Claim Group assignments that students must work together to complete should replace a substantial amount of traditional lecture based instruction in college and university courses Reason It is vital for students to gain experience collaborating with peers

It is true that each and every other student is unique in his/her own way. It’s not necessary that all should be toppers or should be rank holders. Every one of them has their own ways of learning and apprehending things taught to them. It so happens that many of our friends may not cope up with what is being taught and learned. Group work or group assignments do give a great collaborative environment for the students to catch up with others and contribute their efforts. I do surely agree with this claim that group assignments enable students to work together and gives a great opportunity to connect with their fellow mates and peers to grow.

Firstly, we all know that each and every other student may not catch up with whatever is being taught to them and group activities like group studying, group assignments can surely be one of the greatest ways which can help such students out. We all agree that we do feel comfortable opening up with our friends who are always there for you no matter what. Whenever facing any difficulty or doubts the first thing that we all obviously do is approach our friends and get it done rather than directly approaching the professors or mentors first. It is the openness with our friends which seems to dominate our feelings rather than the formality to get up and approach the teacher.

Secondly, as rightly said knowledge grows by sharing and not just accumulating. I myself feel so relieved and satisfied when I indulge in any kind of group study or group assignment before the exams as it can really teach us a lot many crucial things that may seem insignificant earlier. What can be a much better way to learn new things than discussing and sharing our knowledge among our friends. We come across various new things at that last moment and also get to revise the concepts learnt in a much better way than doing it by yourselves. It’s through these brainstorming sessions when we actually exercise our brain cells into thinking. Given a particular problem, how will you approach it surely differs and enhances when you are in a group when there are so many brains at the same time criticising you, supporting you and helping you.

Thirdly, in any group, we always have all kinds of people: ones who are really committed, ones who work under pressure, one’s you can always depend upon and even the least contributing ones. Group assignments are surely the best way one can learn how to work in a team, how to support each other in all situations, how to learn new things, how to criticize any unwanted aspect. All these can never be taught to you by any teacher in your classroom but only through participation, only when you work as a team. You never know what comes before you and you always know whenever you are in a trouble you got a team for you. This way of working and teaching surely helps one enhance the team working skills and collaborative side of you, the way you connect with others.

However, it’s not possible that complete replacement of teachers is ever possible by any kind of group. You always need your peers and your teachers and your team and you yourself. The teacher teaches you, it’s your duty to learn and understand it. Surely there are so many things that a teacher can teach you which you can never learn from your team. But what matters is the way you learn. The only difference is the way you imbibe and apply it in your life. As a group or a team, you get a chance to portray the knowledge you learn and help your peers but with a teacher, it’s just in you and with you. Surely team effort always pays off much more than your individual efforts.