Brittany Daly - Blog 3

Video #1

1.  What are some of the problems students might encounter when working in groups on extended, complex projects?

Group work can be challenging for students at any age. I remember getting frustrated often when I would work collaboratively in middle and high school because I was usually the one doing all the work for the group. This is a problem I have witnessed as a teacher. Sometimes, one or two members of a group will do the majority of the work, and the students who slacked off get to take credit for the others’ work. This is one common challenge of group work. One challenge mentioned in the video was decision making. With two or more people working together, it can be challenging to come to a consensus when making a decision about the project because everyone has his/her own opinion. Another challenge mentioned was the absence of a group mate. This can pose a problem because that student may have critical documents that the rest of the group needs. In addition, that student is not there to complete his/her role, and the other group members must take on extra responsibilities. When I think of other problems students might encounter when working in groups, I think about how difficult it can be for some students to get along. I teach 5^th grade, and sometimes my students can be so hung up on not wanting to work with a certain person that they let that interfere with their ability to work with the group as a whole.

2. How can contracts be designed to mitigate these problems?

I like that this class created class norms as well as individual group contracts. It is important for the class to create expectations that all students should follow when working collaboratively, and it can also be useful for individual teams to identify expectations that are important to their specific groups. I haven’t ever had teams create their own contracts, but I see the value in it, especially if that team will be working together on an extended project. This gives teams the ability to decide together how they will communicate and hold each member of the group accountable for fulfilling his/her responsibilities.

3. What checks and balances need to be in place for contracts to be effective?

In order to make sure that all students are following the class norms and group contracts, there should be consequences in place for students who don’t meet expectations. While there is a list of consequences, I appreciate that this teacher put the focus on determining why the student failed to meet expectations and what the student/ group could do to ensure that it would not happen again.

Consider the Profile of a South Carolina Graduate in terms of world class knowledge, world class skills, and life and career characteristics.  After viewing the videos, explain how PBL and collaborative group work fits the criteria identified in the profile.  Add your response to our blog.

PBL collaborative group work is an excellent way to prepare students for the real world. I tell my students every year that being able to work collaboratively with a group is a skill that they will need to practice throughout their educational career so they are ready for the work force. PBL and collaborative group work definitely fit the criteria identified in the Profile of a SC Graduate.

World-Class Knowledge

One important characteristic of PBL is that it includes a challenging problem or question. When implemented in the classroom, this challenging problem or question often relates to standards appropriate for the class. This prepares students for the rigor they will face both in college and in their future careers.

World-Class Skills

PBL is all about critical thinking and problem solving. In a PBL unit, students should be participating in sustained inquiry as they work to address the driving question. Through collaboration and teamwork, students must use creativity and innovation to answer the questions or to design a solution to the problem. As they work, they must learn how to communicate effectively with their group mates as well as other peers or evaluators when they are in the process of critique and revision.

Life and Career Characteristics

An extended PBL project requires tremendous work ethic from students, and they must practice their interpersonal skills when working together. Each member of the group should show integrity and practice self-direction in order to be a contributing member. Perseverance is key because many PBL projects can be tough, and there will be roadblocks along the way.