Blog Twenty-Seven - Group Project Durations (Group Work Part 3)
As explored in previous posts, the rise of group work and collaboration in mathematics classrooms has been cited as a necessity for educational programs and students alike. Many factors have significant roles in the implementation of group work in classrooms, some of which were discussed previously. One of these factors is the nature of the assignment. More specifically, the duration of which groups will have to work together. Mathematics can be weaved into short collaboration sessions, lasting a few minutes or even the length of a class period. It can also be seen in longer, culminating projects with different facets to explore. The length of time students spend with their groups can impact group dynamics, altering the way in which students approach the collaborative aspect of the task.
Short-duration tasks, which can be considered as anything under one class period, can encourage quick thinking, rapid problem solving, or the generation of fast, novel, and elementary ideas. These tasks would likely be better suited for teaching fundamental skills or introducing new concepts that students can apply in more complex ways. Quick collaboration opportunities may foster a feeling of urgency, which, as long as it is not done with unhealthy amounts of pressure, can serve as a motivator for students to collaborate since they have to get the assignment done so someone is required to step up. Their fast and easy-to-implement nature means they do not significantly impact the lesson plan if they aren’t meant to, and students can receive feedback from each other and the teacher in a relatively short timeframe. Short tasks' more casual, easy nature can make them seem low-stakes, as longer projects can appear more formal and structured.
Shorter durations may hinder rich and deep discussion and make students less willing to bond with their teammates as they will leave them soon anyway. A brief, quick activity could lack the insightful and familiar discussions that could occur a few days into a more extended project where students have more time to get to know each other and build off each other's ideas. They also may stress out students who do not learn as quickly as others, not giving them the time they need to process information. Also, if the time constraint is tight, some students may dominate the conversation to finish the task quickly.
On the other hand, longer projects can help promote in-depth discussions by simply giving students time with the material. They can also allow teachers to assign more complicated projects with multiple aspects like artistic design and even presentation, which would otherwise be unrealistic for students to submit within a class period. Students have the time to grapple with complex concepts and exchange ideas with a familiar group, where they would hopefully build bonds over the course of the project. The more structured format helps students develop time management skills, planning and executing tasks with a sense of purpose and efficiency. Longer projects can also carve out more time for students to pause and self-reflect on their or their group’s progress, encouraging them to learn from their mistakes.
However, being exposed to the same students for a longer amount of time may mean that if a group has a member who is unwilling to participate, the group cannot simply wait for the group composition to change the next class period like they would with shorter duration sessions. This can demotivate students and prevent them from trying. Or, it could make them averse to group projects altogether due to a previous experience where they felt stuck with a group dynamic where they had to take on more of the work due to unfortunate circumstances. The time management being put in the students’ hands can backfire, leading to procrastination and causing problems due to poor time management skills. This may be remedied with soft teacher deadlines to keep groups on the right track.
Just like everything else, the duration of group projects heavily depends on the context. It would be unfair to say that one is better than the other, as both fit different contexts and serve different purposes in the classroom. Additionally, many of the drawbacks of one type can be offset by the benefits of the other. Some remedies to the drawbacks of each can also be integrated into the lesson, allowing students to not face these issues.
