Best of Week: Collaborating in Groups

While discussing the TED project this week, many different ideas and concerns came about that dealt with the challenges of working in groups. Because face-to-face group time is limited, many of us were concerned with getting group members to contribute to the project equally. The most practical solution that we came up with was a form of motivation, individual grades.
In a perfect world, the lure of knowledge would be enough to get all group members to contribute to the project equally. But, previous experience shows us that this is simply not enough for some people. Students, especially academites, are concerned with getting good grades. If a grade is put on the line, most students will be compelled to pull through with their share of work in any project.
Collaborating in groups is a skill that we will all need to use for the rest of our lives, whether it is for a school project or a major business endeavor. There will always be some people who don't seem to work as diligently as others to complete the task, but this week, a possible solution was discovered. Motivation.