The Ups And Downs Of Group Projects

Bhavya K. and Luke H.

Many people love group projects. After all, the more the merrier, right? Well, working with a group may not always be beneficial. Even though the people in the group may have good (even great!) ideas, there are always others who don’t contribute. “They just kinda sit there, distracting everyone, not really doing anything,” says Danielle G., a student at Day Creek.

Working in groups can have negative impacts on the grades of group members because if one person does not finish their part, everyone suffers. One person has the power to sink the entire ship.

“There are kids who just can’t contribute because they have academic challenges, they struggle, or they’re real low. They don’t even know how to do the work, but they’re too proud to ask [for help],” says Mrs. Merry, a teacher at Day Creek.

However, it’s not always terrible. Even though there may be the occasional non-contributor, it is true that more people working together can lead to bigger and better ideas. The more people involved in the thinking process encourages more opportunities.

“When you get placed in a group with your friends, you get to work together without having a lot of arguing about ideas,” says Layla L., another student on campus.

“It gives everybody an opportunity to show their creative side, and more than anything, it allows them to do cooperative learning, which is something you have to be able to do when you grow up,” said Mrs. Merry.

But beware of choosing the wrong people. One bad choice and the whole project will be at stake. “If you’re allowed to choose your partners, choose them carefully,” said Mrs. Merry.

How beneficial are group projects? It depends on the people in the group and how much each team member contributes.