The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on everybody. Most colleges and universities have turned to online learning to ensure youths receive the chance to be prepared for the real world.
We have all had our fair share of working on tasks as a group from a young age. We may also realise how it can be a challenge to get our message across and see eye-to-eye with our group mates. Keeping in mind the fact that we cannot meet our group mates to discuss our assignments face-to-face, we need to establish some ways to deal with group assignments remotely. Here are some of the best practices for online group work.
Set Clear Objectives
Have a meeting with your group mates as soon as the task is assigned. Get to know them and what role they can take up in a group project. Set a deadline with at least a week-long for buffer in case any amendments are required. Set a goal for each meeting to ensure that there will always be progress in your group assignment. Communicate what you want to accomplish clearly during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, reconfirm that they have understood the message and agree with it. This helps the team to work toward the objectives set.
Keep Your Teammates Updated
When working with other students online, let them know of your progress on the assignment so they believe you are doing your part and should reciprocate as well. Keep your communication professional rather than personal to ensure that work is being done instead of idle chatting. You can even use platforms for online group work that allow you to see each other’s progress such as Google Docs, Google Slides and many others.
Respect Opinions
When your group mates give opinions on certain issues regarding the assignment, respect them and keep those ideas in consideration. Avoid immediately shutting down their ideas because perhaps, for them, speaking up was not an easy thing to do. If you shut them down, they may never speak up again and might even give their bare minimum on the project.
Recognise Each Other’s Capabilities and Set Roles Accordingly
When setting roles in a group project, remember that each member has a skill that another may not have. Recognise these skills and discuss what each member can contribute to your online group work. Ensure that everyone accepts their roles as your project is more likely to succeed if everyone agrees to a common objective and the journey to achieve it.
Do Your Personal Best and Pull Your Load
The most important step is to avoid procrastination, making excuses or even straying from the plan. Your group mates are relying on you to get your part done. Do not betray that trust. Do your part as best as you can.
These are among the best practices for online group work as you won’t be able to meet your team face-to-face for some time. Therefore, it is important to have a proper game plan and ensure that everyone sees eye-to-eye. Working with other students online effectively has become an important factor today at many universities, especially at INTI International University and Colleges. INTI Education Counselling Centres provide future students with education pathway choices, student registration and application services. Click here to reach out to us today!