While potentially providing students with a great opportunity to collaborate with their peers, group assignments are fraught with the complexity and stress of human interactions, particularly when combined with submission deadlines. As teachers, we often assume that students can ‘magically’ plan and organise group interactions and deliver outstanding assignments on time. How can teachers expect this without providing some guidance about how groups actually operate? In these slides, Lee Ridge highlights some strategies to increase student collaboration and improve outcomes using group assignments.

1. latrobe.edu.au
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Group Assignments
Webinar
Lee Ridge
Academic Coordinator / Lecturer
5 December 2018

2. 2La Trobe University
Overview
• Why Group assignments?
• Advantages and disadvantages of group presentations
• What is the reality?
• Case study – La Trobe University – Sydney - Diploma in
Accounting and Finance
• Reflections on Group Assignments
• Questions and discussion
• Ideas to consider

3. 3La Trobe University
Why Group Assignments?
• Collaboration – getting students ready for employment e.g.
business using ‘cross functional teams’
• Sum of the parts > the whole
• Reduced marking, but …

4. 4La Trobe University
Why Group Assignments?
“Benefits for students
Group projects can help students develop a host of skills that are
increasingly important in the professional world (Caruso &
Woolley, 2008; Mannix & Neale, 2005). Positive group
experiences, moreover, have been shown to contribute to
student learning, retention and overall college success (Astin,
1997; Tinto, 1998; National Survey of Student Engagement,
2006).”
Carnegie-Mellon University

5. 5La Trobe University
Advantages
1. Groups have more information than a single individual. Groups
have a greater well of resources to tap and more information
available because of the variety of backgrounds and
experiences.
2. Groups stimulate creativity. In regard to problem solving, the
old adage can be applied that “two heads are better than one.”
3. People remember group discussions better. Group learning
fosters learning and comprehension. Students working in small
groups have a tendency to learn more of what is taught and
retain it longer than when the same material is presented in
other instructional formats (Barkley, Cross & Major, 2005;
Davis, 1993).

6. 6La Trobe University
Advantages cont.…
4. Decisions that students help make yield greater satisfaction. Research
suggests that students who are engaged in group problem solving are more
committed to the solution and are better satisfied with their participation
in the group than those who were not involved.
5. Students gain a better understanding of themselves. Group work allows
people to gain a more accurate picture of how others see them. The
feedback that they receive may help them better evaluate their
interpersonal behaviour.
6. Team work is highly valued by employers. Well developed interpersonal
skills were listed by employers among the top 10 skills sought after in
university graduates (Graduate Outlook Survey, 2010).
Ref: Burke

7. 7La Trobe University
Disadvantages
1. There may be pressure from the group to conform to the majority opinion.
Most people do not like conflict and attempt to avoid it when possible – a
student may agree to a bad solution just to avoid conflict.
2. An individual may dominate the discussion. This leads to members not
gaining satisfaction from the group because they feel too alienated in the
decision making process.
3. Some members may rely too heavily on others to do the work. This is one of
the most salient problems that face groups. Some members do not pitch in
and help and do not adequately contribute to the group (Freeman &
Greenacre, 2011).
4. It takes more time to work in a group than to work alone. It takes longer to
accomplish tasks when working with others.

8. 8La Trobe University
Disadvantages
 Students may not feel confident with their communication
ability (especially if English is a second language) group work
can feel challenging and stressful.

9. 9La Trobe University
What is the reality?
• Students (Diploma / Undergraduate) are not good at this
• Diverse backgrounds of students
• Disorganised – rushed submissions
• Uneven contributions by students
• Stressed students – student (usually female) submitting the
assignment on behalf of the group given little time to review
e.g. receive other students work at 9 pm for submission at
midnight (family experience…)

10. 10La Trobe University
What is the reality?
• Assignments – aggregation of individual pieces of work ( 5
different fonts!)
• Students seeking to change groups midway through the
assignment
• Dread…

11. 11La Trobe University
Case study
• La Trobe University – Sydney Campus (Diploma subject –
Accounting and Finance
The Group assignment:
• 4-6 students calculating a number of financial ratios of 6 public
companies (medium sized retailers – not too complex)
• Analysing the results and comparing the financial performance
across the 6 companies
• Undertake some research on the companies
• 30% assessment due in week 10 (12 weeks in total)

12. 12La Trobe University
Case study
• This is a quite a demanding assignment for Diploma level -
many calculations.
Initially, these assignments were: -
• Incomplete – not all questions were fully answered particularly
the analysis question
• Not all students contributed equally

13. 13La Trobe University
Plan “B”
• The assignment was broken up in 3 Case Studies – due in
Weeks 6, 8 and 10
• The marks were allocated progressively – Case Study 1 – 3%,
Case Study 2 – 6%, Case study 3 – 21%
• The primary aim of the Week 6 case study was to form the
Group – students could complete this in an afternoon (see
Tuckman – “forming” stage)
• Case Study 2 – more complex – including an ‘analysis’ question
– the first ‘real’ test of the group (Tuckman – “storming’ and
“norming”) - some leaders emerge!
• Case study 3 – more complex + more analysis (Tuckman –
“performing”)

14. 14La Trobe University
Plan “B”
• Provide more guidance on ‘group’ building / dynamics as
prepared by the Campus psychologist (Dr Jane Rouse)
Results
• higher assignment completion rate
• improved attempts at “analysis” component
• better ‘organised’ groups – more cohesive
• overall – improved performance
• Some students form long term friends

15. 15La Trobe University
Reflections on Group Assessments
• Students need some skills / guidance – assume they have few
skills - – per Student The Australian

16. 16La Trobe University
Reflections on Group Assessments
• Students need some skills / guidance – assume they have few
skills
• Forming the group – allocate or students to choose
• How many in a group – 4-5?
What is the best use use of a group assessment?
• late undergraduate / post graduate / foundation
• A ‘creative response’ (> sum of the parts) v ‘shared workload’
(workload ‘allocated’)

17. 17La Trobe University
Questions/Comments?

18. 18La Trobe University
Ideas to consider
 Thanks to Dr Jane Rouse – La Trobe Sydney Psychologist

19. 19La Trobe University
Tuckman’s stages of group work
 Psychologist Bruce Tuckman was interested in researching
group dynamics and he developed his model of group
development to explain the life of the group process.
 His model consists of five stages (initially four, however, the
last stage was added at a later date).
 The five stages are:
 FORMING
 STORMING
 NORMING
 PERFORMING
 ADJOURNING

20. 20La Trobe University
Stages of group work- FORMING
 This first stage can be difficult as there is often some
uncertainties about other group members, individual roles and
task requirements.
 During this stage, group members are often polite to each
other so to avoid conflict.
 Some members of the group may be anxious and others excited
about the project ahead.
 This stage may take a while so members can get to know each
other and start to work together, learn what challenges they
are required to tackle and develop some goals.

21. 21La Trobe University
Stages of group work- STORMING
 The second stage of group development can often be
unsettled due to struggles or conflicts within the group. This is
normal!
 These may be due to problems with understanding task
requirements, differences in working styles, interpersonal
conflicts between group members or the formation of sub-
groups within the group.
 Group members may feel overwhelmed by their workload or
feel they have been given more to do than other group
members.

22. 22La Trobe University
Stages of group work- NORMING
 The third phase of group development is characterised by the
group beginning to develop and work as a team.
 Previous conflicts and misunderstandings are resolved and
members of the group start appreciating each other’s
strengths.
 Working as a team, asking for assistance and providing
constructive feedback is easier once you know each other.
 Group members provide support to one another and start co-
operating and feel motivated to work towards achieving the
goals of the team.

23. 23La Trobe University
Stages of group work- PERFORMING
 During the performing phase, more solid results start to
emerge as members continue to work harder together to
prioritise tasks and reach common goals.
• Team performance will be more effective if the initial
structures and processes put in place are strong.
• This should be the most productive phase of group work.
• The group should have unified loyalty and morale should be
high.

24. 24La Trobe University
Stages of group work- ADJOURNING
 This is the final stage of group work where the assessment
comes to a close and working relationships come to an end.
 Sometimes, group members may feel a sense of loss or anxiety
after having worked so closely with others.
 It is important to achieve closure for the group on a positive
note.
 Try and recognise the input of each group member and
recognise the success of the group as a whole.

25. 25La Trobe University
Tips for positive group development
 To give your group the best change of being successful, take
note of the following:
 Make sure you get the contact details of other group members.
 Set up some clear ground rules at the beginning of the project.
 At the beginning of each meeting, set a clear agenda.
 At the end of the meeting, set times and dates for the next
meetings.
 Make sure the task and the outcomes are clear to all members
of the group and that you refer back to these throughout the
duration of the project.

26. 26La Trobe University
Tips for positive group development
 Assign tasks and set deadlines.
 Make sure you listen and respect other members of the group.
 Bring each group meeting to a close with meaningful feedback
that is relative and make sure each member is clear about
what they are to achieve before the next meeting.
 Encourage everyone to make an even contribution to the team
so there is a sense of cohesion.
 Be aware that conflict is ‘normal’ and may be a necessary part
of group development and deal with issues as the arise.

27. 27La Trobe University
Communicating in groups
 Effective communication is critical when working in groups so
that everyone feels heard and is able to express their point of
view.
 Three different communication styles you may encounter are
passive, aggressive and assertive.
 Assertive communication is the style most effective for group
work.

28. 28La Trobe University
Communicating in groups
Passive Aggressive Assertive
In group discussions… Refrain from speaking
to avoid upsetting
others
Speak out at the
expense of others
Make your point
respectfully and
clearly
Apologise excessively Are loud, talk over
others and don’t let
others have a say
Listen with respect
and consider the
viewpoints of others
Keep your feelings
inside
Express your feelings
with aggression and
anger
Express your feelings
carefully and honestly
You agree with
everyone else’s
opinion
You disagree with
other’s opinions and
state your opinion as
being an absolute
truth
You state your
perspective as an
option

29. 29La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Assigning roles can help with ensuring groups run smoothly.
 Sometimes group members naturally slip into roles, however, if
not it can be a good idea to do this and rotate the roles each
week so responsibilities are distributed evenly.
 There are a number of different roles group members may
take on.
 These include: Leader, Thinker, Recorder, Conciliator and
Explainer.

30. 30La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Leader
• The leader takes responsibility for:
 Organising the group
 Making sure the group remains on task and track
 Breaking the tasks into smaller tasks
 Assigning the tasks
 Ensuring each member has the change to make a contribution

31. 31La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Thinker
• The thinker takes responsibility for:
 Asking questions that will help understanding and the
exploration of alternative views
 Pushing the group to explore alternative viewpoints
 Making sure the group does not come to a conclusion before
looking at various perspectives

32. 32La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Recorder
• The recorder takes responsibility for:
 Checking for agreement among group members
 Recording the ideas and solutions of the group

33. 33La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Conciliator
• The conciliator takes responsibility for:
 Helping to resolve conflicts between group members
 Minimising interpersonal stress
 Helping group members feel comfortable to contribute and
give their opinions

34. 34La Trobe University
Assigning roles in groups
 Explainer
• The Explainer takes responsibility for:
 Going over the main points
 Making sure group members understand the overall task and
their part of the task

35. 35La Trobe University
Plagiarism and group work
 It is possible for plagiarism (Academic Misconduct) to occur in
group work projects.
 This can occur in the following instances:
 When a group member copies the work of another group
member while working in the group.
 When a group member allows their work to be copied while
working in the group.
 When an original piece of work of an individual who is not a
member of the group is copied (in whole or part) with or
without the knowledge of other group members and this work
is contributed to the group assignment.

36. 36La Trobe University
Unfair advantage and group work
 It is possible to gain an unfair advantage (i.e., a student claims
marks are shared equally) when:
 A member of the group does not contribute equally to the
group and claims an equal share.
 A member of the group fails to attend group meetings or
doesn’t make contributions during the meetings.
 A member of the group fails to complete their fair share of the
work with the level of attention and detail required.
 A member of the group does not complete the work allocated
to them.

37. 37La Trobe University
References
 Burke, A. (2011) The Journal of Effective Teaching, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2011, 87-95
 https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupp
rojects/benefits.html
 Tuckman, B. (1965) Developmental Sequence in Small Groups. Psychological
Bulletin, 63, 384-399. Tuckman, B. & Jensen, M. (1977) Stages of Small Group
Development. Group and Organizational Studies, 2, 419-427.
 http://infed.org/mobi/bruce-w-tuckman-forming-storming-norming-and-
performing-in-groups/
 https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/group-writing/
 http://www.swinburne.edu.au/student-
administration/assessment/misconduct.html
 http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/learning/roles-groups
 https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/studysmart/home/assignment_help/group_wo
rk

38. Thank you
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