{"id":16,"date":"2024-04-04T02:50:39","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T23:50:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/group-work-e-course\/"},"modified":"2024-04-10T19:44:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T16:44:25","slug":"group-work-e-course","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/group-work-e-course\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Group work in an e-course"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tPlanning and preparing for group work<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n<\/h3>\n

\n\tGroup work requires thorough preparation. Before starting work, you have to prepare and make available to students:<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n\t\tinstructions for creating groups<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
  • \n\t\tinstructions for using group work tools<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
  • \n\t\tsubstantive instructions (assignment description, discussion topic, project description, problem description)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
  • \n\t\tinstructions for submission of group work<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
  • \n\t\tassessment criteria and participation requirements<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \n\tStudents can be divided into groups in various ways. Generally, the optimum group size is 3\u20135 people. If possible, learners could choose a group for themselves: either according to other members of the group or according to the assignment (if different groups have different assignments). Naturally, the teacher may divide learners into groups.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

    \n\tBefore the activity, also the arrangement of group work needs to be considered.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \n\t\teach group member works individually, and thereafter the work of all members is combined and submitted together as a group<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
    • \n\t\tthe whole group works on and edits the same file together<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
    • \n\t\tdifferent roles can be given to learners (or they will divide the roles themselves) \u2013 different assignments (for example, one is a moderator, the other searches for materials, the third writes, etc.)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \n\tTo conveniently assess the activity and creation of the members of the group, the teacher may ask learners to write their names at the paragraphs or, at the end of the assignment, ask them to analyse and assess their contribution.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

      \n\tExamples for group work: <\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

        \n
      • \n\t\tThe private group forum is used where the group members post their ideas about the problem. At the end, one of the group members makes a summary of the posts and submits it on behalf of the group.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
      • \n\t\tGroup members write their ideas using the group work tool into a shared file. At the end, one of the group members makes a summary of the opinions, showing the name of the author in brackets at the opinions and comments.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \n\tThe teacher\u2019s task is to select suitable technical solutions for group work, and giving clear criteria for participation in and assessment of group work. Teachers should also monitor and guide the process of group work and give feedback.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

        \n\tThe positive aspects in group work:<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

          \n
        • \n\t\tmore responsibility is laid on learners<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
        • \n\t\tthe quality of work is improved (joint creation)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
        • \n\t\tactive communication (creates a learning community)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
        • \n\t\tenhanced peer support and coaching<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
        • \n\t\tdeveloping group work skills<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
        • \n\t\tteacher\u2019s workload is reduced to some extent<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \n\tCertain problems may emerge in online group work:<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

            \n
          • \n\t\tinactive participants \u2013 regroup the learners: leave out passive participants or create a separate group of them<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tteachers cannot \u201csee\u201d all group activities (learners may also use other means of communication) \u2013 set group work requirements\/criteria; it helps if students have to assess each other<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tunequal distribution of work in a group \u2013 let the students assess their own work and provide clear instructions what is expected from each learner in the group<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tthe group does not activate (poor moderation) \u2013 ask a member of the group to moderate, monitor and encourage the group yourself, do not use group work right at the beginning of the course <\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\ttoo much time spent on organising the work \u2013 create a group yourself, if necessary, and share tasks<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tlearners cannot get feedback \u2013 you cannot presume that the group can manage everything themselves<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tthe group is too heterogeneous (members do not work together well) \u2013 let students self-enrol into groups<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tthere are too many or too few students in the group \u2013 the optimum number is 3\u20135<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tunclear instructions \u2013 monitor students and, if necessary, specify, guide them<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tjoining the group work later \u2013 enrol them into a smaller group, create a separate group of learners who arrive later, let them do an assignment individually (could be announced earlier!)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tlearners do not pay attention to instructions \u2013 emphasise at the beginning of the group work what to read and where<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\toveractivity of students \u2013 give extra tasks (moderation, making summaries)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\ttechnical problems \u2013 use tried-out devices, plan time at the beginning for testing the equipment, write instructions<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n
          • \n\t\tlearners cannot plan their time \u2013 give intermediate deadlines<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Planning and preparing for group work Group work requires thorough preparation. Before starting work, you have to prepare and make available to students: instructions for creating groups instructions for using group work tools substantive instructions (assignment description, discussion topic, project …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1835,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions\/1835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/juhendid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}