Why EMS Students Don’t Want Group Work

Working in small groups can be hard, but there are few better ways to develop soft skills and help students achieve top-level clinical competencies. Unfortunately many students and even some educators don’t like group work and don’t think it should be part of the classroom.

“Knowledge is constructed, not transferred,” wrote Ann Taylor in a 2011 article about a particularly vocal group in the biochemistry class she was teaching at Wabash College.¹ They wanted to end classroom group activities they saw as time-consuming, unfair, and unhelpful. Taylor asked them to write down their complaints. Here is a paraphrased summary of the top 10.

1. It’s hard to focus during group assignments;
2. We always feel rushed;
3. Group assignments mean we’re kept busy while the instructor does other things;
4. We’re asked to do group work on content we don’t yet understand;
5. We’d rather work in our own groups;
6. We’re confused about what to do, and being in a group makes it worse;
7. I don’t like the other people in my group;
8. Some group members don’t show up or contribute;
9. We’d get though more course material with a straight lecture;
10. Group work means more work for me.

Obviously I can’t speak to the quantity or quality of the group work in Taylor’s classroom, but from some of the points in her article, we seem pretty much on the same page.

That knowledge, skills, and attitudes are constructed by the student during their learning path and not simply handed down from the instructor is the key concept with which some students, for a variety of reasons, have a hard time. The lead instructor must be a “guide on the side” rather than a “sage on the stage.” This is critical for students to achieve the high level of competency that will be required of them when they work in the field. Likewise, soft skills like active listening, leadership, followership, communication, and coordination with peers are essential for an EMS provider to work at any level. Group work is where students can make their own connections with knowledge as theory is applied. Students pushing back against group work could mean poorly constructed exercises, or it could simply indicate the students are challenged and need more work to strengthen these areas.

Complaints like “I don’t like that other students don’t show up or don’t participate when they do” mean the educator needs to show that everyone in class is accountable for their actions or inactions. There are many ways to do this, from grading class participation to peer evaluations. However it is done, the message must be clear that group work is not where you go to hide.

When students tell you they don’t want to work in groups you assign and would rather assign themselves, encourage them to do just that—and form study groups outside of class. In class the instructors should form groups that are varied in backgrounds and strengths. Diversity is key for peer-teaching and also for students to learn critical-thinking skills and gain perspectives outside their own experience.

Comments that it’s hard to focus, students are confused, or that a group has no direction can indicate that students lack the soft skills to pull together a group of their peers to achieve a common goal. That’s a talent all effective emergency responders must possess. Educators must walk the fine line between modeling leadership, followership, and effective group dynamics for the team to follow without simply taking over as leader and telling them what to do.

When students tell you they feel rushed and unprepared, it’s a sign they’re either truly not ready or just don’t yet see how to take their knowledge and apply it to solve the group’s problem. It can be tempting to step in and reteach part of the lesson, but this will only reinforce the belief that students can depend on you to bail them out when they feel stuck. Instead consider asking the group about the key learning points they’ll need to solve their assignment. If no one in the group is capable, have them reach out to work with members of another group. If no one in class is competent, you’ve uncovered a weak spot you should address with the entire class.

When students complain they’d learn more if you just continued to lecture or suggest group assignments are busy work so the instructor can do something else, they may be absolutely right—about an educator they’ve had in the past. Knowledge obtained solely from reading or listening to lectures can be effective as foundational information. For some classes your students have taken previously, that may have been the highest level of achievement expected. But prehospital care providers must be able to perform at a much higher level. More than simply remembering and understanding information, they must be able to apply, analyze, evaluate, and create new solutions to unique challenges collaboratively in a dynamically changing environment. Students can’t get that solely from a lecture. The key is to help students appreciate the importance of achieving these competencies and the direct connection from the group work you assign to their ability to accomplish.

Not all students will enter your classroom with the ability to effectively communicate and coordinate with others. Not every student will immediately understand that learning is a process they must go through with peers. Not every student will have had the experience of effective group work assignments that lead directly to positive educational outcomes. That’s OK, and you will simply have to show them how it’s done so that, by the end of your class, they can show you how they did it.

Reference

1. Taylor A. Top 10 reasons students dislike working in small groups…and why I do it anyway. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2011; 39: 219–20.

Rommie L. Duckworth, LP, is a dedicated emergency responder and award-winning educator with more than 25 years working in career and volunteer fire departments, hospital healthcare systems, and public and private emergency medical services. He is currently a career fire captain and paramedic EMS coordinator.