I often have the students in HIST 1700 do group projects. Students may choose to do a project on either the history of food or the history of music. Once students make the choice, I divide them into group of four or five. The group then must choose a specific topic. They are required to research the topic and prepare a class presentation. For the food projects, groups must compile a booklet with a collection of historic recipes and an essay. They have to bring some food samples for the class, too. The music groups burn a disc with their selected songs and put an essay into liner notes or a booklet. During their class presentation they play music.

I very much enjoy these group projects. They always surprise and delight me, plus I get to eat all kinds of homemade goodies and listen to great music.

Unfortunately, these group activities have proved unsatisfying for many students and I have not required them lately. The challenge is getting all members of the groups to contribute. Too many times, students have failed to do their share of the work or even to show up for the class presentations, leaving their fellow group members disadvantaged. I tried several tactics—scheduling class time for the groups to work together, requiring regular progress reports from each student, letting students grade each other’s contributions to the group—but every semester there were several angry, tearful crises with students feeling betrayed or treated unfairly.

For the past two semesters, students have done individual term projects rather than group projects. I have them write a summative essay on the changing meaning of freedom throughout American history. It is a good task requiring both writing skills and a cumulative body of knowledge from the whole course. But its not nearly as much fun for me to grade. Ah, the dilemmas of teaching!