| Student teams can
be used for an assortment of tasks, but these tasks generally can
be categorized as in-class exercises, routine homework, or extended
projects. Each of these requires different strategies for instructor
monitoring and self-assessment.
In-class Exercises
Teams may work on in-class exercises that involve answering or generating
questions, explaining observations, working through derivations,
solving problems, summarizing lecture material, troubleshooting,
and brainstorming. For in-class exercises, instructors might assess
effectiveness of these teams by observing them in action; asking
them to self monitor by using a survey about the operation and performance
of the team; by reviewing (or grading) some team product; or by
a combination of these methods. Two examples of survey forms that
faculty members have used are presented at the end of this document.
Another example of a survey form is the Team Process Check (TPC),
developed by faculty members at the University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth. The TPC may be accessed at
http://www.fcae.umassd.edu/fcteam/teamfacultyguide/frames_index.html.
The site is password protected, but Ted Powers, tpowers@umassd.edu,
may be contacted for the access information.
Routine Homework
Instructors can assign routine homework for completion by teams
instead of individuals. As with teams for in-class exercises, instructors
need to occasionally check the effectiveness of these teams. Observing
the teams in these out-of-class activities is difficult, but surveys
about the operation and performance of the team can be used, and
there is ample opportunity to evaluate products produced by the
team. However, this evaluation may not indicate team effectiveness
as well as observation of in-class exercises because the work may
or may not be done in a cooperative manner.
Extended Projects
Instructors may use extended assignments in which teams carry out
experiments or research studies, complete problems sets or design
projects, write reports, or prepare class presentations. If the
duration of the assignment is more than a week or two, then some
evaluation is appropriate, and surveys of team operation may be
the most direct and informative approach.
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