It is normal to experience problems and conflicts in a study group. They can create difficulties for both students and teachers, but can also be a source of development and learning if handled correctly. According to Le et al. (2016), common conflicts arise from:
lack of cooperative skills
members not contributing to the group
group hierarchy, where certain members dominate while others are ignored
friendships within the group, leading to the group becoming less disciplined and critical.
The conflicts often arise if there is a strong academic focus and less focus on cooperation within the group. As a teacher, you can help improve collaboration in study groups by setting up exercises for students to align their expectations or to evaluate their team work.
Disagreements can create new perspectives, knowledge, and innovation. If group members are very similar, there won’t be much room for breakthroughs and learning. Students can learn something from group conflicts, as they are challenged by views and opinions that are different from their own (Hagedorn-Rasmussen 2013). But students need to be comfortable in the group before being challenged in this way.
If students are resisting group work, it may be because they are unsure about what they’re supposed to do in the groups (Allan, 2016). That’s why it’s good to be proactive and clear about the purpose of the study group, for example by:
Aligning expectations. Ask the group to work on aligning their expectations and set out some rules about what to prepare before meeting, when to meet, how to work together, etc. See an example of aligning expectations in groups on AU Studypedia.
Specifying the objectives and framework. Specifying the objectives and framework of the group work avoids confusion, disagreements and frustrations regarding what the group is supposed to do. See an example of how to initiate group work on Educate.
| Clarification from the teacher | Encouraging group members to share | Three steps for active listening |
|---|---|---|
Ask the group to explain what the disagreement is about. It may be a case of academic disagreement or uncertainty that can easily be clarified by the teacher. Sometimes explaining the disagreement to an outsider is sufficient for the group to move forward. | Make students take turns at explaining their side of the situation. Afterwards, facilitate a dialogue between the group members (Petersen & Sørensen, 2019). This can be done in the following way:
| These three steps for active listening can be used if the conflict persists (Felder & Brent, 2001):
|
Having disagreements and conflicts in a study group are only problematic if the group cannot move past them. With this in mind, it can be useful to think about how group dynamics typically unfold. Tuckman (1965) described how groups typically develop through a number of phases:
The forming phase, when the group is established. The group will feel some uncertainty until their specific purpose is defined.
The storming phase, when the group gets to work. This is where conflicts can occur if there are differing opinions on how to complete the task at hand.
The norming phase (setting norms), when conflicts are settled. In this phase there is a focus on common goals rather than individual ones.
The performing phase, when the group is required to perform.
The adjourning phase, when the group may feel a sense of loss as the group dissolves.
In conflict resolution, be aware of which phases the conflicts typically appear in and try to prevent them from there. You can try out some of the suggestions mentioned above.
Allan, E. (2016). I hate group work! In: InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching. 2016, Vol. 11, p81-89. 9p
Hagedorn-Rasmussen, Peter (2013): Konflikter som anledning til læring. In: Mac, Anita og HagedornRasmussen, Peter (red.) (2013). Projektarbejdets kompleksitet. Viden, værktøjer og læring. Samfundslitteratur
Petersen, Eva Bendix og Sørensen, Kasper Anton (2019): Projektgruppen – hvordan gør vi? Samfundslitteratur.
Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (2001). Effective strategies for cooperative learning. Journal of Cooperation & Collaboration in College Teaching, 10(2), 69-75.
Borg, M., Kembro, J., Holmén Notander, J., Petersson, C., & Ohlsson, L. (2011). Conflict management in student groups - a teacher's perspective in higher education. Higher Education, 1(2), 111-124. https://lucris.lub.lu.se/ws/portalfiles/portal/5308517/2862084.pdf
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