Group projects don't actually teach teamwork, amirite?

Devil's advocate: That is the entire point. 1). Happens at work as well. I think they are called project leads/managers. My half-assed reasoning is just to have someone to blame when it all goes wrong and need someone to answer to higher management. Business only care about the project finishing on time. Does any boss care if the process was collaborative? (Business say they want a more collaborative work environment for a number reason, but it is always 2nd to the project finishing etc) Might be some more nuance to this. Suck it up.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I haven't done any group projects at any job. So....is there really just 1 (or sometimes 2 -3) people that completely do nothing? And that means you have to do completely everything with usually 1 other person? And I have to literally spoon feed the oral presentation part to the people who did nothing but they show up on presentation day and try to look like they did something? Cuz that's what happens in school, even in college. I'm so over it.

by Public-Dust7641 1 week ago

Yup. This 👆

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Agreed. This the real world baby!

by Anonymous 1 week ago

This shouldn't be celebrated

by Anonymous 1 week ago

So the point of school is to teach you life sucks?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Lol exactly, group projects in the real world work the same way so get used to it

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I've done a lot of group projects and I can safely say that at this point I prefer them, under conditions. 1) It's an upper level class. That weeds out the biggest slackers and people who don't want to learn. 2) I get to pick my group. I've been at this school for a while, I know who tries and who doesn't. 3) Someone is put in charge. Best way is a grad student is in charge of undergrads. 4) No more than four. Partners is best. Three is fine. Four is a doable gamble. If that's all met, it's easier in my experience than doing it all alone.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

In my experience, I can tell you otherwise. It's an upper level class. That weeds out the biggest slackers and people who don't want to learn. I've worked with some people who was about to graduate or had been for years, and this lazy asses were still there. I don't know how people has survived like that, I don't know how they are about to graduate or for years and they don't answer my messages, don't say anything important when I ask their opinion or ideas, they haven't made advances for the project when I ask them. What have they done all this time? With that aptitude?

by Turbulent-Site 1 week ago

Oh I totally agree. It boggles my mind. Why pay money to go to school for something you don't like? That's why the second condition matters

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Yeah, i'd do the same and i agree with your conditions.

by lkerluke 1 week ago

Its still always better to do it alone for me. I really hate dead weight no matter what.

by Important-Sundae-238 1 week ago

"Someone in charge" This is everything.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Yup, it really depends on who you work with. You'd have a higher chance of getting a good group if you were given the choice to choose who you want to work with rather then the professor assigns the groups. There are so many times that i've requested to work in another group or just work by myself.

by lkerluke 1 week ago

At the same time, depending on some factors, if the professor doesn't at least have a say, some students will be wrongfully picked last. If the student is a lazy slouch that is otherwise perfectly capable of pulling their fair share, then I don't blame people for not wanting that student in their group. But sadly, at any age and education level, people can be cruel and unkind, especially towards the disabled.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

With that logic, I've rolled the dice most of the time through school and college and it has gave me a 1/20 or 10/20 if someone stays to help me which has helped only twice. I'm coping so hard here, lol.

by Turbulent-Site 1 week ago

So... are you saying you agree and that you've had a bad time overall or no? Genuine question, I'm not understanding this response.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Ive always pressed to do them alone specifically because others hold me back and dont do their part, and its worked out when Ive been able to explain it to teachers after some bad experiences.

by Important-Sundae-238 1 week ago

first off, this is not an unpopular opinion loll

by schmidtpattie 1 week ago

Team projects are assigned by lazy professors who only want to grade 1/4 of the papers they normally would.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Yup

by lkerluke 1 week ago

... curious, you don't think learning everything OP described about people in a group setting is an important life lesson?

by Ohaag 1 week ago

I hate group projects. For reference; I'm an electrical engineer, work at NASA, but have been in a few industries the past 20 yrs. Group projects as they are presented in school are never how collaboration works in the real world. A vague objective and a group of peers just tossed into the flames creates a lot of problems, and does nothing (imo) to simulate for real world collaboration or to train students for collaborative work. In my experience with group projects at school, there is never leadership assigned or seniority recognized (which happens in the workplace 100% of the time at functional companies). The work is never delegated by anyone with authority and the project rarely has any significant lines of demarcation for delegation. I agree. They're a huge waste of time. I don't recall a single group project being successful or educational in any way at all. And early in your career you'll being an individual contributor anyhow, so it's pointless in that regard as well.

by Unlikely_Jelly_6651 1 week ago

then scold the lazy. if that doesn't work, make every effort to excise them from the group. nothing of value was lost at that point.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Two people usually do most of the work and everyone else just kinda slacks along.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

In reality, they can be a coin toss - a great experience if you end up with a motivated group, but a frustrating nightmare if you don't. Well, knowing that is already a valuable teamwork skill.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Team projects in a nutshell. Split the work evenly as possible who ever has the least work has to put the assignment together. Never talk again about it

by Anonymous 1 week ago

... and you don't think learning that about people is a valuable lesson?

by Ohaag 1 week ago

They teach how to work around dead weight and still finish the job. Very useful for adult life. Assuming you're not the dead weight

by No-Comedian-108 1 week ago