Notes by Christopher Lay

Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

Notes on Group Work

In "College at Risk," Andrew Delbanco claims that one of the ideals of college education is in part achieved when you interact with your colleagues.

What Employers of College Graduates Look for (from Adams' 2014 "The 10 Skills Employers Most Want in 2015 Graduates" from Forbes.com):

" Can you work well on a team, make decisions and solve problems? Those are the skills employers most want when they are deciding which new college graduates to hire. The next-most-important skill: ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization. Employers also want new hires to have technical knowledge related to the job, but that’s not nearly as important as good teamwork, decision-making and communication skills, and the ability to plan and prioritize work. "

What Employers of College Graduates Look for (from O'Shaughnessy's 2015 "New College Grads: Who Employers Want to Hire" from CBS Money Watch):

"When hiring recent college grads, employers say they place their greatest priority on skills and knowledge that cut across majors. Of the 17 skills and knowledge that employers were asked about, these rose to the top in importance:"

Effective Oral Communication

Work with Others "in teams"

Effective Written Communication

"Ethical judgment and decision-making"

"Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills"

Ability to "apply knowledge/skills to real world settings"

As Delbanco puts it: "A well-managed discussion among peers of diverse interests and talents can help students learn the difference between informed insights and mere opinionating."

"It can provide the pleasurable chastisement of discovering that others see the world differently, and that their experience is not replicable by, or even reconcilable with, one's own."

"It is a rehearsal for deliberative democracy."