Disadvantages of Group Projects in School Argumentative Essay

Whenever a teacher announces a group project, there will be those that cheer, and those that sigh in disappointment. Group projects are a common occurrence in public schools, with the majority of students participating in at least 1 group project every school year. Some teachers love to assign group projects. Maybe they believe it's for the benefit of students, or just so they have less work to grade. However a lot of students tend to dislike group projects and it's understandable why. Students should not be required to work in groups because the workload may end up being imbalanced when in a group, they can cause anxiety, and when students work alone they have freedom to make their own decisions.

It’s common for group projects to create an imbalanced workload due to the work habits of the members in the group. Some students aren’t as motivated as others to complete their work. This may be caused by a lack of motivation due to personal issues, or just the general mindset of not caring. On the opposite end of the spectrum some members might be too vocal and take majority of the control over the projects, leaving the other members annoyed and unheard. Even if this is not completely true, there is always one member who believes their idea is the strongest, and is unwilling to waiver.

Group projects can cause a lot of anxiety in young people. Studies show that teens have more activity in the Basal Ganglia, the part of the brain responsible for dealing with anxiety, than any other age group. So it's no wonder that this is something that many teens deal with. This of course, may lead some members to not speak up as much as other therefore they are less likely to have a say in decision making.

Allowing students to work alone will allow them pursue their Ideas wholeheartedly, without conflict from other members. It will motivate them to come up with a creative idea on their own instead of following along with the group. As working alone will actually inspire more creativity as you are forced to come up with something all on your own. They will also be able to choose something that relates to them, instead of being forced into a topic that they have no understanding of. Working alone will allow students to pursue these ideas without the chance of them being shot down by a group. They will have the chance to have their ideas fully realized, and to without interference of the other group members.

Some believe that group projects will teach students how to work in groups and communicate effectively. However, group projects fail because they take control away from students. When students work individually they have the control over their work, and it is completely their responsibility to do with that what they will. When it comes to group projects, It is frustrating for students to not have complete control over your work or grade. The only way this frustration could be resolved if students were taught in school how to properly work in groups, instead of being thrown into them and forced to fend for themselves. However, the simplest solution is not requiring students to participate in group projects at all.