Embedded Files
Scaffolding Success
Scaffolding Success
For Group Projects, scaffolding is very important! Even before students begin working on the project, creating meaningful interactions and activities for them to complete will help them be more successful down the line.
Assignment Readiness
Assignment Readiness
Pre-Reading:
Pre-Reading:
Giving students readings about they type of collaboration they will be participating in for the group project can help them start to think more deeply about their own involvement and collaboration practices.
Possible Tools:
Possible Tools:
Using Hypothes.is to annotate the shared reading or having a discussion (via Discussion Board, VoiceThread, or any discussion tool you prefer)
Example Reading:
Example Reading:
“Writing Eyeball to Eyeball: Building a Successful Collaboration” Rebecca Ingalls"
Explain the Assignment:
Explain the Assignment:
Understanding the group project assignment is imperative to students' success.
Possible Tools:
Screencast (using Zoom, Camtasia, or other) going over the assignment and any pitfalls/successes you've witnessed in the past.
Use Hypothes.is to have students analyze leave comments/questions on the assignment
Have students write (via Discussion Board or individual turn-in) what they believe the purpose, audience, and what a successful project would look like.
Group Selection Process
Group Selection Process
Self-Select or Create Groups?
Self-Select or Create Groups?
Regardless of how you have students form their groups, getting them thinking about collaboration and their topics will help them be more successful.
Sample Activities
Sample Activities
Topic Brainstorming with VoiceThread Discussion (Instructions)
Group Contracts
Group Contracts
Why Group Contracts?
Why Group Contracts?
What about issues around group members and their responsibilities? This is where having students write collaborative group contracts before they begin the project will help set them up for success.
Sample Contracts
Sample Contracts
Have students write a contract individually, peer review them within their group, and then create a collaborative final group contract
Or Provide a Group Contract Template
Define Roles and Responsibilities or have students create and define
Topic Selection
Topic Selection
Finalized Topic
Finalized Topic
It's important to get the finalized topic from the group before they begin drafting the project. This can be done through a simple "group assignment" on Canvas, through a video discussion on VoiceThread or FlipGrid, or using any other tools you prefer, such as a JamBoard or Google Slide Deck. Getting their finalized topic is also a great point to give "feed-forward" to the whole group about their topic selection.
Project Timeline
Project Timeline
How do I organize all of this?
How do I organize all of this?
Scaffolding the various steps of the Group Project is important to student success. On the right, you'll see two different examples of how two different instructors set up their Group Projects. There's no one "right way"! Scaffolding, though, gives you opportunities for group "check points" and "feed-forward" opportunities.
Page updated
Report abuse