Group v Individual Work

Working with a group and working on your own

Here in ADMC we often work individually but at other times we have to work in groups. There are similarities and differences between the two modes of work.

The first similarity is that we have a task assigned by the teacher and, obviously, we have to complete it. Secondly, the assignment will have a time limit or deadline. In addition, the task will be assessed and marked by the teacher. Finally, of course, this mark will be entered into the gradebook and will contribute a fixed percentage to our ultimate mark.

There are, however, several important differences. When you work on your own you can work at your own pace but in a group you have to consult others in order to share tasks, meet deadlines and reach an outcome. Consulting others and sharing tasks means, therefore, that you are working as part of a team, rather than as an individual. As a team member, there has to be a degree of consultation, of give and take. Also, a team works better if each member has a specific task: spokesman, secretary, and so on.

For myself, I’m happy to work individually but working as a team has both social and academic benefits and is good practice for the workplace, where we will often have to work and cooperate with colleagues in order to achieve success.

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