Working in a Group!

Welcome to the world of Working in a Group! CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Inspiring or Boring • A good part of your future professional life will be dedicated to working in groups • Some group work will be fun and inspiring, the whole group making a bonded journey together • Some group work will be filled with angst and boredom, the group experience being stressful and have you in tears of frustration! CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

In the Beginning - • God made an individual • Then he made a pair • The pair formed a group • The Group begat others - the group grew • Working in a group led to friction • The group disintegrated • Cain settled in the land of Nod • There has been trouble with groups ever since. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Why Groups? • Groups are good at combining talents • Provide innovative solutions to unfamiliar problems • The wider skill and knowledge of the group has an advantage over that of the individual. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Group Strengths • Experience can be very rewarding • Can provide greater creativity in problem solving • Provides strength through numbers • Reinforces learning • Opportunities for the sharing of information or data • Opportunity to develop universal perspectives • Breaks down feeling of isolation CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Many Pseudonyms… • Cooperative learning • Collaborative learning • Collective learning • Learning communities • Reciprocal learning • Team learning • Peer teaching • Study circles • Peer learning • Study groups, and • Work groups CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Three Types of Groups • Informal learning groups • Formal learning groups and • Study teams • Formal Learning Groups are the most common at Uni CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Informal Groups • Temporary clustering of students within a single class session • Can be a brief interaction with other students discussing a question or solving a problem. • Can give an opportunity to apply what you are learning, or to provide a change of pace. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Formal Learning Groups • Established to complete a specific task, such as perform a lab experiment, write a report, carry out an assignment • Most common • May complete work in a single class session or over several weeks. • Typically, you will work together until the task is finished, and the project graded CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Study Teams • Longer-term group with Stable membership usually existing over the course of a semester • provides support, encouragement, and assistance in completing course requirements and assignments. • Study teams may also inform their members about lectures and assignments when someone has missed a session. • The larger the class and the more complex the subject matter, the more valuable study teams can be. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Group Work • Need to recognise the stages a group goes through in its development • Need to experience all stages before achieving maximum effectiveness CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Stage 1: Forming • Desire to be accepted by the others - avoid controversy or conflict. • Serious issues and feelings are avoided • People focus on being busy with routines • Individuals gather information & impressions • Comfortable stage to be in – all are on good behaviour • Avoidance of conflict means not much actually gets done. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Stage 2: Storming • You can only remain nice to each other for so long! • Important issues start to be addressed • Patience may break early - confrontations dealt with or glossed over • Feeling of getting into the real issues • Some wanting to remain in the comfort of stage 1 • Conflict will be more or less suppressed - but it'll be there CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Stage 3: Norming • “Rules of engagement" become established • Scope of tasks / responsibilities clear & agreed • Members understand each other better, appreciate other's skills and experience • People listen to each other – support, change pre-conceived views • Feel they're part of a cohesive, effective group. • Had to work hard to attain this stage - may resist pressure to change CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Stage 4: Performing • Not all groups reach this stage, • State of interdependence and flexibility. • Everyone known well enough to work together • Trust allows independent activity. • Roles & responsibilities change according to need • Group identity, loyalty & morale are all high • Everyone is equally task- & people-orientated. • High degree of comfort • All energy directed towards the task CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Stage 5: Adjourning • Completion and disengagement from the task & group members • Individuals will be proud of having achieved much • Glad to have been part of such an enjoyable group • Need to recognise what they've done, & consciously move on. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Accelerating Development • Some suggestions which may help in group formation: • Focus • Clarification CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Focus • Focus should be the group and the task. • If something is to be decided, the group decides • If there is a problem, the group solves it. • If someone is performing badly, the group asks for change. • If individual conflicts arise, review them in terms of the task. • If there is a lack of structure and purpose, impose both in terms of the task. • If there are disputes between alternative courses of action, negotiate in terms of the task. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Clarification • Clarifying the Task is vital – especially with groups • The chance of an individual understanding the task correctly is 0.8 (very high). • 8 members in a group - the chance of group working towards that same task is 0.17. • The same reasoning holds for every decision and action taken • First responsibility of the group is to clarify its task AND record this understanding • This mission statement may be revised or replaced but always act as a focus for the groups actions. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

People Types • The Socialiser • Egotist • The Mouse • The Loud Mouth • The Rider CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Socialiser • The person who is more interested in everyone’s social life than the task • Will need to be frequently redirected back to the task at hand • May help to unify group by their people focus CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Egotist • Believes that their opinion is the ‘right’ one • Refuses to consider others perspectives • Other members of the group will have to unite to move ahead with the group’s decision CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Mouse • The quiet person who doesn't say much • It is the responsibility of each individual to speak out and to contribute • It is the responsibility of the group to encourage and develop them • Include them in the discussion and actions • Provide positive reinforcement each time that happens. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Loud Mouth • There is always a dominant person whose opinions form a large share of the discussion. • It is the responsibility of EACH individual to consider whether they are that person. • Responsibility of the group to ask whether the loud-mouth might like to summarize briefly, and then ask for other views. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Rider • The one who just sits back, tagging along not doing much • The group may need to set ‘The Rider’ concrete tasks and deadlines (and stick with them!) • Make sure it is not you! CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Dealing with Shirkers • Keep the groups small: it’s hard to be a shirker in a small group • MOST IMPORTANT: As a group, decide on a way to handle unproductive group behaviour • Keep the group together - learn to cope with unproductive interactions CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Concerns About Group Work! • “Our group just isn't working out” – get used to not getting on with everyone in a group – sometimes we don’t have choices! • “We don't want to work in groups” – shared learning is a powerful tool, you get help and so do your group-mates. CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Concerns About Group Work! • “I don't work well in groups!” • Once you have been through the group formation process you may find that the support of the group helps with time management, study effectiveness and survival • “If I do group work, will I be able to cover all the material during the Term?” • Group work gives you increased ability to solve problems and have greater understanding of the material CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

The Written Record • A decision which is not recorded will become clouded and have to be gone over again • As each decision is made - Record it on a large display. • Has the advantage that each decision must be expressed in a clear and concise form which ensures that it is clarified CQU STUDENT SERVICES CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Feedback (Negative) • All criticism must be neutral - focus on the task and not the personality • Give feedback frequently, especially for small things • Reduces the destructive impact of criticism when things go badly wrong • Every criticism must be accompanied by a positive suggestion for improvement. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Feedback (Positive) • If anyone does something well, praise them • Reinforces commendable actions • Mollifies negative feedback which may come later • Emphasise progress on the task. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Handling Failure • Success depends upon how you deal with failure. • Don’t brush off failure and go as if nothing has happened • Any failure should be explored by the group. • Do not attribute blame – a person only acts with delegated responsibility. • Look at the cause and devise how to monitor against repetition. • A mistake should only happen once if it is treated correctly. • Delegate the solution to the person or group who made the error. • Allow the group to demonstrate its trust and make amends. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Handling Deadlock • If opposing points of view are held - some action is needed . • Each side could debate from the other side’s view-point in order to better understand it. • Common ground could be emphasised - differences viewed for a possible middle or alternative strategy. • Each could be debated in the light of the original task. • First the group should decide how much time the debate actually needs & then guillotine it . • If the issue is not critical, toss a coin. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Sign Posting • If each small point is debated, the larger picture can be obscured • It is useful to frequently to remind the group: • this is where we came from, • this is where we got to, • this is where we should be going. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Avoid Single Solutions • First ideas are not always best • For any problem, the group should generate alternatives • Evaluate these in terms of the task • Pick one and implement it • Monitor the outcome • Schedule a review • Be prepared to change the plan CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Active Communication • Communication is responsibility of speaker and listener. • The speaker must express ideas in a clearly and concisely. • The listener must seek to understand what has been said and ask for clarification if unsure. • Both parties must be sure that the ideas have been correctly communicated perhaps by the listener summarizing what was said in a different way. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Conclusion • Groups are like relationships - you have to work at them • They constitute an important unit of activity • Making the group itself responsible for its own support, the responsibility becomes an accelerator for the group process • These needs must be recognized dealt with by the group • Time and resources must be allocated to this by the group. CQU STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE

Working in a Group!