To Team or Not to Team

 I've decided to work individually for the portfolio this year in my AICE Media Studies. I came to this conclusion with the class discussions, articles, and activities I participated in. In class, we talked about making sure that when working with a group you want to find people who are responsible and easy to work with considering personality types. Also, after reading the articles I realized how much goes into making sure you’re compatible with certain people. I think it would be easier for me to work by myself as I know what my strengths and weaknesses are more than anyone. In other words, “Before they could get into discussions on dealing with conflict, their collective idea of commitment, or holding one another accountable, the team needed to trust that what they were saying would be respected and heard,” (para. 12, Team building and group dynamics...). The text from this article explains how when working with others in an efficient manner it's crucial to get to know one another and share what each person is like. Being online due to COVID-19 creates a barrier when knowing other classmates on a more personal level. I also know I will be accountable for my time management and other aspects that go into projects. Although I am very social and like to work with others it can be nice to be able to work on your own and get whatever needs to be done get done at your own pace. In past experiences, I have noticed that it becomes an issue when collaborating with others that you don’t always get to do things the way you want them done and you have to always make sure that other people's views are being included. In the article, Songwriting loafing or creative collaboration, the question arises, “Do songwriting individuals have to compromise their visions when working in groups, thereby producing a lower quality song? (para. 3, Songwriting loafing or creative collaboration...). After doing the activity, “Lost at Sea”, I was able to see that when we had to collaborate and choose the most valuable items for survival, we had a lot of differences. I didn’t like having to compromise because I felt that the items I ranked as most important were valuable and when working with my partner they did not agree. When reading the article, “Songwriting loafing or creative collaboration” I realized that when working individually and trying to convey a story that’s personal, I would rather work alone than with another, this way I can portray exactly how I felt about a topic/experience. For example, “Songs can represent stories of celebration, rebellion, defeat, betrayal, politics, and relationships.” (para. 3, Songwriting loafing or creative collaboration...). I felt this same way when doing the social media peer account activity because I could see how each person told their “story”. For instance, with one of my classmate's accounts, they posted pictures of their friends and them playing a sport. This to me shows them trying to portray themselves as someone who enjoys being with others because that’s what makes them happy. Overall, I felt that the portfolio project I would rather work individually than with another person or group.