Small Group Problem Solving as Academic Service-Learning

The communication dimension in group problem solving is complex. Thus most of us understand its dynamics more fully when given opportunities to study principles and then apply them to solve tangible tasks and socio-emotional problems. Life experiences alone are insufficient to facilitate understanding the complexities of small group communication. If such experiences alone were sufficient, we would have little reason to continue to research and study group communication. Furthermore, our individual communication skills are enhanced when we experience the results of our own efforts and receive feedback about our own behaviors. Optimal learning appears to take place when both academic insights (constructs, abstract principles, and theories) and application of these insights are fully integrated (Howard 1993).