Topic – Experiencing a Lack of Teamwork in Group Project.
Author -Aarya Karandikar(86), Aniket Phapale(112) & Pratiksha Dhage(70)
Introduction
Group projects are designed to enhance teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, but students often face challenges that affect collaboration. A major issue is the lack of motivation, where some students are disengaged and contribute minimally. This leads to unequal workload distribution, where a few members take on most responsibilities while others do little. Additionally, some students expect full credit despite contributing less, creating frustration among active members. Procrastination is another concern, as many delay tasks until the last moment, affecting project quality. Lastly, students often perceive tasks as unfairly divided, which lowers morale and effectiveness. These issues lead to stress, unfair grading, and poor learning outcomes. Understanding these challenges is crucial for educators to improve teamwork, ensure fair task allocation, and enhance student engagement. By addressing these concerns, group projects can become more efficient and beneficial for all participants.
Objective
The objective of this study is to understand the underlying phenomenon of lack of teamwork in group projects. By analyzing students’ experiences, this aims to identify key challenges that hinder effective collaboration. It seeks to determine the extent to which motivation, workload distribution, procrastination, and fairness in task allocation impact teamwork. Additionally, the study will assess whether students recognize their level of contribution and how it affects group dynamics. The findings will help in developing strategies to improve teamwork, ensure equal participation, and create a more structured and efficient approach to group projects.
Literature Review
Kudek titled “What is the student impact if one is not part of his/her ideal team?” investigates how students perform and engage when assigned to less-than-ideal teams. The research highlights that students who do not feel comfortable with their group members often exhibit lower motivation and dissatisfaction with teamwork. Social loafing—where some members contribute less than others—negatively affects students’ perceptions of fairness and collaboration. The study further emphasizes the importance of structured group formation to improve engagement and overall team effectiveness
Rolih (2019), in “Constructive Conflict in Teamwork,” examine the role of conflict in group projects. While conflict is often viewed as a negative factor, their study reveals that well-managed disagreements can enhance creativity and problem-solving. The authors emphasize that encouraging open discussions and implementing conflict-resolution strategies can significantly improve teamwork effectiveness
Data Collection
For the above problem, we designed a survey with five statements using a Likert scale. The survey was distributed to 100 students of KBS via Google Forms to gather their responses. Participants were given five response options: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. To facilitate quantitative analysis, these responses were assigned numerical values—5 for Strongly Agree, 4 for Agree, 3 for Neutral, 2 for Disagree, and 1 for Strongly Disagree. This numerical coding allowed us to calculate a hypothesized mean of 3, which represents a neutral stance on the issue. By comparing the collected responses against this mean, we aimed to identify patterns in student experiences and perceptions of teamwork in group projects.
Survey Statements:
1. I feel unmotivated to work in group projects.
2. I leave most responsibilities to the group leader.
3. I expect full credit even if I contribute less.
4. I complete my tasks at the last moment.
5. Tasks in group project are never divided equally.
Data Analysis
Measure Statement 1 Statement 2 Statement 3 Statement 4 Statement 5
Mean (x̄) 3.34 2.74 2.62 3.19 3.55
Standard Deviation (SD) 1.49 1.43 1.57 1.29 1.32
Standard Error (SE) 0.15 0.14 0.16 0.13 0.13
Z-Score 2.29 -1.82 -2.42 1.47 4.16
Result Positive Neutral Negative Neutral Positive
Conclusion
Based on the survey results, the following observations were made regarding students’ with teamwork in group projects:
1. Students feel unmotivated to work in group projects.
2. Students are neutral towards leaving most responsibilities to the group leader.
3. Students don’t expect full credit even if they contribute less.
4. Students are neutral towards completing their tasks at the last moment.
5. Tasks in group projects are not divided equally.
These findings highlight the key challenges faced by students in collaborative work, indicating areas that need improvement for better teamwork and productivity.
References
Donald Kudek, 2016. “Self-Chosen Student Groups – What is the student impact if one is not part of his/her ideal team?,” Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 3305758, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences
Sandra Brsec Rolih, 2013. “Constructive Conflict In Teamwork,” Interdisciplinary Management Research, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Croatia, vol. 9, pages 105-113.