Experiencing Group

Experiencing group was an interesting project. There are always pros and cons to group work. As a class we were all introduced to google documents. I had never heard of google docs so I found it to be very fascinating. The part that I liked the most about google docs is that two of us can be working on the document at the same time which really helps people with busy schedules and is not able to meet in groups all the time. The second part of the project our groups all had to take our paper and put it into a presentation to share with the class.

There are many ways in which group work can be a help to students. Overall it can help with students willingness to open up to other students and to use social skills that they may need in future jobs. However, in order for these groups to be successful there are some essential key components that need to be present. The group needs to be able to communicate with each other effectively using tools and involving each member. Secondly the group has to learn to trust each other and use a effective group process. Group members must collaborate with each other and be able to resolve conflict within the group. If these key factors are present it makes for a positive group work experience. Here is a video on team work

As most people know though, group work can also be a very negative experience. In many groups participation can be seriously lacking from all group members. Even if one group member does not properly participate it has a dramatic effect on the project. This is what my group experienced although some of the group members put in a lot of work. The project turned out to look like not much effort was put into the project because of lack of participation which showed when each member was not confident and even one didn't even know how to work the project. To the students that do put the effort forth it can prove to be very frustrating when other members don't participate making group work a con.

For our presentation we used a online format called PREZI and our project can be found below. Also, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Blast From the Past: Progression of the Education Classroom on Prezi