Hearing “group project” is not always something that brings excitement to students. Often that phrase causes an internal groan among students. While working in groups may not be everyone’s favorite part of college or coursework, here are some tips on how to navigate group work in college to make it a better experience:
Introduce yourself
Often you are working with classmates that you may have never met before. Taking a moment to introduce yourself to those in your group can help create a more comfortable environment. This can also be a time where you can decide on the best way to communicate with everyone and to learn schedules so future meetings can be created.
Assign roles
Assigning one student to be the “group leader” gives everyone a person that they can talk to if there are any problems that arise. Assigning the leader can be done by individuals volunteering or with a group vote. This is a great opportunity to build leadership skills, which can be helpful in other classes or in future careers.
Set clear expectations
Once roles have been assigned, make sure the expectations for everyone are clear. This will help discourage slacking off in the group. Everyone will have a responsibility which will help the project to progress.
Set deadlines
While there is a deadline for the project to be completed, setting mini deadlines throughout the project will help to keep everyone on track. Create a reasonable timeline for everyone so the project can be submitted on time. Decide what needs to be done at each step and make sure that each goal for the mini deadline is specific.
Communicate and meet often
Regularly check-in with each other before each “deadline” to make sure everyone is on the same page, things are getting done, and if there are any questions that have come up since the last time you met. This will help keep the project progressing, so there are not any setbacks and if there are any emergencies that may have come up, meeting often will help other members of the group to know what needs to be done and be able to step in as needed. These meetings can be done virtually or in person. Be careful to work around everyone’s schedules, and if a group member is unable to make it to the meeting, make sure to take notes, so group members can be kept informed about new developments to the project.
Keep a positive attitude
Working as a group involves collaborating with others who may have different ideas than you do or different ways of approaching completing the assignment. Be willing to share your own ideas and listen to the ideas of others. Be confident about your project and maintain a positive attitude towards your group members.
Group work is not always easy, but following these tips can make you better prepared to complete the projects with success. Go Cougs!
