Jeneane Allgood--Collaboration

After reading both blogs and both rubrics, I really liked the BIE rubric much better than the New Tech rubric.  I found the BIE rubric to be clear and concise, leaving very little to the imagination as far as what was expected of each group member and the team as a whole.  The three elements that I found most important for my current class of students would be:  taking responsibility for ones self, organization of work, and making and following agreements and schedule.

I liked how clear the BIE rubric was about taking responsibility--- encouraging students to complete tasks without having to be reminded and to complete tasks on time. From what I have heard, this is a skill that tends to be lacking in the millenial generation and one that could greatly be improved upon, so I put that as my number one.

Being a left-brained, OCD person myself, I liked the idea of students creating a detailed task list with responsibilities detailed for each student.  When I assign a project, I like to leave very little gray area as far as what is expected of students, so I like the idea that with collaborative group work, that a detailed task list would let everyone know what they should be working on and when it should be completed (again---a GREAT transition to what is expected in the outside world).

Finally, I chose "makes and follows agreements and schedule".  An agreement is only good if it is made by and agreed upon by the group. If people aren't willing to agree to follow it, then it is just a piece of paper.  I also liked that it pointed out that students should, "Be honest about how well agreements are being followed"---in other words, are they looking at everything through rose-colored glasses and saying that everyone is on task and on schedule when they really are not.

I could really see myself using the BIE rubric.  I think it would be very useful for the students that I teach.