Defining Small Groups
Rules, Norms, and Speaking Parts
For many college students, group work is a frustrating experience. Everyone has different reasons for their frustration, but the end result is often similar. One individual perceives that they completed all of the work for the entire group… And everyone gets the same credit. Our next assignment in this course will involve group work. As we complete the project, however, we’ll be looking at what makes groups work and, hopefully, identifying some tools you can use in your own groups to make the process more effective.
Before we get into the specific issues and concepts, we need to understand what groups are, how they develop, what makes them connect, and how we can develop that connection intentionally.
Prepare Yourself
What role does cohesion play in determining your small group experience?
What can you do to intentionally develop positive cohesion in your group?
What rules did your group develop? What norms were created?
What parts will people take on for this speech?