Group Projects: The Ugly.

We’ve looked at how to set up for group work success, how in spite of our efforts, group projects can go sideways and what remedies can be attempted. Now, let’s look at when it gets ugly.

It gets ugly when it is clear that the project will not get done. Or when the presentation is truly an embarrassment. Or when the deadline has passed, the grade has been assigned, and the grade is somewhere south of a C. Or when the incomplete assignment is a requirement for passing the course.

It gets ugly when it is too late for the remedies in the last blog, or the remedies didn’t work.

What to do?

I’m going to shift perspective here, and share with you the view from the instructor’s side of the desk. I’ve seen –and graded– the projects that went smoothly from the get-go (the Good), the projects that had bumps along the way (the Bad), and projects that simply did not get done, or not done well enough for a passing grade (the Ugly).

Certainly quality of information, analysis, and presentation factor into the grade. Not attending to the rubric has a cost. But the key difference between the projects that recovered from bumps and those that did not has been consultation with the instructor before it’s too late.

What hasn’t worked:• Coming in as an individual close to or after the deadline complaining that you have done your part, but others haven’t. In this instructor’s head: “Why didn’t you come in sooner, when something could have been done?”• Coming in as an individual close to or after the deadlinecomplaining that you have done your part, but others didn’t, you don’t see why you should have to do all of the work, and you deserve a higher mark than the group. In this instructor’s mind runs the thought: “Did you really do as much as you’re claiming?” It does help if you have documented meetings, work done, etc. But the thought is still “Why didn’t you come in sooner, when something could have been done and I could have given you some advice, or met with your group?”• Having your parent or spouse come in and explain to me why you deserve a better grade. What goes through this instructor’s mind is embarrassment and pity for you. Please, parent or spouse, unless your spouse/child is hospitalized and unable to contact me, please don’t do this. I will listen, but please, show your child or spouse encouragement, respect, and confidence in their ability to navigate in the adult world, including confidence in their ability to navigate failure.

Why don’t these approaches work? I’ve talked about how grades for group work are like team scores in a game–it’s the end result, how many goals, that determines the score, not who fed the puck to whom. As a university instructor, I am also bound by the rubric in the course description. Like the referee, I can interpret the rules, but I can’t usually change them.

What has worked:• Coming in as an individual when there is still time to complete the project. In these situations, I have provided techniques for getting the team motivated and accountable. I have encouraged students to choose between (a) doing an unfair share of the work and getting a good grade, or (b) doing only their fairer share of the work and accepting what will likely be a lower grade. Documentation helps me assess whether your take on your contributions is accurate. (I have had different students from the same group complain about each other, and documentation trumps self-say.) But even if you don’t have any documentation, if the project isn’t coming together, see me. Sooner rather than later.• Coming in as a group when there is still time to complete the project. Whether the issues are personalities or conflict resolution, or the issues are insurmountable unavailability of key resources, my job is to help the group turn barriers that can be got around.• Coming in as a group (when there is still time to complete the project) bringing documentation showing meetings, efforts, barriers, potential solutions. I have never seen a group fail when they have taken this approach. I have seen good projects improve, and ugly duckling projects turn into swans.

The exceptions:• Illness and accidents–Some groups at their first meeting come up with a what-if-one-of-us-gets-sick plan for how to allocate work and grades. If this hasn’t happened and you become unable to contribute for health reasons and you have made your group and the instructor aware, a work-around for you may be possible. Documentation can be critical here.• Low grade assessment by your group—In your mind your group has unfairly downgraded you on their assessment of your contributions. Presenting your documentation to the group showing your contributions is often enough to make your case. 

Other factors:

I haven’t addressed the areas of leadership and conflict resolution, because from my side of the desk, these are not the key factors most often making the difference between projects that get turned around, and projects that don’t. 

The key factor is early communication with the instructor. (See bold, above.)

What you can do:• You can approach the instructor on your own, for advice, while there is still time to turn things around.• Better yet, if possible, you can schedule a group meeting with the instructor to iron out problems and clarify expectations. Even if the whole group can’t make the meeting, when the group reconvenes, you will be meeting more as a team, and less as one against everyone else.• You can make note for the next project of what went wrong, and how to reduce the chances of it happening again.• And you can document all meetings, work done, texts and emails.

If your lowest marks or highest frustrations are with group work, I’d like to help you improve that situation. Contact me: [email protected]