A key problem for students taking the 100MC module is their group work. As activity week comes closer, a big issue for anyone showing up and doing work is everyone else who doesn’t.
The problem has been bubbling under the surface since the beginning of the year. Students had had a hard time meeting up with their groups, which led to the course team putting groups’ names on a piece of paper and making people sit together. Still, group work goes well in as few as five groups at the most, whilst most people are complaining about their group members and the group work as a whole.
The course team of the key concepts module takes this problem very seriously. They have been encouraging everyone who doesn’t have a group yet to speak up before every lecture. However, even that hadn’t helped considerably – at least half of the groups are missing one or two people and there are groups that are missing 5 out of 8 people.
The course team is aware that some people don’t turn up until activity week and then blend in with the group and get the same mark. “We have made it clear to some groups who have not seen some of their group still that, if people have not been working in the group and then come in and try to take over the production activity, that they are to contact the course team immediately and we will sort it out.”
Students are extremely unhappy with members of their group showing up at the last minute, demanding contact details. Sarah Louise from group 2c wonders “Why haven’t they gone and told someone before that they had no group?”, whilst Ryan Powell from the same group made it clear: “They ain't coming into our group! I'll tell them as well if they come and find us!”
With activity week knocking on the door, everyone hopes that despite the problems, an interesting task would lead to some good media production. “It is a chance to apply the good work you have done so far practically but it is also an opportunity to have fun and produce something that you are proud of”, the course team says.Labels: journalism |
