Group Work wasn't something I had really given a lot of thought to before being involved in the discussion forum with my classmates.
My personal experience in group work is pretty minimal. I don't recall any group work in neither Highschool nor business college courses.
When I took LPN training we did a lot of work with partners, but I was paired up with a great partner right from the beginning. We did do some group work, but it was later in the program and four of us had already become friends, doing study groups and such. So, my limited group experiences are very positive.
My daughter, however, in High school has had some poor experiences. My personal opinion is that the teacher needed to step in and help them out. That could have turned it all around, but even though she tried to talk to the teacher, no assistance was given.
My take aways from our forum are the following:
It is necessary to make sure it is clearly laid out what is expected before the group starts out. The facilitator can also start a class discussion on "What can we do if .......happens within the group," addressing some key difficulties that may arise.
It is very important as a facilitator to monitor the progress of the group. Interim self assessments on individual contributions to the group are a great idea, and by doing it midway there is still time to have a poor group experience turn into a great one.
If a group is really struggling and can't seem to move past the storming stage, the facilitator must help out by helping the students to learn conflict resolution skills.
If all the above occurs I think it is fair to assign a group mark for part of it, and the rest for each individuals contribution. Maybe 50/50?
I think there can be a lot gained from students working in groups, and for most of them this is a skill that they will need when they enter the workforce. They have the opportunity to learn social skills, conflict resolution and collaboration skills.
It is very important as a facilitator to monitor the progress of the group. Interim self assessments on individual contributions to the group are a great idea, and by doing it midway there is still time to have a poor group experience turn into a great one.
If a group is really struggling and can't seem to move past the storming stage, the facilitator must help out by helping the students to learn conflict resolution skills.
If all the above occurs I think it is fair to assign a group mark for part of it, and the rest for each individuals contribution. Maybe 50/50?
I think there can be a lot gained from students working in groups, and for most of them this is a skill that they will need when they enter the workforce. They have the opportunity to learn social skills, conflict resolution and collaboration skills.
No comments:
Post a Comment