I hear that you hate group work (and other collaborative work)?

Why?

Perhaps it’s because you’re an introvert.

Or perhaps not. There are three other reasons why some of my students hate group work; I identify with all three reasons (plus the introvert reason). One reason given is that it’s often easier just to do it yourself. A second is a fear that other (weaker) students will pull down your grade. The third is the one shown in the cartoon on the right above.

But back to introverts. You should read John Spencer’s interesting piece “Helping Introverts Thrive in Collaborative Projects.” He writes about how introverts can thrive in a collaborative environment, if the environment is structured appropriately. I’m reminded not only of the issues with collaboration among students but also about the issues with collaboration among teachers. The issues are similar but different, as they say. Go read Spencer’s piece, and think about it. That’s what I’m going to do. And then I’m going to put my thoughts into action.

Categories: Teaching & Learning