The joy of working together and in person

Biosystems Design 2022

Semester 2 of 2022, was the first time this class ran in-person and on campus and it was refreshing. It was great to see the student’s faces and interact, talk make jokes and respond to facial expressions. But along with it returned the challenges of teamwork. I’ve heard it said many times by my peers and students, and I would have said this too, “teamwork is hard”. I remember talking to an academic who told their child entering university, ‘where possible avoid teamwork’. While we know teamwork is essential in many forms of work, its an essential life skill, there is an air of resentment to do it at university as the cost of it is perceived to be high and the gains are perceived to be minimal.

To be honest though fear of working in teams is real and it is not unfounded or unreasonable. On the one hand, there is the fear of the high performers who will have to bear the burden of doing most of the work but not be rewarded for it and on the other hand we have the introverts and those struggling with imposter syndrome who are uncomfortable in such situations. The fear is real and as educators, we need to recognise this in how we develop our subjects and assignments and how we support our students through it. I wish I could say I have the secret ingredient to help and encourage teamwork but I don’t. Of the 16 teams in 2022, a few did well, some left it too late and some had irreconcilable differences. Here are a few observations from the best teams.

1. The best teams showed camaraderie. That means they took responsibility for themselves because they saw that what they did affected every single person on the team. They did their bit so others could do their bit but if someone struggled they helped out. “Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.”  Virginia Burden
2. The best teams had fun doing the work. Even though they only got to know each other in the class they hung out together socially, in and out of work, they did work together at least some times. Sometimes they worked late and had meals together. “If you take out the team in teamwork, it’s just work. Now who wants that?” Matthew Woodring Stover
3. The best teams started early and worked hard. Some teams liked each other and hung out socially but did not do the work. They did not push each other or hold each other accountable. As a results they left things too late and by the time they realised it, there was only so much they could do. “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever.” Amy Poehler

You will notice in the videos below, some aspects of teamwork. Some seem to share the good times and others don’t. The best teams shared the good times and struggled together.

Personal Reflections

Once again I am thrilled to showcase the work of the class and I am proud of what they have achieved in a short period of time with little resources. It goes to show teamwork with camaraderie, dedication and some fun you can do so much more than you can on your own. As educators, our job is to create the environment and support the students to do their best work. “Create an environment where people can take risks. If everything has to be brilliant from the word go, you’re never gonna get off the ground.” Paul Hewson, (Bono)