what to do?

[Bumble_bee]

I’m a mature student (hate that term) and much of the assignments I have to do are in groups. The problem I’m having is that I feel I take my studies a little more serious than the others, but I cannot blame them. They are young, they are enjoying themselves, and because I do not want my grades to suffer (I’m trying for a 1st) I end up doing all the work and not saying a word about it.

What do I do, I’m tired guys, I can only study at night.....so I’m exhausted so much of the time. I’m getting frustrated a lot, but don’t know how to deal with it, because in a funny kind of way I totally get where they are in their lives, I just wish they would show the same consideration for me.

This for me, I feel is the last chance for me to secure a better future for me and my son, I don’t want to carry people all the time, and I think I’m being taken advantage of

Any advice?

[FullofSighs]

You can either do all the work yourself, and tell your professor that your group didn't help, or tell him what parts that they did help you with (the grade the other students get will show them they need to shape up and get out of that stage soon or they will not pass). Or confront your students and tell them they need to pick up the slack that they are leaving behind. But with that second suggestion, they will probably laugh at you, and you'll end up doing it all yourself anyways. So i suggest the first thing i said, that way your grade is not hindered

[Lipp]

At my uni there's already a "peer review" system in place where you basically value other group members' efforts, and a slice of the grades are redistributed based on it.

But yeah, if it's not there I'd suggest expressing your concern to the tutor/professor, and perhaps shift over to a different group.

[Mish]

I’m a mature student (hate that term) and much of the assignments I have to do are in groups. The problem I’m having is that I feel I take my studies a little more serious than the others, but I cannot blame them. They are young, they are enjoying themselves, and because I do not want my grades to suffer (I’m trying for a 1st) I end up doing all the work and not saying a word about it.

I feel for you BB. I had groups like these when I first started my degree. What I did would try to separate the work for each individual and have everyone agree on the deadlines. If someone continually failed I would talk to them to find out what's up. If they continued to fail to meet the deadline everyone agreed on I'd threaten to get the lecturer involved. That would usually be enough for everyone to put in their fair share. I had to get the lecturer involved only once in the whole 2 and a half years and even that heavy measure worked out okay.

[IndiReloaded]

I feel for you BB. I had groups like these when I first started my degree. What I did would try to separate the work for each individual and have everyone agree on the deadlines. If someone continually failed I would talk to them to find out what's up. If they continued to fail to meet the deadline everyone agreed on I'd threaten to get the lecturer involved. That would usually be enough for everyone to put in their fair share. I had to get the lecturer involved only once in the whole 2 and a half years and even that heavy measure worked out okay.

This kind of thing is great management training for the workplace.

[Sanctuary]

I feel for you BB. I had groups like these when I first started my degree. What I did would try to separate the work for each individual and have everyone agree on the deadlines. If someone continually failed I would talk to them to find out what's up. If they continued to fail to meet the deadline everyone agreed on I'd threaten to get the lecturer involved. That would usually be enough for everyone to put in their fair share. I had to get the lecturer involved only once in the whole 2 and a half years and even that heavy measure worked out okay.

I ****ing hate group projects. The problem with that solution is what do you do when they turn in subpar work and you have to spend your weekend editing all their crap?

[Bumble_bee]

Mish, the reason why I posted this was because we had a deadline to hand in our report tomorrow....They all knew this, only one guy turned in some work, I now have no choice but to stay up all night to get this done....they knew the deadline, we had divided the work up, equally to begin with, but the group did let me and another group member down before so we ended up pulling an all nighter already, just on this project.

Indi, you're right, and that's what they keep telling me, but in the back of my head I'm thinking, screw this, I have social skills, I can be professional etc....but I'm paying for this, and why the heck should my degree be based on how well I work with others instead of the measure of input and commitment I put into it, or my individual talent/achievements?

I'll be here all night editing, too late to ask for an extension too...sucks big time....


I sent them all an email and said it was a shame that they could not even send out an email to let me know that they couldn't complete on time, I got one email back from one girl who claimed to have sent me her part already...pfft...I have not told them that I'm going to work on it all night, but that it would be nice if they could email me with what they have in the morning, if they ignore it, I'm going to pull out of the group, I can't let my individual assignments suffer and run on no sleep because I'm too nice to step on toes.....

[Mish]

Mish, the reason why I posted this was because we had a deadline to hand in our report tomorrow....They all knew this, only one guy turned in some work, I now have no choice but to stay up all night to get this done....they knew the deadline, we had divided the work up, equally to begin with, but the group did let me and another group member down before so we ended up pulling an all nighter already, just on this project.

I had something similar happen to me once before as well. Ever since then what I'd do is make sure there is a multitude of "mini deadlines" and compulsory once a week meeting. So everyone can always keep track of what's happening. So there would be one or two deadlines every week for some particular task, this makes it easier to make sure everyone is on top of things and even if the mini deadlines are missed there is still time to find out what's up, get things on track and if necessary get the lecturer involved. Ussually I try to setup the final deadline at least a couple of days before the work is due, but I know it can be very difficult with some people.

[Bumble_bee]

I'm still hacking away.....have worked with groups before, but never been this difficult, meetings are hard, people just don't turn up....not even a text/email to let me know

have to wake up (or not go to sleep) as I have to take my son to nursery then get in to uni....I can deal with this....I just feel like crap for having to...thanks for the advice all.

[tooxshort]

I had a major group project due my final semester of class. I had a bad feeling about one of my group members from the getgo and when we got our final grades, I got a B. I then e-mailed my professor, told her to look at the body of work I had provided all semester and to cut me some slack by not making me suffer for someone else's shoddy work.

Got me that A. Just try to look out for yourself and hopefully your instructor will see that.

[vashti]

Ugh... as a "mature" student, I also hated group work and "peer reviews". Honestly, I think they are the tools of lazy professors who don't care to read through the tons of garbage produced by lazy students.

Fortunately, because I am old and cranky, and because I was able to develop good, personal relationships with all my professors, I didn't feel bad about telling them that due to experience, age, and work experience, I didn't (usually) feel I had any real peers in my class, and I didn't feel it was appropriate that I should have to sort through poorly-written papers when I wasn't getting paid. I ended up being paired with brighter students.

Things improved a lot for me when I got to nursing school... it is full of bright students who work hard, regardless of age. My study partner was about 15 years younger than me, and she is incredible.... I adore her.

All I can say is: keep your eye on the prize, and consider this time to be akin to boot camp: something to be endured for a finite amount of time.

[Bumble_bee]

I'm done, although seriously doubt quality

sent a firm but polite email letting them know that I had completed the work, but also that I had emailed our lecturer to let her knowthe situation.

thanks all..