Community Learning Development Resource 201 – 05
MANAGING PARTICIPATION
AND LEARNING IN A GROUP
What is a group ?
A group is a number of people being together. Within all groups individuals learn from each other, and may enable others to learn. In a social group individuals are learning about each other and from what is communicated to them – here the group may not be planned to be a learning group – the learning is informal. In a group working towards achieving a goal or a learning outcome by interaction between those participating, member participation in group activities, is usually planned for and expected to enhance and support individual learning (formal learning).
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SMALL GROUP BEHAVIOUR (MARVIN SHAW 1989 )
Researching and reporting on Group Dynamics –
‘’ Peoples manner of behaving in groups, their skills and abilities, and their typical reactions to others not only determines their own behaviours but also to a large extent the reactions of others in the group to them ‘’.
Shaw presents some ideas about small group behaviour :
- The total amount of participation in the group decreases with increasing group size
- The probability that a leader will emerge increases with increasing group size
- Group members usually rate small groups more positively than larger groups
- The likelihood of conformity to a unanimous decision increases with increasing group size
- Social participation increases with chronological age
- Group leaders tend to be older than group members; there is a slight tendency for physically superior individuals to become leaders
- Men tend to be more aggressive and more competitive in groups than women
- Women communicate with eye contact more frequently than men
- The individual with special skills relative to the group task usually is more active in the group, making more contributions towards the task, and having more influence on group decisions
- The anxious group member inhibits group functioning and the well-adjusted member contributes to group functioning.
All of Shaw’s ten observed characteristics have something to say to workers wanting to engage people in working together in groups. The skilled group organiser and leader can be more effective by taking notice of the characteristics in planning for and managing groups.
PROMPTS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
- Think about a group you are working with and reflect on how well the group interacted, what the quality of the individuals’ experience was like and how the group achieved success.
- From your experience of working with and being in groups – what got in the way of group success?