Each year, countless group projects are assigned to students. Teachers preach that projects teach students the values of cooperation and teamwork, but that is typically not the case.
On most occasions, group projects often fail to teach true collaboration. In fact, these projects promote laziness instead of teamwork.
Most group projects consist of groups of three to four people. In most scenarios, one or two people take up most tasks because they are more motivated. “There have been countless times where I’ve ended up doing almost the entire project because no one else cared about the class,” expressed senior Arush Kachru.
The students who care more about their grades are forced to put in exceedingly more effort than the rest of their group to maintain a good grade. “I’m not perfect either. There have also been times when I’ve freeloaded and did little on the project and still received an A. I think group projects are flawed because they lack accountability,” Kachru added.
Not only do these projects lack accountability, they also encourage habits of laziness. When there are no clear consequences for not contributing, it becomes easy for members of the group to rely on their more motivated peers to complete the project. This creates a habit of laziness, as these students put minimal effort into the tasks and still receive the same grade as the heavy lifters.
In a true collaborative environment, each member has their tasks and responsibilities clearly defined. Each team member is expected to equally contribute to the group, but this is never the reality of school projects. These projects lack structure and defined roles. While some students can handle the process of splitting up the work, others cannot.
“Sometimes it feels like group projects just teach us how to tolerate unmotivated people rather than how to work together,” junior Vrayas Pila shared. “Most of the time, my group spends more effort deciding what to do rather than actually doing it. During most group projects I ask the teacher if I can just work by myself to avoid the inconvenience,” added Pila.
The issues with these projects reflect a broader issue in preparing students for the real world. After high school, each individual will be responsible for team success. Teachers must incorporate proper measures to ensure equal collaboration, or students may graduate unprepared for collaborative environments.
For teamwork to be taught, schools should implement clearly defined individual roles within projects. This will ensure that students develop the skills needed for real-world collaboration.
