Group vs. Individual Projects

And so the time comes to assemble your powerful team of motivated NHD students. Or not? Choosing to tackle National History Day individually or with other peers depends mostly on what type of person you are. When a teacher announces group projects to the class do you groan or cheer? Do you think to yourself, "Ugh I am going to do all the work" or do you say, "Yay I love working with others because we can all help each other"? Join me as I create a pros and cons list of both sides to see where you fit in best!

---

Let's start with Individual projects.

Pros:

• You don't have to worry about anyone but yourself! This means not having to text your teammates about when the best time to work on the project is. You work around your schedule!

• Freeeedom! You decide what topic YOU want to do and how YOU want to do it. No need to convince a group of friends (less conflict).

• Work at your own pace. You don't have to feel rushed or pressured to do something a certain way as long as you finish your project in time.

Cons:

• Ummm it's all riding on you, friend! Working individually means you do all the work... no dividing and conquering this time (keep in mind NHD is a big project). Also, there is no accountability- if you slack off that's on you.

• Less collaboration and sharing of ideas- you do you...but that means there isn't another opinion to intervene if you get carried away

• You present alone. If you dread oral presentations in front of crowds (it's just you up against the rest of 'em), then you may feel more comfortable working in a group. **Keep in mind that if you decide to write a paper, you have to participate individually. There is no group paper.

Group Projects:

*side note: While it is ok to choose your best friends to work with, you want to form a group that compliments everyone's strengths...this way everyone has something to offer.

Pros:

• Builds teamwork and promotes collaboration- learning to work with others and share ideas to benefit the group is an important aspect of all learning. Also, this can sometimes lead to new ideas

• Break up tasks to lessen the individual workload. You don't have to do everything alone!

• Improves communication- learning to communicate your thoughts to discuss with others and get their feedback

• You don't have to present alone

Cons:

• Work can be divided unevenly resulting in conflict and teammates feeling like they did more than others

• Scheduling conflicts can interfere with completing the project on time

• You may end up talking to your teammates and getting off-topic

• Less freedom to do whatever you want- you have to consult with the group to make sure everyone is on board

---

Overall, each choice has its plusses and minuses and there is no "right" way. Think about your character traits and how well you worked in the past with other students.

Whether you decide to work in a group or individually, you still must perform your best and take advantage of this learning opportunity.

So, what are you waiting for?

Let's kickstart your project...the sooner the better!