• Updates & News

• Group learning at Google

A Sampling of Opportunities for Group Learning @ Google

• Physical surroundings• “Noogler” Activities• Tech Talks• Google Groups, Affinity Groups, Mentorship

Programs• Virtual “group” interactions• GoogleEDU Sessions

Google Encourages Collaboration and Fosters a “Helping” Culture

• Peer bonuses• Kudos• Teamwork included in employee assessments• Flat hierarchy encourages reliance on peers

Some Things to Think About

• How is group learning affected by a virtual setting?

• How do you maintain group norms at such a large and global company?

• Do employees seek out group learning opportunities more when there exists a flat hierarchy and career development is so employee-driven?

• In what ways can technology be used to facilitate communication among groups?

Tension of Belonging (Identity)

Readings: Grossman et al, London et al, and Brown

Fundamental Tensions

Knowing

Trusting

Belonging

Leading

create shared certainty and maintain doubt.

demonstrate competencies and disclose vulnerabilities.

create a collective identity and maintain individuality.

influence through vertical and horizontal power.

Tensions of belonging

• Identity as a multiple, context driven, socially

constructed, and paradoxical phenomenon.

• Framing, task, and goals prime identities that

impact performance and learning.

• Seeing multiple “identities” fuels complex thinking.

Because learning transforms who we are and what we can do, it is an experience of identity. (Wenger, 1998, p. 215)

Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?

Tensions of belonging

• Inclusive language, such as “we” or “let’s,” is evidence of a collective perspective (McGreevy, 1996; Sandoval & Lee, 2006).

• Inclusive language is positively correlated to

problem-solving performance (Driskell, Salas, & Johnston, 1999; Helmreich & Sexton, 2004).

• Identity and role congruence predicts group learning and performance (Wilson, 2008; Polzer, 2005).

Because learning transforms who we are and what we can do, it is an experience of identity. (Wenger, 1998, p. 215)

Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?

Small Group Discussions . . .

- ….

For next week. . .

- Article summaries up by Tues

- Assignment #5 due on Tues (w/ drafts)

- Upcoming: Lessons for Leaders

- Readings for next time (Slavin, Little, Hackman)

- Course Evaluations (please omit IDEO reference)