Jessica's Group Interaction Exercise - Part One

Looking back at my academic experiences group interaction has always played a significant role. I have been involved in group interaction someway since I was in elementary school. In the past I have been "blessed" with some of the best and the worst of groups. However, my NCLC 391 group helped me fully understand what the group interaction competency was all about. Before this group experience I always expected the same thing, 5 people in a group with a few doing most of the work and someone always managing to do nothing. But this group was different. Seeing as how we all came together to work on a topic we were passionate about we had a sense of what was expected of each other; and we had previously worked together in other classes (added bonus!). We quickly divided tasks and assigned roles of each member, gathered contact info, and came up with what our presentation was going to be like. It was one of the easiest transistions into a group project that I had ever experienced. We didn't have to spend an hour deciding who was going to send out the first e-mail or who was going to be responsible for someone if they didn't do their part. We knew that if we wanted to be successful compromising and collaboration were key. Everyone was present for group meetings and we kept track of our project through tons of emails and online chats. It was the BEST group experience I have had.

A written text that has helped me to understand group interaction is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Group interaction was a daily thing for all of society; upper class always attending some formal affair and talking of all the latest gossip around town. This novel shows just how important roles can be in society and when dealing with your peers. It helped me understand how defining roles and tasks are significant for success. The Bennet's coming from lower upper class had to struggle to keep their name in good graces with the community after the youngest daughter ran off with a soldier. The family had to work together to find their runaway relative and work fast so that their name wasn't shamed. They understood that if word spread aobut the girls frivolous behavior the whole family would be ruined, and the parents expectations (their daughters marrying wealthy men) would never occur.

When I think of group interaction and a non-written work that has helped me grasp what this competency is all about I immediately think of the movie "Office Space". In a business class that I took my professor used to relate communication topics to movies and tv shows. This movie shows me what NOT to do when interacting with a group.
Starting with a boss who doesn't care about his employees, al l that matters was if reports got sent out, and if the job is getting done. Then you have the diverse group of employees who don't know how to communicate with each other, they all hate their jobs. The only shared concerns they have are who is getting laid off and when are they going to hang out next door at Chotchkie's.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Bantam Dell Publishers. New York, NY March 2003.