Group work
How do you go about setting up guidelines for group work?
Tina ,
Nice job. I too assign duties to the team members. I typically have a leader, facilitator, recorder and reporter. It works for my student groups and me. Thanks for your input.
I post an announcement in the group's forum that explains about what the expectations are for the group. I clearly communicate the need for the team to select a team leader and a back leader encase the team leader cannot fulfill his or her duties. I will go back and check for "missing in action" team members and e-mail them individually to let them know that their participation in the team assignment is needed and part of their grade. I will continue to monitor and communicate to the team that I have been in touch with the missing team members.
Tina Means
kevin,
Yes, many instructors provide roles tha students need to take on when working in groups.
Thanks.
I like what others have placed in the discussion. The only thing I would add is I like to have in their first part of the assignment a format of who is doing what work.
Dale and George,
I have a peer evaluation in which each student assesses themselves and their peers in the group. There is an average then for each students and that factors into their individual grade. If there is a wide discrepancy, I have actually called the students individually to defend their evaluation. It gives me perspective. Also, the peer evaluations are anonymous to the other students. So, if I do make an adjustment, no one really knows.
George,
I like the idea of peer evaluation, but how do you deal with evaluations that conflict? Student A says that Student B did not do any work. Student B, says the same thing about Student A. How to you deal with that?
Carla,
Right on! Set those expectations up right away and explain them. Half way through any group project, I have the students anonymously grade their peers and then provide overall feedback to the groups. This "wakes" some people up many times and they pull their weight before it's too late.
I am very clear when setting up guidelines for group work. We discuss what social loafing and groupthink mean and then I identify the specific requirements of the group project. For example:
GROUP PROJECT (SMALL GROUP)
I explain that the group project represents a large part of the course requirements (xx% of your total grade).
Students understand in advance that participation group (chats & discussion boards) is vital and necessary for successful completion of the class.
All group situations (both academic & professional) require a measure of individual sacrifice and compromise. The same holds true in this class. I even go so far as to do peer assessments.
I constantly monitor chats and discussion boards to identify participation levels.
I make it clear that if students don’t participate in the group activity they will receive a zero “0†for that assignment.
Brian,
As an adult working in higher education, working in groups is difficult in my life. ;-) These group skills are so imporant. Thanks for sharing.
Group assignments are tough. Students typically do not like them and they are much tougher in an on-line environment as the students are not all on one room. However I emphasize that having a good foundation of group skills is a great skillset to have as much of what they do at work is in a group setting. The challenges of a distributed group can be addressed by using technology such as confeence call, chats, and screen shares to work colaboratively.
Eileen,
It is important that everyone understand the course expectations. If they don't understand them, how will they meet them? You can give an electronic quiz on the expectations and if they do not pass the quiz, they cannot continue with future work. Many people do a syllabus quiz to make sure students read the syllabus. Thanks for your input.
I also publish a List of Expectations at the beginning of all of my classes. It covers almost any question a student might have in regards to the course content and logistics. I have found that within the first week, which students that have read the Expectations and which ones that have not, due to the emailed questions to me.
Is there any way to mandate that the students say that they have read the List of Expectations?
- Dr. Eileen Wibbeke
Patricia,
You at right on target with your comments. The clear guidelines and checking in with students to make sure they are engaged are both essential for the success of the group. Thanks.
I think group work is one of the most difficult assignments for many students.
We are used to working alone and succeeding on our own, and for many people, it is stressful to depend on others to succeed in an assignment.
I think it is helpful to give clear guidelines for how to work in the group, and how the group with be assessed.
Also, at least early in the assignment, check in with the group members to make sure everyone is actively engaged with the process.
Tina,
Ground rules are expectations. Students need to understand the expectations. Keep up the good work and connect those expectations to the learning outcomes. Thanks!
Elton,
I have intervened in many group projects. But, use I use a peer evaluation that they complete at the midpoint of the group project and the end of the project. If there is an issue at the midpoint, they have to come to me and explain how they have tried to resolve the issue. It's helpful.
I post instructions, ground rules, the purpose of group work, and expectations in the announcement board of the classroom. I also reiterate all of the information in the live chats. I encourage students to contact me one-on-one if there are any additional questions, and if requested by the student's, I will sit in on their group live chat sessions in order to address concerns and clarify the objectives of the group project.
This is an interesting topic, so I will give it a shot. Group work is primarily just that, group work. Students understand the objectives of the assignment, and basically advised to work together toward that common goal.
Now there will be times conflicts will arise. For these instances, students are encouraged to work things out between themselves, but if not possible allow the instructor to intervene so learning will not be interrupted to any great extent.
Christine,
Love any type of "best practices" list. This can be for group work, professionalism, time management, etc. I use a combination of a project rubric and peer evaluation that allows for group evaluation and individual grade. It's important to recognize both matter. Nice job.
