Ms. Beth Overman, Dr. Tamah Morant, & Dr. Barbi HoneycuttThe Graduate SchoolNorth Carolina State University

Challenge:

WHY should I incorporate group work into my lesson plans?

HOW do I incorporate group work into my lesson plans?

BO

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

Compare the pros and cons of group work and collaborative learning

Discuss ways to overcome barriers and challenges in group work

Discuss strategies to design effective group projects Explore ways to manage group work and keep team

members on task Discuss tools for evaluation and grading group work vs.

individual contributionsBO

1. Take one minute, make a list of the pros and cons of group work.

2. Find your partner.

3. Combine your lists and create one master list of pros and cons for group work

4. Once your pair has a master list, turn to the nearest pair and combine your lists together.

BO

1. Find your group.

2. Discuss how your group would handle the case. (5 min.)

3. Write your ideas on a blank sheet of paper.

4. DING: Pass the case to the next group.

5. Repeat

6. DING: Pass the case to the next group.

7. At 3rd Pass: Review all the responses, create one master solution, including your group’s ideas. TM

Summarize your case study. What was your group’s case study?

What decisions about the problem did your group come to?

TM

1. Identify the Learning Outcome By the end of this lesson students will… What is the goal of this activity?

2. Design the Exercise Which cooperative learning technique will I use? How do I ensure students are committed to the success

of the group?

3. Set Up How will I…Introduce the assignment? Form groups?

Assign roles?

4. Assessment and Evaluation What is the final product they will turn in? Will they

grade each other? How will I ensure group and individual accountability?BH

Make sure your outcome is measurable

What do you want your students to ‘take away’ from the activity?

For example: Compare the pros and cons of group work and

collaborative learning

BH

BH

a. Students will create a model of a new, eco-friendly building on campus.

b. Students will demonstrate how to successfully repair a heart valve.

c. Students will design a landscaping plan for school courtyard.

d. Students will write a letter to our local congressman addressing their opinions on the health care plan debates.

e. Students will design a successful budget plan for their small bakery business for the next fiscal year.

Create group tasks that REQUIRE interdependence “sink or swim” together!

Make the group work relevant

Create assignments that fit students skills/abilities

Assign group tasks that allow for a division of labor

TM

Refer to handout (Cooperative Learning Exercises)

Long term vs. Short term?

TM

Introduce exercise

Think carefully about how groups will be formed Size Students Creative division (see handout) Assigning roles

Help groups with planning, regularly check on them

TM

How will you introduce the exercise?

How will you form groups?

How will students assign roles?

How will students make decisions?

TM

Before Group Work: Develop evaluation criteria (rubric) for the group and/or project

During Group Work: Observe groups working together, sample groups, or interview individual students Example: Collect minute papers

After Group Work: Collect group deliverable(s) and evaluate

BO

How are you going to monitor your groups?

What deliverable(s) do you expect?

BO

Formula for good group work:

Learning

Outcome

Thoughtful

Activity Design

Group Divisio

n

Assign Group Roles

TaskAssessme

nt

Successful Group Work!

BO

Please give us feedback on this workshop!

Check your email for more resources.

Dr. Barbi Honeycuttbarbi_honeycutt@ncsu.edu

Dr. Tamah Moranttamah_morant@ncsu.edu

Ms. Beth Overman eloverma@ncsu.edu