Group Work: Key Principles
Training Event
18 November, 2010
Welcome!
Some things we will cover are:
Why bother?
Supporting educational theories
When do students learn best
Challenges and solutions
Code of conduct/learning agreements/assessing group work
First, however: Think, Pair, Share
Think of own experience of group work and when it worked
well OR when it did not (left side; right side)
Now pair up with person next to you
Share ideas; try to agree on one/two most effective strategies
5 minutes; record on board provided.
Why Bother? Collect ideas
Supporting Theories
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)
Intelligence is not a fixed entity
Traditionally we have identified only two main intelligences
How do we explain this?
What other intelligences are there?
Multiple Intelligences
Gardner has identified the following:
Linguistic intelligence
Logical-mathematical intelligence
Musical intelligence
Naturalistic intelligence
Inter-personal intelligence
Intra-personal intelligence
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
Spatial intelligence
And the ninth one is?
... the theory validates educators' everyday experience: students
think and learn in many different ways. It also provides educators
with a conceptual framework for organizing and reflecting on
curriculum assessment and pedagogical practices. In turn, this
reflection has led many educators to develop new approaches that
might better meet the needs of the range of learners in their
classrooms.’
(Kornhaber, 2001, p. 276. In J. A. Palmer (ed.). Fifty Modern
Thinkers on Education. From Piaget to the Present. London:
Routledge.)
MI and assessment
What are the implications of MI theory for assessment?
1.
2.
3.
A key question:
How and when do students learn best?
Students learn best when:
Definition of a Group
A group is defined as ‘…two or more individuals who are
connected to one another by social relationships.’
(Forsyth, 2006, pp. 2-3).
This definition brings together the three elements of a group:
1. the number of individuals involved;
2. the connection between them
and
3. the relationships that develop.
Advantages:
We should see these in terms of the development of graduate
qualities/employability skills.
What are these qualities?
Your ideas????
Are there qualities/attributes only group work can develop?
See Graduate Qualities Handout
Challenges
Getting the ‘right’ mix: what will work best? LATER
Defining and allocating roles: often overlooked.
Roles include:?????
Time management: completing a large task in a short time is very
problematic
Organising targets from class to class: students need to see this in
overview format (so does the teacher): by end of week 1 …
Challenges cntd.
Getting the best out of a presentation (why is this so often tagged
on, so ineffectively, to the last five minutes?)
Relocating to the next class may be better.
One of the reasons we don’t do this is because we see group work
as a ‘one-off’ rather than part of a planned continuum
Do we use GW because we feel it is something we should use?
Other factors that will promote best practices are:
Operating Guidelines
Explain to students the nature and value of the activity:
graduateness/meeting learning outcomes/group work and
development of negotiating skills etc.
Explain that GW is an effective pedagogy: team work etc.
Keep the group size small - four is generally considered the
ideal; three also has advantages.
Unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise, aim for
heterogeneous groups -
Heterogeneity
To ensure heterogeneity, form teacher-composed
groups - aim for heterogeneous grouping, deliberately
mixing students based on achievement level, gender,
ethnicity, academic interests, learning styles, or any other
relevant factors. There is a very good learning styles self-
assessment tool at the following:
[Link]
How else might groups be formed?
1.
2.
3.
Perhaps there are greater advantages in using the above?
Different strategies for different circumstances?
4 Stages: See handout, p. 4
Forming
This is a comfortable stage to be in.
Storming
Minor confrontations arise: who will do what etc.?
Norming
Members should now understand each other better. Norms are
established.
Performing: members are comfortable with each other. They
function more as a group.
At Forming Stage:
Provide students with a Code or Learning Agreement
See p. 8 of Handout
Also at an early stage, provide guidelines on time
management and other key tasks.
Seek agreement…p. 3 of Handout
Evaluating effort
Let them know that their participation will be evaluated (this
is optional for tutors)
Students generally find this a good strategy in ensuring that
all pull their weight
The fact that some do not, is a criticism often raised against
group work
See page 7 guidelines
Operating Guidelines cntd.
Keep groups together long enough to establish
positive working relationships - students need time to
become acquainted, to identify one another’s strengths, and
to learn to support and coach one another.
Promote individual accountability - students must be
individually responsible for their own academic
achievements.
Assessing group work
First, ensure that each person has been given an equally
responsible task to undertake.
If there are 4 causes and consequences of X, each person
could take one cause and one consequence each.
Secondly, clarify that each task or element will contribute to
the final report or presentation.
Thirdly, emphasise the value of peer feedback, assessment
and support throughout the process.
Other factors:
Fourthly, emphasise shared ownership in regard to aspects
such as proof-reading, giving feedback to each other,
identifying special talents.
It is very important that ability and interest should determine
who does what.
An individual’s prior experiences should be utilised where
possible.
Assessment Alternatives
Fifthly, clarify how marks will be awarded.
Here are some alternatives: each person’s contribution is
separately assessed and it is this mark that is given.
If a poster or presentation, it may be a single group mark only that
is awarded.
Or, work out the average mark for the group and give this to each
person.
Or, add the group average to the individual’s separate mark and
give the overall average.
Common Problems: p. 5 Handout
Dominating participants
Reluctant participants
Storming
One person doing everything
Ignoring others
