One advantage of group projects is that it encourages students to learn responsibility. In group work, students must carry their own weight and participate equally in order to achieve the best results for the team. Unlike with individual work, the whole group will suffer if one person does not perform well. For many students, group work teaches the importance of individual responsibility and the idea that all members' efforts are needed in order to do the best job.
Another advantage of group projects is the opportunity for students to learn skills that will benefit them in work and life situations. Students must learn how to handle conflicting interests, work together and deal with people they may not like. Communication, cooperation and the ability to get along with different types of personalities are skills that are valuable in virtually all work-related, family or social situations. Group projects allow students to practice these skills in a non-threatening environment.
A disadvantage of student group projects is the possibility that members don't contribute equal amounts of work. In many cases, one or two members will take on more work to ensure the entire group gets a good grade, or one member won't complete his responsibilities at all. Additionally, it can be difficult for a teacher to know which members pulled their weight and which did not. Therefore, the grades assigned to group projects or the individuals involved may be unfair to one or several members of the group.
A second disadvantage to group projects is that students have different learning styles. Some students may thrive in a group setting, while others simply perform better academically when they work alone. A student who may normally excel in class could do poorly on a group project simply because it is difficult for him to learn in that setting. Moreover, his performance can affect the entire team or negatively impact the outcome of the final project.