Advantages of collaborative efforts: Achieving more together

A team is a group of individuals that work together to achieve a common goal or

objective. Members of a team work collaboratively and independently, each
contributing their unique skill, knowledge, experience, and expertise towards a
shared goal. This process involves effective cooperation, coordination, and
communication between the team members which results emphasized by Laal and
Ghodsi (2011) higher achievement and greater productivity. An effective team can
be characterized as active participants who openly communicate, trust, respect, and
have a shared sense of purpose. Collaborative learning refers to a type of
instructional approach that creates a learning opportunity for a group of thinkers to
cooperate to accomplish a goal. This goal is facilitated by the group participants
through a process of peer teaching, knowledge construction, peer reviewing, and
feedback. An engaging and interactive learning environment is created, allowing
students to work together, and develop critical thinking, communication, and social
skills.
Working with others can provide several advantages that can enhance individual and
group performances. Firstly, enhanced innovation and creativity refer to active
participants who work in a group and share different ideas and perspectives, which
lead to the generation of innovative solutions. Collaborating with others can assist
individuals to break out of their mental models and explore new ways of thinking and
problem-solving. Secondly, improved productivity which involves operating as a team
helping students distribute tasks and responsibilities effectively, allowing them to
accomplish more in a briefer amount of time. Team members can leverage each
other's strengths and expertise, achieving a more efficient and streamlined workflow.
Additionally, working in a supportive and collaborative environment can reduce
stress and improve overall work satisfaction, which can further enhance productivity.

Negative feelings towards group work can stem from a variety of factors, one
common reason for negative feelings towards group work is the perception or reality
of unequal participation. When group members do not contribute equally to the task,
it can lead to resentment and frustration, particularly if some members are seen as
“free riders” who do not pull their weight resulting in other group members doing
even more work than they were set out to do. Unequal participation can also lead to
disagreements and conflicts within the group, as some members may feel that others
are not doing their fair share. Another reason for negative feelings towards group
work is the sense of loss of control. When working alone, individuals have complete
control over the pace, content, and approach to the task at hand. In contrast, when
working in a group they must compromise and work within the parameters set by the
group, which may not align with their preferences or working style. This can lead to
frustration and a sense of disempowerment, particularly if the group's decisions do
not align with the individual's vision or goals. However, this is also rewarding as it
educates team members to compromise and improved self-control. Accumulating
these negative feelings can make group work stress-inducing and challenging for
some individuals, leading to negative perceptions of its effectiveness towards group
work as a learning and problem-solving tool.

There are many important skills that a student may develop which can maximize
teamwork success however I will only name two that have had the most impact on
my projects. Firstly, effective time management skills are crucial for maximizing
teamwork success. This involves being able to prioritize tasks, set deadlines, and
manage your workload efficiently to ensure that you meet the team’s goals and
deadlines. Good time management also involves being able to delegate tasks
effectively and being proactive in identifying and addressing the potential issue that
may arise. Secondly and finally, adaptability is harder to develop as it requires
flexibility and openminded to a wide range of circumstances. This involves being
able to adapt to changing circumstances, such as expected challenges or changes in
the project requirements which luckily in our case there were not. As well as being
open to innovative ideas and approaches and being willing to modify your approach
to meet the needs of the team. Furthermore, it involves being able to collaborate
effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and being able to
adjust your communication style and approach as needed to build rapport and trust
with your teammates. These key skills ensure that teams can achieve their goals
efficiently and effectively, even when faced with challenges and obstacles.

Collaborative learning, which involves students working together in groups or teams

to achieve a shared learning goal, can provide several benefits. First, it enhances
social skills by providing opportunities to practice teamwork, communication, and
collaboration when students work together, they must learn to listen to each other,
give and receive feedback, and negotiate solutions to problems, furthermore, these
are essential for success in the workplace and other areas of life. Secondly, it can
increase student engagement and motivation by providing opportunities for active
participation and interaction with peers, additionally, when students work together,
they are more likely to be invested in the learning process and take ownership of
their learning outcomes. Thirdly, critical thinking skills encourage students to
evaluate and analyze information in a collaborative context as well as when students
work together, they challenge each other's assumptions and ideas and engage in
productive debates and discussions. Lastly, diverse perspectives expose students to
ideas and perspectives they may have not encountered on their own unless students
in the group share their own experiences and perspectives, which can broaden their
understanding of the subject matter and provide new insights. Together, these
benefits make collaborative learning an effective and valuable approach to
education.
In conclusion, collaborative efforts have proven to be an effective way of achieving
more together, whether it is in the workplace, in communities, or society, working
collaboratively can lead to a range of benefits such as increased efficiency, better
problem-solving, and improved creativity. My role in my team I would say is that of a
co-ordinator, monitor-evaluator, and completer-finisher where I want everything in
my control so that we can execute our tasks with almost perfection by delegating
tasks that are appropriate to the strength of my teammates whilst being within the
conditions laid out in front of us. However, because of this, I can be described by
Reed et al (2003) as not a usually good motivator, often less creative or intellectual
than others in the group and obsessive about details; may wish to do all the work to
control quality.