Photo courtesy of Annie Spratt via Unsplash.
Most students hate group projects, but they can teach real-world teamwork if done right.
–
By Genesis Aviles
TAMPA, Fla. — Let’s be honest, most students (like me) do not like group projects. For Claire Manin, a UTampa sophomore, they’re downright frustrating.
“I genuinely despise them,” Manin said. “I’ve had times…where I was doing 99% of the work, and then my grade was being affected. I would rather do a project individually and have to only rely on myself to do that project.”
Madison Pulica, a UTampa alumna, feels the same.
“Sometimes with group projects, there’s a weird dynamic where either nobody wants to do it, or everyone wants to be in charge,” said Pulica. “For those reasons, I usually choose working alone over working in groups.”
These complaints are common: some people disappear, some take over and suddenly, what should have been a collaborative effort becomes stressful and unfair. Yet, despite all this, teachers still assign them. Of course, for a reason.
Professor Sarah Smith-Frigerio teaches advertising and public relations. She said group projects aren’t just busy work; they mirror what students will do in real life.
“It’s very common that communication professionals are going to be working on teams, putting together ad campaigns or public relations messaging,” Smith-Frigerio said. “In essence, what real life looks like is group work.”
Still, she knows the frustration is real and tries to make it better. Her classes use group contracts, in-class work time and confidential peer evaluations.
“Each group member does confidential peer evaluations of the other group members. I take all of that, review it, and average it out,” Smith-Frigerio said. “Then that average becomes your grade as a member of the group.”
Basically, if someone isn’t doing their part, the rest of the group isn’t punished unfairly, and everyone has a way to say what’s really happening.
However, sometimes even with these protections, group projects aren’t always easy. Manin points out how disagreements come up constantly.
“Everyone has different ideas about how to divide the work or what the project should even look like,” Manin said.
But group projects do teach things you can’t really learn on your own, like how to communicate, compromise, and manage a team. They also give students a chance to bounce ideas off others, experiment with different approaches, and even discover leadership skills.
Professor Smith-Frigerio said she sees the balance.
“I do like group projects because sometimes really good work can come out of students working together and bouncing ideas off each other,” Smith-Frigerio said. “But I also provide opportunities for both individual grades and group grades so students can show what they can do on their own.”
For students, the key is clear communication and structure. Roles, deadlines, and honest feedback make group projects less painful and actually teach skills that will matter in real life. Sure, no system is perfect, but when structured right by the professor and the team, group work can be more than just a headache; it can be a surprisingly valuable experience.
“Group work reflects real-life collaboration,” Professor Smith-Frigerio said. “If we set safeguards, provide tools for accountability, and support students in their teamwork, it’s amazing what they can accomplish together.”