A Paraphrase: When your
group controls the (learning) process, your learning is faster, more relevant,
and sustained. Assessment is built into your group's competency and control.
Institute for Research on Learning (IRL)
http://www.irl.org/projects/projects.html, (September 16, 1998)
Philosophy of group projects
Print a blank form
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What |
Who |
How |
When: |
Self-introductions:
interests & qualifications |
all |
|
Meeting #1 |
|
Determine convenor and/or clerk, as well as recorder of meetings |
all |
- determined by group process
- factors to consider:
volunteers, experience, expertise, desire to learn,
- manner of distributing/posting
minutes
- review minutes to track
progress
|
Meeting #1 |
Set
group communications:
frequency & means |
all |
- face-to-face meetings: time
& location
- telephone: list numbers &
convenient times
- e-mail: addresses (distribution
lists)
|
Meeting #1 |
|
Summarize objectives |
all |
Suggestion:
- each member independently writes
down two or three main objectives of the project.
- Group compares and agrees upon
objectives
|
Meeting #1 |
Determine process
to achieve objectives |
all |
- project planning tools
(Gantt, Critical Path, PERT)
- project production tools
(word processing, demonstration software (PowerPoint), etc.
- stages of development
- critical sequencing (timeline)
- assign sub-groups
|
Meeting #? |
|
In the case
of large sub-groups: begin again above! |
|
Research |
|
- library research
- field research
- other:
|
|
|
Analyze research/findings |
|
- mid-stream check-in
- planning for gaps
- requests for assistance
|
|
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Outline "product" |
|
- opening paragraph/thesis
statement
- individual topics
|
|
Write/Compile
document/presentation |
|
- opening paragraph
- body
- closing arguments/statement
|
|
|
Document & create bibliography |
|
|
|
|
Test |
|
|
|
|
Review and evaluate |
|
- product
- process
- participation
|
|
|
Summarize |
|
|
|
|
Rehearse
presentation |
|
|
|
|
Present final
product |
|
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|
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Celebrate |
|
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Philosophy
of group projects
Group learning, or working in groups,
involves shared and/or learned values, resources, and ways of doing things.
Effective groups learn to succeed by combining these factors. However, each
group, and each individual, will only be as effective as they are willing to
embrace and/or respect differences within the group.
Interaction within the group
is based upon mutual respect and encouragement.
Often creativity is vague.
Ideas are important to the success of the project, not personalities. A
group's strength lies in its ability to develop ideas individuals bring.
Conflict can be an extension of
creativity; the group should be aware of this eventuality. Resolution of
conflict balances the end goals with mutual respect. In other words, a
group project is a cooperative, rather than a competitive, learning experience.
The two major objectives of a
group project are:
- What is learned: factual
material as well as the process
- What is produced: written
paper, presentation, and/or media project
Role of
instructors/teachers/professors:
- The success of the outcome depends
on the clarity of the objective(s) given by teachers, as well as guidelines on
expectations. The group's challenge is to interpret these objectives,
and then determine how to meet them
- The process of group work is only as
effective as teachers or instructors manage and guide the process.
Group projects are not informal collaborative groups.
Students must be aware of, and prepared for, this group process.
Cooperative group projects should be structured so that no individual can
coast on the efforts of his/her teammates
Scoring:
- Rewards ideally should be intrinsic
to the process, with group members deriving their reward from their
contributions to the group and project
- External reinforcement (grades, etc)
for individuals can be based upon improvement, as opposed to comparative,
scoring. Traditional, comparative scoring works to the detriment of teams with
low-achieving members. Evaluation based upon improvement rewards the
group for an individual?s progress. Peer, comparative evaluations can
have a negative effect on teams: low scoring members are considered
"undesirable" and drags upon performance
High achievers versus low
achievers?
- We assume high achievers mentor or
teach low achievers. In the process of teaching others, we can
learn more about the topic. As we tutor, even simple questions from the tutee
make us look at our subject matter freshly. As we explain, we gain a deeper
understanding of the topic. Low achievers then tutor or teach high
achievers!
- High achievers profit in cooperative
learning in other ways: leadership skills, self-esteem gains, conflict
resolution skills, and role-taking abilities which become part of the leaning
process, and betterment of the student.
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