So we all know that some schools are big on cohort work groups and that some of us hate that because we don't want those knuckle-dragging slackers to hold us back (there might be other reasons as well). Well here's some research that indicates that work groups actually make you stupid (hey guys, I know it's Cosmo but the research comes from Virginia Tech). The Weird Factor That Can Screw With Your IQ - Women, Intelligence Study - Cosmopolitan
I agree with the premise of the article. It seems like work groups tend to dumb down to the average IQ of the group. The really dumb or lazy people might put out slightly better work because they are around others who are motivated and a bit more intelligent. However, the brightest group members are often hindered by the requirement to include their cohorts who may not be as talented as they are. You end up with a group that operates somewhere near the mean IQ of the group. It's not always a bad thing, but I agree with you Kiz, I can't stand working in groups where there are slackers. Wally from the Dilbert comics comes to mind here. PS, now we know that you read Cosmo. Tisk, tisk. :smile: Jk
As a teacher, I positively despise team/group assignments, and would never require them if it were up to me. As a student. I didn't mind them that much, mostly because I got to choose my teammates, and they were done in at least a semi-residential setting, so any slacker could be confronted in-person, which is a lot more effective than a terse e-mail. I always laugh at the reaction of someone who gets a zero on a team assignment because they didn't participate at all, while the rest of the teams gets full credit for a good job. Do they really think that teachers are that dumb/naive?
