How I feel about group projects...

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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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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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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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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...

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

The group essay test, that is. Damn, I didn't think group projects could get any worse than what I've experienced but group essay? Was that like a timed essay exam? The horror....

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This thread is my personal therapy at the moment. I feel like we are in a circle reliving our nightmares together hahaha

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This thread is my personal therapy at the moment. I feel like we are in a circle reliving our nightmares together hahaha

Ain't that the truth. We should start a TV show and call it Nursing School: The Day I Realized I Don't Control Everything (cue screaming).

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I just did my part and if one person wanted to take control, I was fine with that. I did solid work, got my stuff turned in on time... but I'm no leader and never had been. I just kinda went with the flow.

If someone was feeling the need to do everyone's work over again the night before, stay up 'til the break of dawn and get it "perfect", they could have at it... I'm going to bed and I'll see you in class tomorrow :up:

Most of my groups had excellent natural leaders... one of my groups had a Ms. Bossy Pants Pushy Puss who butted heads at every turn and pitched a fit and decided to do her part of the group presentation her own way. Well, we said fine and her part of the presentation was awful. She alienated the audience with her crap and went crashing down in a ball of hell hot flames... it was the most beautiful fire I ever saw.

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The problem I find is that people do not even do their part. I'm fine if no one else wants to step up and be the leader, but please just do your part. I'm in a group project right now that's five weeks long and no one has heard from two group members in literally 3 weeks. Will their portion get done? I doubt it. But hell if I am going to do it at this point. I'm working full time, school full time, and about to pop out a baby any day now. My crap still got done in time...several days early. I feel majority of these people just sit back and figure someone else will step up and do it. And when I email I get responses days later of "I'm too busy" or "I have life issues". I need to stop ranting before I set myself off into early labor😖

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Nope, not done. Because I just had another beautiful excuse e-mail waiting for me in my inbox this morning. I had e-mailed a group member asking her to use citations on her portion and send references (you know, to avoid the whole everything she did is actually plagiarism thing..) and she basically tells me that she is unable to do so and will not do so because she has diarrhea. I'm laughing. I'm crying. I surrender.😂😭😵

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Nope, not done. Because I just had another beautiful excuse e-mail waiting for me in my inbox this morning. I had e-mailed a group member asking her to use citations on her portion and send references (you know, to avoid the whole everything she did is actually plagiarism thing..) and she basically tells me that she is unable to do so and will not do so because she has diarrhea. I'm laughing. I'm crying. I surrender.😂😭😵

Tell her not to worry, her bottom doesn't have to do any of the typing.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Nope, not done. Because I just had another beautiful excuse e-mail waiting for me in my inbox this morning. I had e-mailed a group member asking her to use citations on her portion and send references (you know, to avoid the whole everything she did is actually plagiarism thing..) and she basically tells me that she is unable to do so and will not do so because she has diarrhea. I'm laughing. I'm crying. I surrender.😂😭😵

I would've replied & told her she can citate (?) on the toilet. Suck it up buttercup, take some Imodium & finish the work! But I'm not nice. :p

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I would've replied & told her she can citate (?) on the toilet. Suck it up buttercup, take some Imodium & finish the work! But I'm not nice. :p

Yeah, you can bring your laptop into the bathroom and use it while sitting on the toilet.

Don't ask me how I know this. ;)

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