Group Project Overview

Winter 2010 COM101

“Learning in Teams”

A team of students had four members called Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

(Graham Gibbs)

• Please write your Group Name, Group

Members’ Names, & Case Study you chose on

the colored paper

Groups for Final Project

• List 5 behaviors or actions that can undermine

group work

– Example: One member “forgets” to complete

assignments

– Roundtable Instructions:

• One piece of paper and pen per group

• First student writes one response and says it out loud

• First student passes paper to the left, second student

writes response…

• Continues around group until time elapses

• Students may “pass” at any time

• Group stops when time is called(Cooperative Learning, Millis, B.J., 1999; Group Dynamics 101; Allen, D., 2002; Working in Groups, Duch, B., 2000)

5 Ways to Wreck a Group

• Use the worksheet provided to develop Ground Rules for your group. Your ground rules must:

– be agreed upon by all members of your group.

– clearly state expectations for group members' behavior.

– discuss consequences for certain behaviors when expectations are not met.

– address absences as well as issues related to students who do not contribute equally.

• These ground rules will be used during the semester to assure that you have the most worthwhile learning experience possible.

• Be prepared to share your list with the class.

Developing Ground Rules

Arrive to class on time

Come to class prepared

Share information with group members

Respect the views, values, and ideas of group members

(Group Dynamics 101; Allen,

D., 2002)

Examples of Ground Rules

One person speaks at a time

We agree to talk directly with the person with

whom there are concerns, and not seek to

involve others in “gossip” or “alliance building”

We agree to try our hardest and trust that

others are doing the same within the group

We agree to attack the issues, not the people

with whom we disagree

(Ground Rules; University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Human Resource Development, 2008)

More Sample Ground Rules

• Group member will be responsible for a greater

share of the next assignment.

• Group member will have a “time out” and will

be responsible for completing work on his/her

own.

(Working in Groups;

Duch, 2003)

Sample Consequences

Group Project

• To receive full credit for your group presentation

on March 31, you should:

– Be completely prepared and well rehearsed

– Show a full understanding of the topic/case

– Accurately answer almost all questions posed by

classmates about the topic

– Listen to, share with, and support the efforts of others

in the group; try to keep people working well together

– Fill out peer evaluations completely and give scores

based on the presentation rather than other factors

(e.g., person is a close friend)

Group Project Individual Scoring

Rubric

Group Project

• To receive full credit from your group members, you should:

– Bring needed materials to class and always be ready to work

– Consistently stay focused on the task and what needs to be done; be very self-directed

– Routinely use time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time

– Always listen to, share with, and support the efforts of others; try to keep people working well together

– Routinely monitor the effectiveness of the group, and make suggestions to make it more effective

Group Project Team Member

Evaluation

• Consider the success strategies in the text when

investigating solutions. Be sure to include these

in your presentation!

• What are some of the strategies we’ve already

covered?

Some possibilities for your

presentation

You Tube

Second Life

Second Life

Student Technology Center

• Begin scheduling your appointments now with

the Student Technology Center (248-370-4832

or stc@oakland.edu).

• They can assist you with:

• PowerPoint

• YouTube

• SecondLife

Questions?