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My Experience with Educational Group Work

Halle Klein

214310940

York University

EDST 4100: Theories, Strategies, and Challenges of Group Work

Professor Celia Popovic

September 20th, 2022

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In my opinion, group work is a method employed by educators with the main goal of

learning to work successfully with other individuals. It is a collaborative learning process that

focuses on students working together to decipher a problem, question, or type of evaluation. My

experience with group work thus far has exemplified the many roles involved in working

together such as taking responsibility, assigning tasks, pooling intelligence, and most

importantly, receiving support and acknowledgment from one another to foster a positive

learning environment. Unlike working independently, group work requires empathy and careful

consideration of your group member’s feelings and emotions. Moreover, there is one common

obstacle that I consistently notice arising in group work and that is the tricky and tedious

navigation of different or clashing personalities and work habits of members within the group.

However, I strongly concur that the most imperative component of collaborative work is respect

and integrity, which should be displayed and passed on to each and every member of the group.

My past experience has proven true that respect goes a long way and it is a critical requirement

for a healthy, flourishing work environment. Respect in group work encourages teamwork and

boosts productivity, both which are essential for facilitating efficiency and a rewarding final

product.

Retrospectively, I am fortunate to have considerable experience working in groups and I

am proud to admit that I have reached a point where I do thoroughly enjoy working together with

my peers. I thought that once I completed high school, I would never hear the words “group

work” ever again, but I could not have been more wrong as I have experienced a fair bit of

collaboration during my college and university years. I strongly advocate for group work and I

believe that it cultivates lifelong skills through conversing with a diverse range of individuals

who have unique skills and backgrounds.

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When I reflect back on my high school experience, I absolutely dreaded hearing the

words “group work” and I am embarrassed to admit that I was that student who would roll their

eyes and immediately go into panic mode. Group work scared me, made me feel uncomfortable,

and caused astronomical anxiety knowing that my peers would also be responsible for the grade I

would be receiving on the assigned work. Ironically enough, some of my finest work that I have

put forth was created in a collaborative work setting. My personal experience with group work

has revealed both the challenges and triumphs of attempting to collaborate effectively with my

peers, however sometimes the pitfalls can feel unfeasible, almost beyond the bounds of

possibility. This can make the process of group work feel very frustrating and lonesome, despite

having multiple people at hand to communicate and work with.

I decided to dig deeper within myself, despite discomfort, to genuinely discover the

reasons why I strongly despised group work. From a very young age, being successful and

receiving good grades was always of great significance to me. I consistently put considerable

pressure on myself to invariably perform well or try my absolute best in strenuous situations.

Although this might not have been the healthiest way to operate, I am strongly convinced that

my routine and habits from grade school have provided me with the strongest foundation and

remains a massive part of why I believe in my abilities and success today. So when group work

was first introduced in elementary school, I immediately felt a loss of control and the idea of

relying on other individuals, some who may be strangers, was a horrifying experience. No longer

was I was only person in charge of my own work and this was and still can be very nerve

racking. If I am being completely transparent, I still do struggle with this in present day, but I am

hoping this course can provide me with strategies and coping mechanisms to appropriately deal

and overcome this obstacle.

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Another hurdle I encountered considerably this past year was attempting to complete

group projects via Zoom and online learning. The COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted

educational systems worldwide and in response, remote learning was deemed a feasible solution

and ultimately became the primary resource for how teaching were to unfold. I can honestly say

that group work during the height of the pandemic was extremely demanding, challenging, and I

believe that poor work was put forth from many of us, including myself. Reflecting back on one

class in particular, it felt like an impossible task to even communicate with certain group

members and encouraging certain peers to physically show up on Zoom was a challenge in of

itself. I recall feeling so upset and defeated, almost feeling hopeless because I was so concerned

with the severe lack of communication and consequently, the quality of work that was going to

be submitted with my name on it. It was a stressful situation to say the least. However, I am not

going to let these few poor experiences change my mind about group work and I am genuinely

looking forward to coming back together in person and collaborating with my fellow peers.

With everything in life, there always remains good and bad and with that being said,

there are many aspects of group work that I entirely appreciate and find extremely successful.

The phrase “two heads are better than one” certainly has merit here. Although I enjoy working

with like-minded individuals, it is very refreshing to gain new perspectives when collaborating

with peers who think differently because new techniques and reasoning can be learned from one

another. This is something that I have frequently encountered and I believe this unique quality

makes the process of group work especially advantageous because I am guaranteed to walk away

learning something new. In addition, my past experiences have led me to appreciate group work

because I have been able to successfully overcome conflicts and I have recognized that issues

arising during group work can actually viewed as positive, rather than obstructive. Group
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conflicts are true representations of experiences that we all will naturally come across in our

futures as working professionals. Experiencing it in a more controlled setting, such as a class

group project, has strengthened my communication skills and taught me how to effectively

resolve interpersonal issues in calm and collect manner. Another noteworthy aspect of group

work that I find very practical is the constructive feedback and guidance from my peers

throughout the process. More specifically, during a group project last semester, I truly developed

an enhanced understanding of myself and how my group members viewed me. Rather than being

bothered and taking constructive criticism negatively, I chose to view it in a positive light and

converse with my peers in a professional and courteous manner. As a result, my social skills

have heightened and I feel confident to communicate with my peers effectively, yet sternly.

When I reviewed the course learning objectives, I instantly felt confident with my ability

to identify a range of challenges that typically occur in group work from my past experiences.

These have included issues such as unequal participation and division of tasks, potential for

conflicts among members, and working around conflicting, busy schedules. However, I feel

diffident with regards to identifying phases of group formation as this is a new term that I have

not yet come across in my academic career. Additionally, I am looking forward to learning about

the strategies for recognizing and transforming group dynamics as I feel this would be very

useful in real life, beyond academia. I am not afraid to admit when I do not know something and

I am anticipating a very fruitful semester working with you and my peers.