Hello everyone! Ranting here. I'm taking a community nursing class this semester and we have 2 group projects to work on. Both are due mid October and I'm having one heck of a time getting my group mates to commit to a time to meet. I live 50 miles from campus and they are either in town or in dorms on campus. I've emailed the group several times and can never get anyone to agree to meet and figure out what each of us are doing for the projects. Last week one girl was going out of town, another had a job interview, one wanted to meet and two have never even bothered to email me back.
I'm getting irritated and am considering emailing the instructor. I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but I also don't want to let this go until the week before it's due, either. It's not that I'm not wanting to be a team player, but I think working as a group isn't a good idea. I don't want their lack of interest effecting my grade---the group gets a grade for each project.
What types of online tools do you have? I take classes in an online program offered by a brick-and-morter university and we have many, MANY group projects. We use Wimba Pronto, Wimba Classroom, discussion boards, blogs, wikis, email, and telephone calls to keep in touch when doing projects. If your school does not have the Wimba tools or discussion boards/blogs/wikis available to you, consider meeting via Skype.
I enjoy collaborative learning and have gotten so used to doing group projects that it seems daunting to do something completely on my own in some classes. However, I agree with the OP and other posters that the logistics of group work can be very frustrating. I hate feeling responsible for someone else's grades---if I mess up, my mistakes should reflect only on me and not on everyone else. I also dislike how sometimes group members don't feel responsible---I've had several unpleasant group experiences in which no one seems motivated to do the work and assumes everyone else will contribute---and then I have taken on extra work because someone else didn't contribute. I feel like an enabler if I do that but I also don't want someone else's slacking off to impact the grade for which I have worked very hard.
One prof told me that in her classes, students need to complete group project contracts that clearly define who takes responsibility for the work and what the consequences of not completing the work by a certain deadline would be. I think this is a great idea and that it would divide the work fairly and not leave moderating the group (and coordinating the work of the project) up to one person.
You may wish to talk to your instructor to let him/her know of the issues you are facing. Your instructor may not be sympathetic but how are instructors to know if there are problems with group learning if students don't speak up?
Moogie
1 Article; 1,796 Posts
What types of online tools do you have? I take classes in an online program offered by a brick-and-morter university and we have many, MANY group projects. We use Wimba Pronto, Wimba Classroom, discussion boards, blogs, wikis, email, and telephone calls to keep in touch when doing projects. If your school does not have the Wimba tools or discussion boards/blogs/wikis available to you, consider meeting via Skype.
I enjoy collaborative learning and have gotten so used to doing group projects that it seems daunting to do something completely on my own in some classes. However, I agree with the OP and other posters that the logistics of group work can be very frustrating. I hate feeling responsible for someone else's grades---if I mess up, my mistakes should reflect only on me and not on everyone else. I also dislike how sometimes group members don't feel responsible---I've had several unpleasant group experiences in which no one seems motivated to do the work and assumes everyone else will contribute---and then I have taken on extra work because someone else didn't contribute. I feel like an enabler if I do that but I also don't want someone else's slacking off to impact the grade for which I have worked very hard.
One prof told me that in her classes, students need to complete group project contracts that clearly define who takes responsibility for the work and what the consequences of not completing the work by a certain deadline would be. I think this is a great idea and that it would divide the work fairly and not leave moderating the group (and coordinating the work of the project) up to one person.
You may wish to talk to your instructor to let him/her know of the issues you are facing. Your instructor may not be sympathetic but how are instructors to know if there are problems with group learning if students don't speak up?