t way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feelin

Group project work at universities has very high stakes. Often student results, and in turn their futures, depend upon project marks. There is also often a high degree of anxiety associated with group tasks. Will everyone in the group pull their weight? Will all students have similar ideas about how to approach the project?

Icebreaking is one of the most important phases of university project work for all of these reasons and more. Yet the majority of students overlook and undervalue this initial phase. Effective icebreaking can change the course of the entire project. If the initial meeting and relationships dynamics are successful, the entire project is also likely to be. Always remember: first impressions count.

There are three key principals to effective icebreaking:respect, inclusion and fun! First and foremost, all students must feel respected. It is important that everyone in the group, even if they have different roles and levels of expertise, feels that their contribution is valued. A feeling of respect also creates a belief in students that they have the power to change the way that the project is managed. This feeling of power sets up a dynamic in which all members feel respected and positive towards the project.

The second principle is inclusion. Inclusion is in many ways an offshoot of respect. Inclusion means a feeling of belonging to the group. Students with a sense of inclusion also feel that they in some way ‘own’ the project. Students with a feeling of ownership are highly motivated. They want the project to be as good as it can be. And they make sure that everyone in the group is inspired and that they are contributing appropriately. A sense of inclusion and ownership is something that many employers strive for, yet few achieve. Perhaps the best way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feeling

of students overlook and undervalue this initial phase. Effective icebreaking can change the course of the entire project. If the initial meeting and relationships dynamics are successful, the entire project is also likely to be. Always remember: first impressions count.

There are three key principals to effective icebreaking:respect, inclusion and fun! First and foremost, all students must feel respected. It is important that everyone in the group, even if they have different roles and levels of expertise, feels that their contribution is valued. A feeling of respect also creates a belief in students that they have the power to change the way that the project is managed. This feeling of power sets up a dynamic in which all members feel respected and positive towards the project.

The second principle is inclusion. Inclusion is in many ways an offshoot of respect. Inclusion means a feeling of belonging to the group. Students with a sense of inclusion also feel that they in some way ‘own’ the project. Students with a feeling of ownership are highly motivated. They want the project to be as good as it can be. And they make sure that everyone in the group is inspired and that they are contributing appropriately. A sense of inclusion and ownership is something that many employers strive for, yet few achieve. Perhaps the best way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feelin

t everyone in the group, even if they have different roles and levels of expertise, feels that their contribution is valued. A feeling of respect also creates a belief in students that they have the power to change the way that the project is managed. This feeling of power sets up a dynamic in which all members feel respected and positive towards the project.

The second principle is inclusion. Inclusion is in many ways an offshoot of respect. Inclusion means a feeling of belonging to the group. Students with a sense of inclusion also feel that they in some way ‘own’ the project. Students with a feeling of ownership are highly motivated. They want the project to be as good as it can be. And they make sure that everyone in the group is inspired and that they are contributing appropriately. A sense of inclusion and ownership is something that many employers strive for, yet few achieve. Perhaps the best way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feelin

sion means a feeling of belonging to the group. Students with a sense of inclusion also feel that they in some way ‘own’ the project. Students with a feeling of ownership are highly motivated. They want the project to be as good as it can be. And they make sure that everyone in the group is inspired and that they are contributing appropriately. A sense of inclusion and ownership is something that many employers strive for, yet few achieve. Perhaps the best way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feelin

t way to ensure it in your university project is to encourage the feeling during the icebreaking session. Make sure that everyone has a say, and that everyone feels that they have a clear role and responsibility for the project.

One way of doing this is to identify members of the group who are particularly good at facilitating and managing group dynamics, and ask them to aid in group work as the project evolves. Be careful though not to make feelings of inclusion one person’s responsibility. It is everyone’s responsibility to make each other feel included, but having one particularly talented facilitator can help guide and nurture collective feelings of responsibility.

Finally, but no less importantly, have fun in the icebreaking session! A happy worker is a good one. Having some opportunity in your icebreaking session to be a bit silly and to get to know each other is not wasted time. Far from it. When students have had fun not only does the group begin to feel some sense of togetherness, but a sense of optimism and energy is created around the project. Students have a ‘good feeling’ about it. They see the potential of the project and look forward to achieving it.