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When I request group projects, it is not to cut my work load or to teach working in teams. It is because with group work you can expect more in depth research than otherwise would be the case, and even if not all students in the group participate in every part of the task, at least they get exposed to it.
In an individual 15 page paper, for example, I can be sure that the average student will spend about 3 or 4 pages on an intro that doesnt really do anything other than take up space, another 2 in conclusion, about 2 or 3 in references, leaving the actual research, the actual work, to about 8 pages.
Meanwhile, if it's a group project, I can expect (and demand) 30 to 40 pages, with actual research, extra information, etc. Individual projects in undergraduate education, unless it is a part of a senior thesis requirement or writing requirement, inevitably ends up being some half-assed lit review. A group project often ends up with something new, at least.
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