In academia, you have to work on different tasks, like case studies, presentations, articles, etc. And group assignments are no exception.
Whether you love or hate it, you are no stranger to group assignments. While some manage these projects well, others struggle big time, especially the new students.
The reason?
It can be due to a lack of clear communication, different personalities, working styles, etc.
The good news is that you can effectively tackle the group assignments by following the correct strategies.
So, if you think you might be tackling these tasks in the wrong way, this blog is for you. Here I will walk you through the common challenges you might face with the tips to overcome them.
Group Assignments: Common Challenges Students Faces and Their Solutions
Working on the group assignments is not a piece of cake. It requires patience, good communication, and understanding.
New students often face challenges while working on these tasks including:
1. Poor Communication
Group assignments are all about having clear communication with each other.
However, those students who fail to communicate their goals, progress, and tasks with each other often find it hard to work on group assignments.
From aligning schedules to distributing workload, and setting up meetings, every step looks daunting.
Also, the higher the number of group members, the more conflicts occur. The good news is that you can solve this problem by following some tips.
How to Solve
Here are some tips for effective communication in a group:
- Express your expectations clearly and ensure every member is on the same page.
- Use digital tools to keep track of the assignments and collaborate.
- Assign roles to each member based on their expertise. For example, if someone is good at research, you can see if they can do it.
2. Conflicting Goals
Another challenge that new students might face during group assignments is conflicting goals.
The reason?
Every student has different goals and ideas on how they can tackle their projects. This creates a conflict between members.
While having health debates and discussions is good, it sometimes leads to possible issues. Hence, resolving the conflict as soon as possible is essential.
How to Solve
- Always share your ideas first, listen to others, and then have a discussion as a group
- Furthermore, respect each other’s perspective even if you don’t like it.
- Listen to every member’s ideas and see if you can incorporate them into the work.
3. Unequal Contribution
Picture this: When creating a group for your assignments, you paired up with one student who didn’t participate in any tasks.
Well, it is also one of the challenges new students face. This causes hurdles in completing the tasks on time. It even disrupts the progress of other members.
Now, by chance you encounter this problem, what can you do?
How to Solve
Here are some tips for solving this problem effectively:
- Assign roles to everyone to ensure they contribute to the assignments equally.
- Furthermore, check on the member who is not participating and try to know why.
- Reassure all the groups that their opinions are valuable.
- Ask everyone to participate as it boosts motivation.
4. Lack of Motivation
How can I forget about this one?
Lack of motivation is one of the common challenges in group assignments. Sometimes members aren’t interested, enthusiastic, and committed to completing the project.
Well, this directly impacts the work performance.
Hence, creating an environment everyone can enjoy while working is essential to avoid this challenge.
How to Solve
- Clearly explain why this group assignment is essential.
- Set small achievement goals.
- Moreover, you can do fun activities while working on these tasks.
- Also, make everyone feel included.
5. Time Management
Time management is tricky when working on group assignments.
The reason?
Every individual has different schedules, which sometimes causes conflict. Determining when to meet while dealing with deadlines can be a big problem.
Sometimes even a lack of availability can also cause chaos.
Therefore, mastering the art of time management is essential. Here are some tips that can help you:
How to Solve
- Create a schedule that is feasible for everyone. Furthermore, track progress.
- Also, communicate ahead about the stages that might be time-consuming.
- If you think there might be a delay in submission, try changing the working plan. You can also seek expert guidance from the CIPD Assignment Help UK. They are known for having expertise in various domains and can help you tackle your group assignments with ease.
- Use digital tools to communicate if you are unable to meet.
6. Lack Of Trust
Another challenge new students face while working on group assignments is a lack of trust.
The reason?
They might not know each other well. Well, this causes difficulty in working together and being on the same page.
Therefore, to make the most of the group assignments, having trust is essential.
But how?
Let’s find out!
How to Solve
To build trust among each other here is what you need to do:
- Be open and communicate more often. Use the icebreaker method to learn about each member personally.
- Make them feel comfortable and listen to their ideas without judging.
- Learn to be accountable without blaming others.
Wrapping up!
The answer to new students tackling group assignments wrong depends on whether you are facing challenges. Furthermore, problems like lack of communication, time management, motivation, trust, and conflicting goals can lead to problems working on group assignments. Hence, self-assess and see if your group is facing these problems. If yes, you may need a new approach, like setting clear goals, building trust, creating a safe environment, etc.