Have you ever been in a group discussion where one or two people dominated the conversation? How about a time when you wanted to share an idea, but were immediately interrupted? Ever witness someone saying something insensitive or innappropriate and not sure how to intervene? What about a time when the group discussion digressed so much that little was accomplished from the intended goal?

Most of us have had the above experiences, and for students these can be frequent experiences in classes that include group discussion and group work. At the same time, group collaboration and discussion skills are important skills for students (and instructors) to develop.

Instructors can help to make group work more effective and positive by providing some simple structures and strategies. Setting ground rules for discussion, assigning roles to group members, and providing clear expectations for how group work will be assessed are three examples. See the information and resources below for more detail.