#ULOG 4: The Group Work Dilemma

Problems with group works are typical in college. Two days ago, my churchmate, whom I consider as an older brother (I'll refer to him as "oniisan" [older brother in Japanese]), texted me that his groupmates aren't helping him with their project. I empathized with him - I know how it feels.

I remember when one of my groupmates told me that she's been hearing from people that I usually work more than my share in the group and that I often take responsibility for others' tasks. I just smiled at her and remained silent, but deep inside I was like...

While it would probably sound like a compliment to others, I thought otherwise. It was a reflection of people's perceptions - that if we would be in a group together, they could be inactive and depend on other's efforts to finish the work.

Sadly, group works make up a large part of grades. This has been the subject of much debate in our institute. I've seen students plead with their professors for deadline extensions because their groupmates hadn't been helping them. This is why student peer evaluations (SPE) became a requirement for every group activity so that freeloading, i.e an abuse of one's group mates by abandoning one's responsibilities, will be minimized. However, despite this preventive measure, the group work dilemma still happens.

How to deal with freeloaders

I asked oniisan if he could choose groupmates who are more responsible if the situation allows for it, but he said that it's not possible. I asked if he could at least be more strict with the deadlines and taskings in the group so that his group mates would be pressured to do their parts.

The last resort?

I guess the last option if they still refuse to follow would be to talk to the faculty-in-charge and ask if these students could be expelled from the group or be given a failing grade for that activity. It sounds like a drastic measure, but it would be unfair to the student who works and does his best to finish their requirement on time.

I know that students' lives are different and that there may be times when they couldn't attend to academic matters immediately due to personal and family problems or other urgent concerns. However, it is not an excuse to fully abandon their responsibilities. If such problems arise, they could talk to their group mates and inform them of their situation so that they will be given other tasks that they can do instead. There is no excuse for suddenly vanishing.

I actually find it funny when my classmates told me to create a group chat on Facebook so that we could add other classmates who work well in groups and arranged with them schedules for next semester. In short, we will be asking them to agree on a common schedule with us so that we'll all be in the same classes. It was funny but strategic. After all, no matter how hard you work on individual activities, group works can pull your grades down.

Why do we have to take part in group activities?

I've asked this question a number of times. I thought to myself how easier it would be if I just worked on my own: I wouldn't need to wait for others; delegation of tasks is unneeded; and I wouldn't need to ask people to cooperate for their own sake. But that's just not possible.

Group works at a bigger scale

Group works are necessary to instill teamwork among students. After all, life in the workplace requires cooperation between people; tasks can't be done by just one person. Big projects require a multi-disciplinary team. For instance, in healthcare, a team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologists, radiologists, and nutritionist-dietitians are needed. It only shows that man cannot work on his own to achieve a particular goal. This is what school aims to teach us when they require us to work in a group.

The downside of freeloading

People who choose to be freeloaders are not gaining an advantage when others take their share of work; they themselves lose the opportunity to develop the work ethic and skills in such a setting. When they graduate and start working, they will realize how much they still need to learn to cope well.

The Christian Work Ethic

The Bible teaches us to avoid laziness and idleness. Instead, we should always keep ourselves busy with good works.

Titus 3:14
14 And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Ecclesiastes 10:18
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Proverbs 20:4
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

At the end of the day, as Christians, we need to do our best at all times. And that includes taking responsibility for the tasks assigned to us in groups.

Have you experienced being left by your group mates to work on your project/assignment alone? Let me know in the comments below. ^^

For those who are wondering, the anime character is Shizuku Mizutani, the female protagonist in the anime "Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun".