In several of my courses I have used mixed student groups. The students have thus changed groups very often. I will not do so after taking this course. Working with a permanent group that you are introduced to is much more important for the cooperation than I previously thought. Working with strangers in a small group can be very difficult. Doing it online without meeting them live can make it even more difficult (Brindley, Blashke, Walti, 2009). Having fixed groups makes each start-up much easy as we feel safe in the group.
But just because it works so well to cooperate in our PBL group does not mean that it will always work in my future courses. To scedule start-up meetings with each of the groups is something I will do after participating in this couse. I also have to work with the students feelings about the members contributions to the collaborative work. Capdeferro and Romero (2012) raise the feeling of frustration about the imbalance of the group members' contributions. This is something I have to deal with in each individual study group.
References:
Brindley, J., Blaschke, L. M. & Walti, C. (2009). Creating effective collaborative learning groups in an online environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3)
Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online learners frustrated with collaborative learning experiences?. The International review of research in open and distance learning, 13(2), 26-44
But just because it works so well to cooperate in our PBL group does not mean that it will always work in my future courses. To scedule start-up meetings with each of the groups is something I will do after participating in this couse. I also have to work with the students feelings about the members contributions to the collaborative work. Capdeferro and Romero (2012) raise the feeling of frustration about the imbalance of the group members' contributions. This is something I have to deal with in each individual study group.
References:
Brindley, J., Blaschke, L. M. & Walti, C. (2009). Creating effective collaborative learning groups in an online environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3)
Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online learners frustrated with collaborative learning experiences?. The International review of research in open and distance learning, 13(2), 26-44
In my courses, there are some assignments that students do in pairs. I let them choose their own working partners. However, I have noticed that non-ethnic Swedes often end up without partners, as a result they end up pairing up with other non-ethnic Swedes who are also 'not chosen' as a writing partner. Do you have any similar experience?
SvaraRaderaAll my students are in a"programme". When I meet them they have been in the same "class" for at least a year. They have made pair so many times they do it quickly. The students left "non-paired" are the ones that are new to the group due to such things as parental-leave. I have not noticed it to be a problem connected with ethnicity.
SvaraRaderaGreat ideas with practical outcomes from Topic 3! The mental energy is maybe best spent on the subject and not on the "will-I-fit-in-the-community"-type of fear that always show up in the forming of a group. I am excited to hear about the evaluation after you tried it out!
SvaraRaderaDen här kommentaren har tagits bort av skribenten.
SvaraRaderaDen här kommentaren har tagits bort av skribenten.
SvaraRaderaDen här kommentaren har tagits bort av skribenten.
SvaraRaderaNice exercise to harvest cooperation among the students through working together. I recognise this problem in Swedish universities and have tried many solution but it seems nothing is working. next time i will try your exercise.
SvaraRadera