Group assignments – dreams and nightmares

Ksenija Napan, Te Pae Whanake, School of Community Development,

Unitec

Skills Most Sought After by Employers

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written)

Analytical/Research Skills Computer/Technical Literacy Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple

Priorities Interpersonal Abilities Leadership/Management Skills Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness Planning/Organizing Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity Teamwork

Resource:http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html

Personal Values Employers Seek in Employees

Honesty/Integrity/Morality Adaptability/Flexibility Dedication/Hard-Working/Work Ethic/Tenacity Dependability/Reliability/Responsibility Loyalty Positive Attitude/Motivation/Energy/Passion Professionalism Self-Confidence Self-Motivated/Ability to Work With Little or

No Supervision Willingness to Learn

Resource:http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html

How to co-create these super people?

By rote learning?

By writing essays?By throwing them at the deep end?

By reproducing teacher’s knowledge?

By teaching them how to cut and paste from internet?

Research says:

When students are involved in tasks that cannot be attempted alone multiple skills are brought to bear on problems and conflicting views are aired and considered (Strauss and U, 2007, Gatfield, 1999, McCorkle et al 1999, Young and Henquinet, 2000).

Group assessment is a good way of developing skills for employability (Johnston and Miles, 2004, Pfaff and Huddelstone, Strauss and U, 2007)

However …

As much as it sounds like a fantastic idea, it is not as easy as it seems

How to teach students to work cooperatively?

How to tap into their intrinsic motivation?

This can be learnt through direct instruction and/or through experience

A combination of both is advisable

Creating groups

Self-selected groups Through likings Through common interests Designed process Intuitive Based on previous experience

Teacher selected groups with allowance for student initiated modifications

Teacher selected groups – no modifications allowed

Purposefully created groups

Joys of group assignments

Fun Increases motivation and engagement Synergy Plays to people’s strengths Sharing workload Peer learning Student centred

Challenges

Piggybacking Balancing high and low contributors Cultural and language issues Social practice values in action (do you

dob-in your colleague?) Communication issues Fair assessment of individual

contribution

Ideas for overcoming challenges:

It is essential that group assignments are done through a group process not as an amalgamation of separate inputs

Appropriate process is in place Process needs to be taught and

experienced Process needs to be reflected on and

assessed as well as the final product Honest, fearless, clear peer and self-

assessment Back up plans

More ideas …

Defining a purpose and personalising it Careful planning Being available to students during the process –

timetabling it Contingency plans Being fair and just Listening to students Being flexible Teaching students how to play to one another’s

strengths and learn from one another

Students say ….