Group work, or collaborative activity, gives students the chance to learn not only about the assigned course work but also about how to accomplish a task with a variety of team members.
An assignment for an environmental studies course, for example, might require you to learn about the levels of toxins in the local water supply for the past five years. As a collaborative assignment, it can help build communication and leadership skills. The group members will need to determine what tasks are required to complete the assignment, and then they will need to divide those tasks among themselves. They might have to choose leaders to coordinate their efforts.
Group work also results in a broader understanding of an issue. The group’s final report on the water supply will include contributions from all group members, much more information than a person working alone could gather.
In some writing classes, you might be required to collaborate on the writing of a paper with one or more other students. In such situations, your grade may in part depend on how well you communicate with and work with other students.
Some instructors may assign a grade to the work of a group rather than to the work of individual students. Be sure to ask questions so you understand the assignment and the grading policy.
You might find it difficult to adjust to collaborative work if you come from a culture that emphasizes individual learning or if your previous teachers did not assign group projects. But be prepared to encounter group work in college: Most instructors feel that it creates an atmosphere in which new ideas can emerge. It also serves as preparation for the professional world, where many jobs require some form of collaborative activity.
Related topics:
Class participation
Showing respect for peers
Speaking in English