Group work in classes

Editor,
Generally I am hesitant to write to The Communicator as I see it as a student publication, rather than a faculty forum. But since Jason Cooper’s commentary in the May 22 issue references my class and its policies, I feel the door has been left open.
I don’t disagree at all with Jason’s depiction of group work as annoying, frustrating and fraught with risk for good students. Frequently, serious students are held “hostage” by those group members who are less concerned with their grades. It’s also important to note that Jason negotiated this minefield extremely well in my class; his was a high-performing group. But the flaw in Jason’s commentary is that his second solution (the non-Massey solution) is to avoid group work. Unfortunately this side-steps the real issue.
Group work is how society gets its heavy lifting done, whether in the corporate, non-profit, educational, health care or even student newspaper world. Effective groups (emphasis added) are able to accomplish complex tasks better than their most talented members can do on their own. Unfortunately, the majority of work groups in the US are not effective. These groups frequently perform at or below the level of their average members, because of the reasons that Jason lists and others. To be effective, groups must have the power to encourage, pressure and compel their members to contribute to the group goals. In the most individualistic culture on earth, the US, this is a challenging task. This is one of the reasons that I let groups fire non-cooperative members in my class.
Group work is not going to go away, and giving high, or low, performing students the option to avoid groups doesn’t solve the issue nor prepare the student for upper division academic work and the career that follows. The expectation that one can avoid cumbersome and difficult tasks I college is also not one I would encourage students to develop. Given that group work is here to stay, and increasing in scope, whether to be in a group or not appears to be a moot point; we are all going to be working in groups whether we like it or not. The question then becomes, how to make groups and their outputs more effective? And for that I heartily recommend students take CMST 230, Small Group Communication, next spring.
It’s important to note that employers in all areas consider being able to work well in groups as an essential communication skill. There is just no reason to be hostage to an ineffective group any longer.

Lawrence M. Massey
SFCC Faculty

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