Group Work

Essay 1: Group Projects Group work is something that has been hit or miss in the work or school world for a very long time. There is a very negative attitude about group work the second it is assigned. The truth is that group work can actually make the performance of the individuals go down but, there are also very positive aspects to group work that many people don’t usually think of. In this paper, I will explore some of the pros and cons to group work, look at some possible solutions to the problems, and I will reflect on some of the past experiences I have had in group work. Let’s first start off with the positive things that group work can bring to table. From a young age, children are put into group situations to learn how to socialize and work with other people. These groups help them develop and learn how to appropriately interact in the world when they have grown and matured. Later in life, group is still assigned in many areas of a person’s life; at home, at school, and at work. Some of the positive aspects of group work is that is teaches teamwork and communication. People must be verbal and opinionated to get work done properly and on time. Almost always, a leader will emerge. This person tends to be someone who has an authoritative personality. It can teach someone leadership ship skills and organization. Many times, opinions will differ and debates will arise. In this sense, it can teach people good negotiating skills and how to defend a position. The most important pro to group work is that it teach critical thinking and problem solving. There will never be a time when everyone agrees. Many times, people must compromise to get a good and productive outcome.
So, there are a lot of reasons why group work is good. That is probably why it is still widely used today. Let’s face it, sometimes projects are just too big to be tackled by one person. Can you imagine if one person built the Eifel Tower all by themselves? It’s impossible. People had to

Cited: Goldschmid, Abbie. "Confessions of a Control Freak: Group Projects." Cradboard Magazine 1 Feb. 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://cardboardmagazine.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/confessions-of-a control-freak-group-projects/>. Nigol, Rick. "Weighing the Pros and Cons of Group Work Assignments." The Horizon Desire2Learn Newsletter. N.p., 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://www.desire2learn.com/newsletters/Horizon/Issue20/articles/?id=4>. Tyler, Mara. "Advantages & Disadvantages of Student Group Projects." ehow mom. N.p., 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://www.ehow.com/info_12018381_advantages-disadvantages-student-group projects.html>.