Sara Barlow & Carissa McCann's Group Project Assignment

Introduction

The topic of our group project assignment is how to create a “Collaborative Online Teaching Strategy Handbook” and will consist of small groups of faculty members (between 3-5) coming together to create a wiki or similar collaborative space to share successful and creative online teaching strategies.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this project, participants will gain skills in:

• rubric creation and evaluation;

• collaborating with peers, as a successful virtual team;

• choosing, maintaining, and contributing to an online environment, like a wiki, as a group;

• building on their personal experience and knowledge of e-tools through their own contributions and research, and through others’ contributions as well; and

• creating a usable product (online teaching handbook) through this collaboration.

Potential Project Resources

Students will be free to use a variety of online resources to help them complete their projects, including but not limited to:

• Wikis
• Google Docs
• Elluminate
• Rubistar
• Email

Project Outline

Each member of the group will first individually investigate the different online collaborative tools available to them, and then decide as a group which tool they would like to use. For instance, one group might decide to use Google Docs, while another group might decide to use a wiki. It is recommended that an Elluminate synchronous webinar will be used at this point to discuss their findings and next steps. They can then utilise this tool as and when they think appropriate.

The groups will then create a rubric through Rubistar, which they will use to evaluate themselves and each other at the midpoint of the project and at the end of the project. This rubric will be approved by the instructor before participants proceed. (20 group points)

Once the rubric has been created, the group members will create a plan for the process of the project. They will decide how the tasks will be carried out, how the wiki will be designed, and the ways in which to summarize information at the end of the project to create the online teaching strategy handbook. They will then build the tool collaboratively. (40 group points)

Each participant will then post resources and teaching strategies to the collaborative online environment they chose with an annotation on how those resources could be used to improve online teaching. Each member needs to contribute a minimum of five ideas or strategies. (10 individual points)

During the final part of the project, the group members will create a summary of the best online teaching resources and strategies out of those that were contributed and present this to the rest of the class as the final product of the project. This final project will be evaluated by peers and the instructor using a questionnaire devised by the instructor (10 group points).
Each group member completes the rubric evaluation for themselves and their group members. (10 individual points)

In addition, each group member will also write a one page reflection piece on working as a team in an online environment. They should include what they thought they offered to the team and why it did or did not work well. This part will be individually evaluated by the instructor based on how well the participants addressed their experiences throughout the project (10 individual points) .

The point allocation will be group 70% / Individual 30%


Example of Rubric made by the group for self and peer evaluation

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Contributions	Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in discussions. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort. Submits five or more quality strategies or ideas.	Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in discussions. A strong group member who tries hard! Submits four quality strategies or ideas.	Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in discussions. A satisfactory group member who does what is required. Submits lower quality posts or two to three sufficient strategies or ideas.	Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in discussions. May refuse to participate. Does not submit any ideas or strategies, or posts low quality work.
Quality of Work	Provides work of the highest quality. Each idea and strategy is meaningful and the participant adds in-depth comments as to how the strategy could best be used.	Provides high quality work. Most ideas and strategies are meaningful and the participant adds sufficient comments as to how the strategy could best be used.	Provides work that occasionally needs to be checked/redone by other group members to ensure quality. The ideas and strategies that are shared are not well explained.	Provides work that usually needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality. There may be a lack of posts or no posts, the ideas/strategies contributed if any are not well explained.
Final Summary Task	Participant is extensively involved in the process to compile the final summary for the project. He/she contributes ideas for how best to pull the information together and helps others to organize their ideas as well.	Participant is adequately involved in the process to compile the final summary for the project. He/she contributes some ideas on how to go about the process.	Participant's involvement is limited. He/she contributes minor suggestions.	Participant is not involved or very minimally involved with the final summary and makes few, if any, suggestions.
Focus on the task	Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done. Very self-directed.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Other group members can count on this person.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done some of the time. Other group members must sometimes nag, prod, and remind to keep this person on-task.	Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.
Working within a Group	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Tries to keep people working well together. Is a great team player.	Usually listens to, shares, with, and supports the efforts of others. Is a good team player.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others, but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Often is not a good team player.
Problem-solving	Actively looks for and suggests solutions to problems.	Refines solutions suggested by others.	Does not suggest or refine solutions, but is willing to try out solutions suggested by others.	Does not try to solve problems or help others solve problems. Lets others do the work.
Time-management	Routinely uses time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Usually uses time well throughout the project, but may have procrastinated on one thing. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Tends to procrastinate, but always gets things done by the deadlines. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Rarely gets things done by the deadlines AND group has to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's inadequate time management.
Monitors Group Effectiveness	Routinely monitors the effectiveness of the group, and makes suggestions to make it more effective.	Routinely monitors the effectiveness of the group and works to make the group more effective.	Occasionally monitors the effectiveness of the group and works to make the group more effective.	Rarely monitors the effectiveness of the group and does not work to make it more effective.

Source: Rubric Made Using: RubiStar ( http://rubistar.4teachers.org )

THANKYOU!