Habermas to the Rescue

Abstract

Baruch College/CUNYGROUP WORK IS an integral part of many courses in business communication programs. Benefits are numerous: Students can develop projects more comprehensively, hone their interpersonal skills, be exposed to other points of view, gain insight into group dynamics, and become prepared for teamwork in their careers (Mello, 1993). Nevertheless, students often report negatively on their group experiences, citing process problems (including freeloading by fellow students and concomitant unfair grading) or personal difficulties (such as speaking anxieties and fear of conflict) (Burdett, 2003;Giordano & Hammer, 1999;Schullery & Gibson, 2001). To address these issues, I have found a two-pronged approach successful. The approach combines Habermas' ideal speech situation theory with strategies borrowed from cooperativelearning methodology.