How I feel about group projects...

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I had one instructor who made us have "group essay" tests in one of our last 2 courses of nursing school. When we could choose our own group, that was fine, but random groups were assigned in 4 of the 6 tests. I, as well as few others were P***** on several occasions. I am an admitted control freak, and dammit, I wanted to be in control of my grade, not whomever was doing the writing. Wooosah, it's over now, think of my happy place, think of my happy place...

That is just not ok. And that's the thing: you can put your heart and soul into it, but if your partners suck, you're screwed.

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I hate them. I've always hated them and REFUSE to assign them to my students.

:yes: Very much appreciated!!!!

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Group projects are the worst. I may be slightly Type A crazy lady though.. So maybe it's mutual and the others in my group hate me too :)

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I hate when I'm in a group and there's that one control freak that tries to do everything their way. I too have my own ideas of how things should get done but because its a group assignment, I ask input from all. I think groups should function like a democracy but there is always one know-it-all that becomes a dictator. Worst is when the dictator complains that she did all the work when she wont let others help. I'm not that assertive and if someone is dead set on having things a certain way, I usually give in to be nice. The times where I have stood up for myself have ended badly.

Group projects suck and are always a lose-lose situation. Or a lose-lose-lose situation depending on how many people are in your group.

The best case scenario is when tasks are split up and done independently then combined on presentation day.

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I hate when I'm in a group and there's that one control freak that tries to do everything their way. I too have my own ideas of how things should get done but because its a group assignment, I ask input from all. I think groups should function like a democracy but there is always one know-it-all that becomes a dictator. Worst is when the dictator complains that she did all the work when she wont let others help. I'm not that assertive and if someone is dead set on having things a certain way, I usually give in to be nice. The times where I have stood up for myself have ended badly.

Group projects suck and are always a lose-lose situation. Or a lose-lose-lose situation depending on how many people are in your group.

The best case scenario is when tasks are split up and done independently then combined on presentation day.

LOL! You would hate working with me. I had to do group projects all through school, from elementary on, and when I didn't take over and make sure everyone did their part, then fix what they screwed up, I'd get a B or C. I'd get flak from the teachers, from my parents, from my brothers, from everybody. It just wasn't worth it to me to sit back and let other people ruin my grade.

By the time I got to nursing school, I didn't even have to think about it. I had learned to streamline the process so no one got their panties too twisted, but I wasn't about to let my classmates blow my grade. At that point, I needed all the help I could get!

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I hate them. I've always hated them and REFUSE to assign them to my students.

I love you!

I think almost everyone hates them so asking that question ahead of time to use in grouping people won't change much.

We hate them. For the most part.

You get them at work too though. I was asked to work with another co-worker to update the emergency notebook that sits on the shelf gathering dust. It was made over 10 years ago. The phone numbers of people were either all wrong (no cell phone numbers; only home numbers) or people were gone.

I love the other person but the other person did not do their part and it still sits . . . waiting. I'm tempted to just do it myself but part of me rebels at that.

So, the emergency folder that no one ever looks at and that just gathers dust on a shelf is still waiting to be updated. :sarcastic:

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I hate them. I've always hated them and REFUSE to assign them to my students.

They're unfair to the student who is conscientious and is stuck with people in his/her group who are slackers. If they don't do their assigned sections of the project, what is the good student supposed to do?

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I usually am forced to become the "dictator" because when asked for ideas or volunteers of who will do what I get met with "uhh, I dunno" or complete silence. Sorry but no, that doesn't work for me. There can't be a democracy if everyone is sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the group project fairy to come along and make everything great.

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docile lacky who does what they're told.

REPORTING FOR DUTY!!!! I'll let everyone else have panic attacks over stupid stuff then when they decide what they want to do I do it. And when the thing falls apart I just shrug it off because I didn't really make any major decisions, I did the best I could, and I have other grades to make up for any problems. There were never really any problems. Just some snippy people who would go far in life if they stopped opening their mouths so much. :D Some people like to make mountains out of molehills. I don't think people liked working with me because I was working full time while going to school so I couldn't make meetings people set up and didn't get them assignments on the timeline they wanted.

I guess I just wasn't the control freak type. I just let everyone have their power trip so we can all be friends.

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Specializes in None yet..
I hate them. I've always hated them and REFUSE to assign them to my students.

There ARE angels on Earth! MeanMaryJean, I wish, wish, wish with every cell of my heart that you were the director of MY nursing program.

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Specializes in None yet..
When I was in undergrad, I HATED them because others used it to get a free ride off my good work. I had much better experiences in grad school probably because everyone there was a serious student, contributed ideas, and did their share--so there is hope.

Fast forward to now--I am the faculty, and for a variety of reasons, sometimes need to put people in groups. I know full well that the problem of freeloaders still exists, along with the type A control freaks. I have an idea I may try out this fall: I plan to ask who hates group projects and why and then put them all in the same group!

My thoughts are that this would mean that I could create a group with no freeloaders, or one made up entirely of persons who like to get things done early (or made up of procrastinators). That way, the good students will not feel put upon, and the free loaders might not be able to get by on other's work.

Do you think this might work?

My apologies if this sounds harsh, but I think group projects are for instructors who are too lazy to evaluate and grade individual projects and are looking for a way to dodge preparing lectures. At least that has been my experience. Group projects were always assigned to cover material that was on the syllabus and the exams. I've been blessed with some exceptional instructors. None of them used group projects.

Sorry, but if faculty wants students to learn to do group projects then there should be a course on group projects and skills to address the inevitable problems should be taught in the class. Oh, and the class should be an elective.

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Specializes in None yet..
REPORTING FOR DUTY!!!! I'll let everyone else have panic attacks over stupid stuff then when they decide what they want to do I do it. And when the thing falls apart I just shrug it off because I didn't really make any major decisions, I did the best I could, and I have other grades to make up for any problems. There were never really any problems. Just some snippy people who would go far in life if they stopped opening their mouths so much. :D Some people like to make mountains out of molehills. I don't think people liked working with me because I was working full time while going to school so I couldn't make meetings people set up and didn't get them assignments on the timeline they wanted.

I guess I just wasn't the control freak type. I just let everyone have their power trip so we can all be friends.

That's an interesting perspective on the people who don't show up for meetings and don't get involved. I can see how that could work.

Problem is, all my group projects DID make significant point contributions to the grade. Otherwise, I'd be on your bandwagon in a New York minute.

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