Reading Reflection 3 - Groupwork Ch. 1-3

Chapter 1
Groupwork is introduced as an opportunity to "talk, explain, and argue" about concepts and ideas (1). Groupwork allows students to delegate authority on their own which makes them responsible for their specific part of the work. Members within a group need each other in order to complete the task. Students who usually "check-out" during class tend to be more engaged in learning through groupwork.
The most beneficial groupwork I have participated in is when students are sharing their opinions or experiences regarding a specific idea. I think that groupwork that takes advantage of the differing perspectives of students is the most beneficial.

Chapter 2
Students within each group can offer different skills which can help the group as a whole. Groupwork is especially helpful in understanding abstract concepts and problems that do not have a clear answer. Discussion within groups promotes higher order thinking through frequent "oral summarizing, explaining, and elaborating what one knows" (15). Groupwork also helps engage the "checked-out" student and helps build healthy relationships between students of different backgrounds.
I have found that groupwork on the POWs in EDSS543 have been especially interesting in providing insight into multiple ways to solve a problem. Hearing one person's thoughts inspires other people to take those thoughts further, whereas by oneself, an individual may not have made the original "thought leap" to further the exploration.

Chapter 3
A common problem in groupwork is when a student's status (expert, academic, peer, societal) that has nothing to do with the task at hand "becomes the basis for dominance in the group" (38). Groupwork provides the opportunity for individuals to overcome individual prejudices, but if the teacher does not train the students and facilitate this groupwork, it could also enhance these prejudices.
I am curious how to deal with these status issues as a teacher - I guess I will have to keep reading :) I have been in groups before where there is one person who always talks and sometimes they present to the class the "group" perspective - which really was mainly their own. I have been on the end of trying to give input to the group in the midst of this dominant personality, and it is often dismissed. This has pushed me to less participation in the group since I don't want to put energy into the fight to get my opinion heard.