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Working in Groups: identification and Treatment of Students' Perceived Weaknesses

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo

Melissa K. Gibson

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo

The ability to work in groups is vital for today's workforce, yet the existence of the necessary skills among students is questionable. Although group activities are now common, specific classroom instruction in effective group participation skills is not. Moreover, students recognize the need for such instruction. Content analysis of students' self-descriptions identified ten categories of deficiencies: conflict avoidant, public speaking anxiety, leadership, shy, oral skills, lack motivation, brainstorm ing, impatient,-intolerant, dislike groups. These weaknesses were addressed by a vuriety of pedagogical exercises including individual presentations, type or tem perament identification, an enhanced understanding of argument and brainstorm ing, and ways to encourage substuntive, but not procedural or affective, conflict. Student-perceived improvements were found in all categories, with the largest improvement in public speaking anxiety.

Key Words: Groups • teams • speaking anxiety • conflict • intolerance

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