Navigating Academic Challenges: Benefits of Group Work 

Group work within higher education cultivates students’ collaborative skills in study and beyond. Group work is beneficial for students in higher education, as this learning enables students to develop their abilities not only for university but also for future endeavours. Students can solve complex problems through discussion and this can help build confidence. Some advantages of group work include student wellbeing, psychological advantages, and building social skills. Conflicts may occur within a group if some members are not doing their share and introverted students may feel uneasy to voice their opinions, so this could make group work less enjoyable for them.

The success of group assignments depends on individuals’ ability to work collaboratively. Laal and Ghodsi discussed the advantages of students working within a group, identifying that individuals will form further bonds and develop friendships, which will help them with their study. Some students are not confident in their abilities and can struggle with higher education. In addition, group work encourages students to take ownership of their contributions within the group. Sofroniou and Poutos acknowledged that discussions students have within a group setting could give students a sense of ease and help them feel more confident about the task. Laal and Ghodsi concluded that group work has various benefits that help students succeed in higher education. Some of these benefits included more caring and engaging connections with other learners and increased psychological wellbeing, social skills, and motivation for learning.

The saying ‘two heads are better than one’ encapsulates the benefit of group work in only a few words. People have their own skillsets, strengths, and weaknesses. One person’s weakness may be another person’s strength, and this works interchangeably. Gunderson and Moore researched how students found that working in groups allowed the strengths and weaknesses of each individual to be pooled together, this helped to problem solve, assist one another and achieve higher grades than working individually. Sofroniou and Poutos examined their outcomes and used the voice of students who spoke about varying skillsets of working together, students can tackle problems, which are more complex and provide confidence in decision making through the ability to discuss ideas together. It could help with comprehension, as individuals could alternately clarify things. Laal et al. discussed the psychological benefit associated with working in groups and identified that it can increase students’ confidence as they have faith in themselves and their ability. Working as a team compared to working individually is beneficial as the combined effort improves the confidence of individuals. After students graduate and enter the workforce, they can think back on their graduate capabilities and how this can provide them with skills that contribute to their chosen occupation. According to Jackson et al. ‘These included being tolerant, thoughtful and respectful in responding to others, practicing skills associated with negotiation, and compromise, and having an open mind to the views of other people’.

Group work has many benefits, but can also have some drawbacks; Walker suggested that sometimes group work might hinder some students, because of the varying personalities. Students that are more confident may take over management of the work that may leave introverted students unable to voice their opinions, making group work less enjoyable. It may also be difficult to find a suitable time for all members to meet, resulting in some members taking on more of the work. Regardless of the disadvantages of working in a group, the social skills learned and knowledge gained from other people is invaluable and far outweighs any negatives.

Overall, students face a variety of circumstances throughout their lives that place them outside their comfort zone. Group work helps to not only prepare for their academic achievement but also help students with circumstances beyond university. The skillsets learned from group work will provide the abilities to be successful through academic life and beyond.