December 5, 2025/Midnight
Erie, PA.- Group projects haunt me. Every semester during syllabus day, I quickly scan the hefty packet given to me by my professor to scope out any group projects. I take the rest of the class to mentally prepare myself for the workload that is about to engulf me, and I gaze around the room to determine who I feel will be good group mates. Somehow, group projects are unavoidable, and every class incorporates collaboration into the curriculum. I have found collaboration to be beneficial and vital to my college education. However, I do not necessarily feel that group projects are the answer to establishing effective collaboration skills.
In every group project I have either been a part of or seen, the same procedures happen every time: a group is formed, contact information is exchanged, a topic is determined, roles are assigned, and then everyone begins working on their sections. Deadlines are agreed upon, and dates are set for check-in meetings. It feels like everything is going perfectly, the project is going to be flawless, and there is nothing anyone needs to worry about. Until the lack of communication begins, deadlines are not being met, and the quality of work fluctuates throughout the assignment. Next thing you know, one or two people in the group are putting all their time and effort into the project, while the other group mates ride off the others’ hard work. This is inevitable during group projects, and throughout my four years at Gannon I have yet to find the solution to establishing the perfect recipe for collaboration within a group project…