[QUOTE=Harriet the Spry]
What I would really love to see the OP do is call up this slacker guy with the web pages and ask him “Are you capable of doing college-level work? Cuz this ain’t it and we’d like to see some.” (pardon the non-college-level grammar) The dude seriously needs a wake up call. Certain profs might be willing to do that, in kinder terms, especially in something like a freshman seminar where they’re helping the students transition to college.
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Like Harriet, I am not a prof but headed that way, and responsible for grading and evaluating the work of students in group projects.
In my experience, group projects (grade-wise) are always inflated in this pedagogical technique. Mainly because the real objective is not simply learning or interpreting the material; it’s an attempt to have you engage in a real and meaningful (and wishful thinking, but fun) way. It also means less papers to grade at the end of the semester. Dirty secret, but true.
I absolutely concur with Harriet’s advice. This kid is skating by on his ass and he needs to be called on it. Not by the prof, which he probably has a million excuses for, but by his peers. Every single time I’ve had a similar situation arise in the groups I’ve evaluated, I’ve asked the students to confront the slacker group member and that virtually always solves the problem. I’d say most students are more concerned with looking like a fool in front of their peers than the supposedly private evaluation that occurs when they get their grade at the end of the semester.
Having said that, I would also concur with the advice about approaching the prof about this issue - but in a proactive, solution-seeking manner, and not in full whinge mode. Some of your peers have probably done this, laying the groundwork for their own escape from responsibility. You have to make it clear that you and your fellow group members are hard at work, that you are working with the difficult member, and are open to suggestions about how to help him help your group do well on the project.
I think the lowest grade we’ve ever given for a group project was a B+ (in grad school, which is more or less the undergrad equivalent of a C+), only because two people completely blew off the work, and the other group members did absolutely nothing (letting teaching staff know, talking to the slackers) and had a horribly inappropriate presentation to boot. They embarrassed themselves and nobody took it very seriously, although individually they performed well in the course up to that point. The usual outcome for us is to assign a grade and comment on how their work as a group reflects that grade.
If you feel comfortable doing so, I also think it’s a good idea to suggest that you, as group members, be able to comment on your contributions to the group and evaluate your efficacy as a group. This has always been a part of the group projects I’ve evaluated, and when a majority of people in the group identify a problem with a group member, it makes it clear that someone didn’t pull their weight.
Good luck!
