When students work together, how do you avoid one student doing all the work and the others just copying?

Question

This has become a sticking point in my classes. I want the students to work together in order to solve difficult problems, discuss altemative solutions, or to learn how to share the workload; however, it becomes increasingly apparent that one student does most or all of the work while the others goof off. Then, the rest copy and turn in the work as if they worked on it, too. I have tried to explain to all of them that this behavior does not allow them to learn the material. I am getting to the point where I don't want them to work together, but I like an interactive classroom.

Have you come across this problem in your class? What are some of the solutions you have tried?

Answer 1

I have them grade each other. My students do a standardized peer review. Say for a 25 point project I give them the ability to award 10 of those points. Sample form below.

PEER EVALUATION FORM


Instructions: Please rate each of your team members on a scale of 1-10 based on your assessment of their involvement in your group project. The rating criteria should include:


1Quality & quantity of inputMaximum Points - 2
2ParticipationMaximum Points - 2
3Amount of Work completedMaximum Points - 2
4Over all contribution to the projectMaximum Points - 4
Total Maximum 10

Your rating is completely confidential and these forms will be destroyed after all grades have been calculated.

In most cases, all team members contribute to the projects. Occasionally, this does not happen, and some team members carry the load for others. This can cause resentment and problems. This form will allow those who do the work to earn the grades. Hopefully, that will be every one.

Team MemberCategory
1234Total

Maximum points for categories One through Three is 2 points each
Maximum points for category Four is 4 points (see table above).
The total cannot exceed 10.

Note: Do not rate yourself.

I hope this helps. I teach at the college level and its a problem here too. This works for me BECAUSE my students know I follow what the other students give them for grades.

Answer 2

Calling on students or having them present is a good strategy, as is peer evaluation. Here are some other suggestions, drawn from my experiences as a student.

Assign each member of a group as job, such as recorder or presenter. Only the recorder writes, and the presenter has to tell the whole class the group's findings. Something like that.

Make them turn in their assignment on one sheet of paper that is written by hand. Different handwriting is easy to tell at a glance, and a group of four or more students will rarely use the same kind of pencil, color of pen, etc.

Divide the assignment up so that each member has a separate section (like questions 4-6 or the "applying what you know" section). If students are physically grouped, they're more likely to talk to the others about what confuses them but not get answers from other groups.

Try to walk around the classroom and observe. It's fairly obvious is one person is talking and three are writing. Ask questions of the suspected mooches and deduct points from their grade if you can tell they're just copying. Participation grades make this easier.

P.S. I've never been a big fan of group work, and I like class discussions when people actually participate.

Answer 3

I can't be there to police students all the time but the students who will want to work on their own will and if they do they will be the ones who will likely be more independent or enterprising in life. I am not saying the copiers will come to no good but I wouldn't harp on it.
The reason I wouldn't harp on it is that you cannot force the student to do otherwise in comminty centers or cafes where they will congregate and share notes. In the end that is their choice and once you realize that the fact that they do or don't will be less of a focal point for you and you will concentrate on getting the information across to the receptive ones. In the meantime i would still encourage the sharing.
Another way out of this upset is to reward sharing time based on the students ability to work on his own. If the student copies then he cannot be part of a reseach group until he shows that he can come up with his own material. Once he does than you allow him his reward.

Answer 4

Instead of having them turn their work, call on one of them to explain how to solve the problem at the board, without notes. You won't tell them ahead of time who you will choose, so they all need to know their stuff. The entire group gets the same grade.

Another technique is the jigsaw method. Say you have 20 kids. Split them into 5 groups of 4, name the groups A, B, C, D, E. In each group, number the kids 1, 2, 3, 4. Each group gets a different problem to solve. Once the problem is solved, all the 1s get together, 2s get together, etc., so now there are 4 groups of 5. Each kid now has to teach the others in his/her group how to solve their own problem.

Answer 5

*sighs* I remember being that student. Depends on how old your children are. Older students tend to care about their grades and learning more, so putting the smarter ones together helps them, but then the others are usually completely lost and give up hope right away. I know it's almost horrible to suggest it, but maybe try a reward type system. For younger children, make it a game, competitiveness might get the less interested children more into the curriculum.

Answer 6

Don't make the problems the grade. Let them use the work on tests for like problems. They won't do well. Hopefully, it shows them they need to know it and not just finish it to hand it in. I'm trying it in English classes with mixed to improve success.

Answer 7

You can ask them to grade their groupmates individually; that way, the person who did all the work can give lower grades to the inactive group members. You can also ask a member of the group (someone who you think did not do anything) to explain their answer in front of the class; thus, discovering if he really knows his/her stuff.

Answer 8

Bring back capital punishment. Tan some hydes. Nothing says get busy like a little bare bottom discipline.