There are 2 types of collaborative assignments: high stakes (large project with a large group grade attached) and low stakes (small activity with low grade impact). Most collaborative assignments in this class are low stakes in order to remove the stress of group members who do not pull their weight.

There are also two approaches to working in groups. There is "group work" where the work is divided, and everyone learns one piece, and "collaborative work" where all voices are part of the work. Assume that most activities are collaborative, and assignments that can be divided into "group work" will expressly tell students to divide the work.

Let me suggest one approach to group work aimed to help you get the most out of this class. Often students are concerned about members contributing their fair share to the group, and with good reason. You will find that the group assignments are not overly long. These assignments pertain to our lectures and encourage you to think more deeply about certain topics. I suggest that each person in the group completes the assignment; then the group compares everyone’s answers and compiles the best responses to turn in. This should promote discussion among your group members about the topics which will help you better understand the topic. Different people may interpret the question differently. Further, each person will bring different skills to the group so hopefully everyone will learn something from each other. Lastly, it will become clear if someone is not contributing to the group if they do not submit their answers at which point they may have violated the group contract and, if this happens more than once, you can remove them from your group (simply text me).

Commonly, students view group work as an opportunity to divide and conquer, thereby doing less work. If you choose to divide work that wasn't designed for division (against the collaborative assumption), I suggest that you create a group discussion for each section of work to share and discuss each part of the assignment among the group. Using the group tools available in Canvas creates a digital trail showing the contribution of each group member. Get the most out of group assignments (and a better score) by discussing every part of the assignment; don't simply focus on your part of the assignment.

Look here for help using group tools

In the first week of class everyone will introduce themselves in the Names discussion thread. Use these introductions to find compatible people to work with. It also helps to build a team with a similar study schedule.

Students should:

1. Form a collaborative team of 3-5

2. Choose a Leader, and a second in command (in case the leader becomes unable to fulfill their duties)

   • Job of the Leader:

     • Check in with absent members

     • Acquire and return class materials (especially in the live classes)

     • Turn in group assignments

     • Share leadership role during activities and discussions

     • Contact Dr. Fish for answers to group questions

3. Choose a team name

4. The leader from each team should text me to create your "Fun Group" in Canvas. Do not create your own group, since this will cause problems for grading the group assignments.

If you do not create a group on your own by the due date, you will be assigned to a group by your instructor. "Teams" of one person will be given partners.

1. Communicate early and establish a timeline to complete each team assignment. Begin your timeline at least 1 week before the due date. The timeline should include multiple due dates; I’ve listed some ideas below. Work for each due date (beyond the first one) should not take much time.

   1. First, each member should submit work by a certain day.

   2. Second, each member should review all of the work and comment by a certain day.

   3. Third, come to a consensus on the best answer or wording for each part of the work.

   4. Assemble the final work and get approval from each group member.

   5. Submit the work by the due date.

3. Assign tasks to each group member. You may wish to divide the work into chunks for the first draft, but everyone should comment on all sections of the assignment before the final draft is compiled. Tasks can include:

   1. Group leader (one person).

   2. Editor (one person).

   3. Content assignments (for everyone; everyone can submit a complete draft of submit a portion of the assignment for the group to review and discuss)

4. Establish how the group will share information. I highly recommend you use the group tools in Canvas and/or Google Drive tools to share your work and comments. This creates a digital trail showing everyone's contribution.