Comments on: Is “Teamwork” an Oxymoron for Online Learning? http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216 A Service of the IDD Department at DePaul University Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:44:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Evette http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-3379 Evette Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:34:05 +0000 http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216#comment-3379 Dr. Guan, I am also a beginning student in an Instructional Design and Technology program that is being offered strictly online. I enjoy perusing the IDD.com website because I find useful information that relates back to either what I am currently doing or what I hope to do in the future. When I mentioned to my Director that I was completing this program online, his first question was, “Do you have to do a bunch of group/team work?” Like him I was hesitate about completing group assignments for many of the reasons that are outlined in your post. Often times the grade is not worth the amount of work that actually has to be put into a group assignment. At times the goals and objectives of the assignment are not clear to the students making them feel as though they are being forced into a ‘just because’ type of assignment. As students how can we dispel of our stereotypes surrounding group assignments and the assumption that our partner or partners are not going to pull their own weight? In my opinion, group assignments are most beneficial when all parties involved have something to learn and gain. Do you find it more difficult to complete group or team work assignments in an online community? Also do you see any benefits in complete more collaborative projects in an Instructional Design program? Regards, Evette Dr. Guan,

I am also a beginning student in an Instructional Design and Technology program that is being offered strictly online. I enjoy perusing the IDD.com website because I find useful information that relates back to either what I am currently doing or what I hope to do in the future. When I mentioned to my Director that I was completing this program online, his first question was, “Do you have to do a bunch of group/team work?”

Like him I was hesitate about completing group assignments for many of the reasons that are outlined in your post. Often times the grade is not worth the amount of work that actually has to be put into a group assignment. At times the goals and objectives of the assignment are not clear to the students making them feel as though they are being forced into a ‘just because’ type of assignment. As students how can we dispel of our stereotypes surrounding group assignments and the assumption that our partner or partners are not going to pull their own weight?

In my opinion, group assignments are most beneficial when all parties involved have something to learn and gain. Do you find it more difficult to complete group or team work assignments in an online community? Also do you see any benefits in complete more collaborative projects in an Instructional Design program?

Regards,

Evette

]]> By: Sharon Guan http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-2266 Sharon Guan Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:01:16 +0000 http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216#comment-2266 Thank you for your comments, Hanneke. The article of Teamwork through Teambuilding that I have cited in the blog provided us with some good research-based ideas on how to encourage collaboration through staging teambuilding while conducting the team project: http://bcq.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/71/4/472 Thank you for your comments, Hanneke. The article of Teamwork through Teambuilding that I have cited in the blog provided us with some good research-based ideas on how to encourage collaboration through staging teambuilding while conducting the team project: http://bcq.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/71/4/472

]]> By: Hanneke Portier http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216&cpage=1#comment-2261 Hanneke Portier Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:42:01 +0000 http://www.iddblog.org/?p=216#comment-2261 Sharon: As a beginning Instructional Design student, I have many questions. I enjoy reading the posts on this site, and am still trying to departmentalize all the different subjects. Your post is about the online collaboration of 2 or more students on a project. The solution ideas you suggest to stimulate successful collaboration mostly seem to be geared towards the rewards/ punishment the students will receive upon (non) completion of the project. Has any research been done on how to encourage collaboration through the design of the project itself? The reward/punishment approach doesn't seem to take the 'desired outcome' of learning the material into account. Thanks for your insight in this matter. Sharon: As a beginning Instructional Design student, I have many questions. I enjoy reading the posts on this site, and am still trying to departmentalize all the different subjects.

Your post is about the online collaboration of 2 or more students on a project. The solution ideas you suggest to stimulate successful collaboration mostly seem to be geared towards the rewards/ punishment the students will receive upon (non) completion of the project.

Has any research been done on how to encourage collaboration through the design of the project itself? The reward/punishment approach doesn’t seem to take the ‘desired outcome’ of learning the material into account.

Thanks for your insight in this matter.

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