Thursday, January 27, 2011

Group Work Collaboration Week 3

First let me say yes and no to the "Ten guidelines for students doing group work in mathematics" from an online perspective. In a classroom this sounds great since communication happens instantaniously and you can read body language. Online is similiar and some of those ideas work like #'s 1-5 and 8-10 but 6 and 7 DO NOT DO ONLINE! For a math problem maybe but for a group project not splitting up the work will get you fights and late assignments. As for #7 thinking outloud and random writing will get everyone confused. Online you must be specific and clear at all times!

What should the teacher do to prepare the students?
Give them a head's up (warning order) or an upcoming tasking or project. Inform them of Material, tools, and direction of the upcoming project.

How should he/she design the group project?
Based on what information she wants her students to learn. Powerpoint presentations and role playing or acting out projects is an excellent method followed by an After Action Review or Critic of themselves.

How should groups be formed--does it matter?
If it's the 1st few Group Projects let the students decide. After you evaluate who is doing what make those that have not specific jobs - do those jobs. Make them build on weaknesses. "Know your strengths, develope you weaknesses"(FM100-Leadership)

What kind of roles should group members take on?
Group Leader, Brain Storming session of everyone, Draft Team, Resource Gathering Team, Creation Team, Reviewed by all members, then Submitted by the whole team or Group Leader.

How will you monitor group interactions and check for understanding?
Continuiosly! Also in the After Action Review on "How can we do this better next time?" The Facilitator or Teacher must always monitor and ask questions as well as be available to answer questions.

What are ways to successfully close or wrap-up a collaborative process?
Review. Just like in the 5 years olds video we just watched the children reviewed the information they learned to re-enforce what they learned.

What are ways to assess group projects?

I hate Letter Grades to a degree. I was just reading how a University Professor in Indiana has started assigning Experience Points kind of like in a video game for things learned. I like the idea of Grades being % but not A, B, C... . The ABCDF is to broad and if your .5% off IT WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS!
Experience Points for Grades-
http://current.com/1a1oc4c

If you don't believe me think about how many times you've considered purchases based on Cash Back or Reward Points.


What are some tips that would help students accept responsibility and work together to accomplish the task?
Pep-talks, points awarded by position, perks of position like being in charge, access to items like computers or library passes,

What are tips/suggestions for working with others in a group?
Avoid the Drama.... after lisening to Teenagers and people at work for the last couple of days this is #1. Focus on the Project, keep the peace, and avoid personality conflicts.

What are tips/suggestions for getting a group started on the task?
Brainstorm, inform them of parameters like time, cost, access to materials, and backwards planning strategies then let them run with what ever they can come up with as long as it's in the guildlines you provided.

2 comments:

  1. I think the “ten guidelines for students doing group work in mathematics” are good and they do work. The communication may be more challenging for an on line class due to the fact that not everyone is working on the problems at the same time and you may not get a reply back from your fellow group members until hours or days later, which can be frustrating. I agree with you that “on line you must be specific and clear at all times”.
    You did bring up a good point. Would these types of guidelines work for students doing group work in other subjects such as science, English, or history? I think for those subjects it would be best to split up the group, allowing each member to find their own facts and information, and then come together as a group. You brought up fighting in your post. I could see that in middle school or high school, but I would hope at a college level we have all left our immaturity back in high school.
    I like how you stated that you hate letter grades. I agree that .5 or even 1 point can really make you mad. That would be nice if all schools did the whole % idea. I feel your pain with teenage drama, I have 3 girls. I think teachers need to explain to each group before the project begins that there will be no drama and any drama will result in point deductions for the whole group. Thanks for posting the site Experience Points for Grades I am going to look at that.

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  2. One way to avoid the lack of response may be for the group to set deadlines/expectations for responses. Why would it be better to split up the tasks in these other subjects? Based on my experience both inside and outside the classroom, I'm not sure that we ever totally "leave our immaturity back in high school." That's why we have to learn to deal with difficult people. Which would work better--point deductions (a very behaviorist approach) or preparing students to work together to avoid potential drama--through role plays or something (a more constructivist approach)?

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