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What Kind of Groups and Individuals SUCCEED in Collaborative Projects?

What Kind of Groups and Individuals SUCCEED in Collaborative Projects?. John A. Johnson Penn State DuBois j5j@psu.edu. Nature of the Project. Students in a large (~180) introductory psychology class were assigned to groups of 7-8 students.

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What Kind of Groups and Individuals SUCCEED in Collaborative Projects?

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  1. What Kind ofGroups and IndividualsSUCCEEDin Collaborative Projects? John A. Johnson Penn State DuBois j5j@psu.edu

  2. Nature of the Project Students in a large (~180) introductory psychology class were assigned to groups of 7-8 students. Each group was to write an annotated list of web sites that helped answer 8 general questions about psychology. Each student wrote his or her own answers to the questions.

  3. Goals of Project • To restore thoughtful exploration of ideas • To increase internet literacy • To assess how well students learn this way • for the class, overall • for different types of students

  4. Observational Aside • Witness the long string of trends and fads in teaching • Yesterday, Total Quality Management • Today, technology and collaboration • Each hailed as THE ANSWER • THE answers deny learning styles • Bottom line: Does technique work?

  5. For Missing Details • Full report available at:http://cac.psu.edu/~j5j/persona/courses/courses.html#Empower96

  6. Setup Logistics • Assess computer attitudes and literacy on first day of class • Enter scores in spreadsheet; sort to distribute talent in groups • Result: ~180 students in 25 groups of 7-8 students • Signs labeled A-Y hung around auditorium perimeter

  7. Assignments & Activities • 50% each class allotted to group meetings and training for 3 weeks • Meeting 1: Informal, introductions • Meeting 2: 8 research questions;½ supportive, ½ supportive skills • Meeting 3: Detailed description of expectations

  8. Expected Product • One annotated list of web sites for entire group • Each member writes own answers to eight questions • Annotated list & answers emailed • Each student rates contribution of each group member

  9. Criteria of Individual Success • Score on ungraded multiple-choice test • Score on research project • Contribution rating from group • Specific + and - behaviors • Post-test of attitudes/literacy

  10. Criteria for Group Success • Equality of rated contributions • # of valid web addresses • # of questions adequately answered • % of students who contributed • Open-ended comments

  11. Multiple Choice Test Scores • Difference between scores on 19 questions not lectured on and 21 questions lectured on not statistically different • Overall performance (52%) lower than previous year (69%) • Scores correlated • r = .24 (p<.01) with project score • r = .45 (p<.01) with contribution score

  12. Reports (N=166) • 33 excellent (deep comprehension) • 58 good (MC-test level) • 54 okay (rote; mistakes & copying) • 6 problems (marginal functioning) • 15 failed to turn in anything • Scores correlated r = .23 (p<.01) with rated group contribution)

  13. Correlates of Individual Project Scores • Low Neuroticism • (depression, self-consciousness) • High Extraversion • (assertiveness) • High Openness to Experience • (openness to aesthetics & ideas) • High Conscientiousness • (competence, dutifulness, achievement striving, self-discipline)

  14. Distribution of Group Contribution Scores

  15. Correlates of Contribution to Group • High Extraversion • (assertiveness and activity) • High Openness to Experience • (openness to feelings) • High Conscientiousness • (dutifulness, achievement striving, self-discipline)

  16. Correlates of Positive and Negative Behaviors • High Conscientiousness • competence • order • dutifulness • achievement striving • self-discipline • deliberation

  17. Follow-up Attitude Questions

  18. Correlates of Attitudes • Who likes web searching? • Unpredictable from personality scores • Who likes group work? Students with high scores on: • emotional stability • gregariousness & excitement-seeking • and low scores on • openness to aesthetics • openness to feelings

  19. Indices of Group Success

  20. Correlates of Group Success • % of Students Contributing related to • higher scores on multiple choice test • higher levels ofimpulsivity, activity, immodesty • receiving the supportive rather than directive skill handout • Number of sites/answers related to • higher levels of openness to aesthetics

  21. Future Directions • I’ve eliminated group projects as a uniform requirement • Future projects will involve individual tailoring • Projects will be an optional alternative • Groups can choose their members • Students can choose research topics that interest them • Personality self-assessment may help estimate suitability for projects

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