Undergraduate Marketing Students, Group Projects, and Teamwork: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?

Abstract

The ability for students to work within a team environment has long been a skill set prized by most marketing educators and practitioners. What has not been altogether clear is how to best learn such skills. Some educators would argue that along with the “good,” there is truly some “bad” and “ugly” inherent in the framework many use to teach teamwork. The authors of this study focus on the use of group projects in the classroom. Results suggest that educators need to reexamine this issue to ensure that marketing students are developing both discipline-related and support skills.

Group assessments: dilemmas facing lecturers in multicultural tertiary classrooms

“…Group assessment is popular because there is a perception that group work and the accompanying assessment is a good way of developing skills for employability (Johnston & Miles, 2004;Pfaff & Huddlestone, 2003;Livingstone & Lynch, 2000;McCorkle et al, 1999;Mutch, 1998;Lejk et al, 1997). There is also the perception that this approach benefits the lecturers: that by reducing the number of papers to be graded, the workload of the lecturer will be substantially reduced (Livingstone & Lynch, 2000;McCorkle et al, 1999;Mutch, 1998).…”

“…There is also the perception that this approach benefits the lecturers: that by reducing the number of papers to be graded, the workload of the lecturer will be substantially reduced (Livingstone & Lynch, 2000;McCorkle et al, 1999;Mutch, 1998). However, there are researchers who advise caution in the use of group assessment in tertiary education (Hernandez, 2002;Lejk et al, 1999;Ledwith & Lee, 1998;Baldwin, Bedell & Johnson, 1997), and Mutch (1998) argue that there is also doubt that team work actually develops skills that are useful in the workplace.…”

“…This means that students can have a very good understanding and knowledge of their particular aspect of a project but very little insight into the broader picture. In groups where a few members do most of the work, their less-willing colleagues might have a very poor understanding of all the work involved (McCorkle et al, 1999). Leki (2001, p.51) paints an even more disturbing picture of a group project she observed.…”

“…Obviously, the allocation of marks is an important issue, closely allied to that of 'freeloading' (Johnston & Miles, 2004). Gatfield (1999) also concedes that the awarding of marks is a contentious issue but as McCorkle et al (1999) argue, what appears to be more important is student perception that the system is unfair when some students' marginal participation is rewarded equally with full participation. Once a student has experienced what he/she considers to be unjust treatment, this episode will colour his/her approach to future group work assignments (Livingstone & Lynch, 2000).…”

“…Researchers argue that students are involved in tasks that could not be attempted alone; multiple skills are brought to bear on problems and conflicting views are aired and considered (Young & Henquinet, 2000;McCorkle, Reardon, Alexander, Kling, Harris & Iyer, 1999;Gatfield, 1999). Olivera and Straus (2004, p.455) suggest that working in groups "fosters transfer of learning to individuals" and that this transfer can be attributed mainly to the "cognitive elements of group interaction".…”