I'm with you though, I hated group projects in college.
Pairing isn't so bad unless you get that one student who never shows up...but then you can be like "hey prof, my partner's not here again" and it's easier to back up when they're not participating. Groups just suck because they stand up for each other and say they're all participating.
I'm not a fan of groups because there is usually that ONE person who doesn't want to do a thing. Drives me nuts.
I'm thinking I'll have to go to the professor with (yet another) this one. *sigh* as if I don't already have enough going on...I have a midterm this week too...fun stuff *smh*
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