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Apparently, our liberal arts dean is deluded into thinking that everyone loves group projects. 
Whether he is smoking something or being a sarcastic douche, he's wrong. Nobody loves group projects! (at least in my experience)
Well group projects aren't too bad if you have a good group of people, but these stupid presentations are, especially the "fun" ones. The one I'm doing now, make your own religion. Now this would actually be pretty fun and a good way to be creative with what I really believe, except for one big problem, it's a group project! This means that everyone in the group has to agree on one religion. So if I come up with Homerism, that means someone else can't do Simon Cowellism, and vice versa. And of course, everyone's contribution has to be cohesive, which is complicated by the fact that we only see other in class, and that it can be difficult to communicate ideas with groups. I wouldn't have to plan things like this if I can just do it on my own (or optional groups), but alas, that would make it too easy. So much for being creative when you have to negotiate with your group.
It's so much easier for me to do it on my own. With groups, there's always people who either fail to communicate or do their part. In fact, just deciding on a topic can be a daunting task that if it were just me doing I could just make up my mind without having to worry about what everyone else wants to do. Hell, with one group, their leader didn't even show up on the day they were supposed to present so they had to move it to another day. The worst part is you are partly responsible for their grade and vice versa. Since I suck at that kind of stuff, I end up feeling like the slacker who's slowing everyone down.
The presentations themselves aren't any better. Without fail, I end up getting nervous somewhere down the road and start stuttering, trying to remember what to say. It's even worse when I'm finally finished, but the instructor asks questions forcing me to go back and remember my notes. Oh and I better not have to "review" the presentations of others. How would I know how to grade them and why would I care? It's not my job. I just want to get mine over with and get out of their.
*sigh*
Whether he is smoking something or being a sarcastic douche, he's wrong. Nobody loves group projects! (at least in my experience)Well group projects aren't too bad if you have a good group of people, but these stupid presentations are, especially the "fun" ones. The one I'm doing now, make your own religion. Now this would actually be pretty fun and a good way to be creative with what I really believe, except for one big problem, it's a group project! This means that everyone in the group has to agree on one religion. So if I come up with Homerism, that means someone else can't do Simon Cowellism, and vice versa. And of course, everyone's contribution has to be cohesive, which is complicated by the fact that we only see other in class, and that it can be difficult to communicate ideas with groups. I wouldn't have to plan things like this if I can just do it on my own (or optional groups), but alas, that would make it too easy. So much for being creative when you have to negotiate with your group.
It's so much easier for me to do it on my own. With groups, there's always people who either fail to communicate or do their part. In fact, just deciding on a topic can be a daunting task that if it were just me doing I could just make up my mind without having to worry about what everyone else wants to do. Hell, with one group, their leader didn't even show up on the day they were supposed to present so they had to move it to another day. The worst part is you are partly responsible for their grade and vice versa. Since I suck at that kind of stuff, I end up feeling like the slacker who's slowing everyone down.
The presentations themselves aren't any better. Without fail, I end up getting nervous somewhere down the road and start stuttering, trying to remember what to say. It's even worse when I'm finally finished, but the instructor asks questions forcing me to go back and remember my notes. Oh and I better not have to "review" the presentations of others. How would I know how to grade them and why would I care? It's not my job. I just want to get mine over with and get out of their.
*sigh*
I still offered them my notes just to make sure our group report and demo went well. They refused. After turning in our papers the teacher made me give them my notes so that they could rewrite their papers and get a better grade.
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