2. Contents
• Introducing the concept of teamwork
• Identifying good/bad groups
•The benefits of engaging in groups
•Challenges associated with groups
• Developing groups
• The importance of identifying roles within a group
3. Introduction
A group is a collection of people who come together for a common purpose
or activity. In education, a group refers to students who are assigned to
work together on a task or project.
A service learning project can be either individual or collective.
Examples
1. One-on-One Tutoring
2. Homeless Shelter Support
Teamwork in service learning refers the collaborative efforts of students
working together to address real world community issues while also
achieving academic and personal growth.
4. “Bad Groups”/ “Good Groups”
Bad Groups:
Have unclear goals
Few members are involved-unequal participation
Avoid addressing conflicts
Lack commitment
Have poor communication
Lack willingness to identify roles
Low motivation and engagement
Lack trust among group members
Good Groups:
Vice Versa
5. The Benefits of Engaging In Groups
According to Cress, et al., (2005) there are several
benefits of working in groups, including:
A. Increased productivity
B. Access to a wider range of information
C. Better decision make
D. The development of social and communicative
skills
E. Enhanced motivation
6. Challenges With Groups
Several issues may rise while forming groups such as:
Not being able to identify roles withing a group
Not being able to equally distribute tasks
Not having opportunity to value individual
attempts
Students prioritizing content goals over
process goals
7. 4 Phases of Groups Development
1. Forming
Activities in this phase:
• Group members know each other.
• They clarify group tasks
•They have to make several major decisions:
What is this group about? What is the task to be accomplished?
Does each person want to be a member of this group?
Who are the other people who make up the group?
what is each person’s place in this group?
8. 4 Phases of Groups Development
2. Storming
• It is the most complicated stage in group development process because
Issues of power arise.
Group members get more comfortable and will express their true feelings
These questions need to be answered in this stage:
What is the best approach for completing the group’s assigned task?
what are the different jobs that need to be done to accomplish the group’s task?
who is doing what in the group?
How can we make sure the workload is divided equitably?
9. 4 Phases of Groups Development
3. Norming
• Every group member will be familiar with the specific role they have.
• Attention is paid more on the process of the group rather than product.
• Group members decide on how discussions will proceed.
• Group members decide on how decisions will be made.
• in this phase, the level of cooperation and willingness to help the group
accomplish its goals increases.
10. 4 Phases of Groups Development
4. Performing
• When the real work of the group starts getting done.
• The attention now shifts to accomplishing the assigned task.
• As a group moves more deeply into completing tasks, challenges to
accomplishing the group’s work often present themselves.
• Harris and Sherblum(1999) identify a four stage problem-solving process.
11. Four-stage Problem-solving Process
Stage 1: Defining the problem
Do:
• Make sure pertinent information is shared among group members.
• Make sure that everyone is clear about nature of the task to be completed.
Don’t:
• Assign blame or try to determine who is at fault regarding the problems that arise.
• Discuss solutions at this point
12. Four-stage Problem-solving Process
Stage 2: Generating Possible Solutions
Do:
• Brainstorm solutions, no matter how “ off the wall.”
• Encourage participation by all members of the group.
• Set a time limit to stick to it.
Don’t:
• Edit, evaluate, or criticize any of the solutions.
• Settle on the first good idea that surfaces.
• Spend too much time on any one person or good idea.
13. Four-stage Problem-solving Process
Stage 3: Evaluating Solutions
Do:
• Review a list of potential solutions and eliminate any that now have no support within
the group.
• Anticipate the consequence of each potential solution.
• Encourage members to combine solutions
Don’t
• Let the discussion get sidetracked into debates about the pros and cons of a single
solution.
• Quit until you have clear consensus.
14. Four-stage Problem-solving Process
Stage 4: Creating an Action Plan
Do:
• Generate some alternative “how-to-do-it” scripts before choosing an action plan.
• make sure specific tasks are assigned within the group.
• make sure that time frames are set up.
Don’t:
• State roles and tasks in general, unmeasurable terms.
• Forget to include some method of following up so that the task actually gets completed.
