Group work provides opportunities for students to deepen their learning through practicing their thinking, applying new concepts, and engaging with different perspectives. At the same time, group work also creates unique challenges for assignment design, logistics, and evaluation that make implementation tricky.
Join us on Tuesday, September 29, from 11:10 am to 2:15 pm for this half-day of microsessions that cover groupwork from A to Z. Location: W.E.B. Du Bois Library, 600, 6th floor
The morning features two 30-minute sessions on group work logistics and how to set students up for success in their groups. Over lunch, we will discuss how to manage conflicts and challenges specific to group work. We will close the half-day with a session on how to evaluate group work efforts and individual student contributions. Join for any and all sessions!
| Time | Description |
| 11:10 – 11:45 am | Session 1: How to Create GroupsFacilitator: Kirsten Helmer (CTL) Random or intentional? Threes or fives? New groups each week, or teams that last all semester — and how can this work in a large class? How you form groups shapes everything that follows. We'll compare benefits and watch-outs for random, student-choice, instructor-assigned, and collaborative approaches, then take up size, duration, and timing. See how structured groups worked in an 80-person lecture hall. Come with a course in mind so you can leave with a draft plan. |
| 11:50 am – 12:25 pm | Session 2: Setting Guidelines for Group WorkFacilitator: Colleen Kuusinen (CTL) Group work can challenge all learners, particularly because good communication is essential and often lacking. Fortunately, there are structures and processes that can give students tools to communicate across difference, establish a shared sense of purpose, and build trust that is essential for functioning groups. If you can, bring a device to work collaboratively in a Google Document. |
| 12:30 - 1:35 pm | Session 3 + Lunch: Where Did It All Go Wrong, and How Do We Get Back on Track?Facilitator: Brian Baldi (CTL) Group work doesn’t always go as planned. Student participation can be uneven, social loafing may occur, roles can become unclear, deadlines are sometimes missed, and yes, there can be conflict. Come learn and share strategies for intervening when things go wrong and helping students refocus on learning. |
| 1:40 – 2:15 | Session 4: Assessing Group Projects and AssignmentsFacilitator: Bethany Lisi (CTL) Evaluating group assignments can be a challenge, but one that you can master with some strategic planning. Come learn how to navigate the four tensions of assessing group projects and begin to draft an assessment plan for your own course. |