scholarly journals Why and how to support students in team assignments

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Student Experience ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Teamwork ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
University Courses ◽  
Workplace Environments ◽  
Teamwork Skills ◽  
College Setting ◽  
Support Students

Once employed, our graduates will be judged on their ability to be effective team players. In some professions, people’s safety and even survival may depend on good teamwork. Yet teamwork assignments in university courses are not generally a popular option. Team projects are often viewed as a difficult and frustrating requirement, by students and faculty alike. Few instructors receive any formal training on how to create effective team assignments or on ways to educate their students about strategies for success in their team activities. In this session, we discuss ways to educate students about the value of team experiences in their courses, so that they are motivated to improve their teamwork skills. We examine the dynamics of both face-to-face and virtual teamwork, in workplace environments and in a college setting, so as to understand the underlying reasons for the challenges inherent in team activities. Then finally we explore some techniques that instructors can use to design and deliver team assignments that support a positive student experience.  

scholarly journals Enhancing the student experience with the use of a dedicated subject website

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Rachel Hilliam ◽  
Gaynor Arrowsmith
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Community Of Learners ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Spaces ◽  
Effective Assessment ◽  
Assessment Strategies ◽  
Support Students

It is crucial not only to support students at all stages of their student journey, but also to create a space where they can benefit from peer support and interact with the wider mathematics and statistics (M&S) community. In a society awash with social media, it is possible to create online spaces that complement and enhance existing communities available in traditional face-to-face courses, or to provide such an environment for students who learn at a distance. The School of Mathematics and Statistics at The Open University (OU) has recently consolidated existing resources into a website resulting in an active and vibrant community of learners. The site contains resources, which students access at appropriate points in their student journey through M&S modules and qualifications. These resources are complemented by a number of dedicated and well-used online forums. In particular, a forum providing course choice information. Discussions in the forum have ultimately led to improvements in the structure of M&S qualifications, influencing the content of new modules, more effective assessment strategies, and better ways of supporting students. It is a true community of learners, where everyone - students, academics and educational advisors - all contribute, learn from each other, and shape the student experience.

Teamwork attitudes, interest and self-efficacy between online and face-to-face information technology students

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 253-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Konak ◽  
Sadan Kulturel-Konak ◽  
Gordon W. Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Online Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teamwork Skills ◽  
Students Attitudes

PurposeChallenges of teamwork in online classes may adversely affect students’ future attitudes toward teamwork. Further, there is a concern about whether online programs foster students’ teamwork skills. To answer these questions, the purpose of this paper is to compare online and face-to-face students’ attitudes toward teamwork, interest in learning teamwork skills and teamwork self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed a conceptual model explaining how students’ background, engagement in learning teamwork, teamwork self-efficacy and interest in learning teamwork affect attitudes toward teamwork and rigorously tested the model for a meaningful comparison between online and face-to-face students. Attitudes toward teamwork, teamwork interest and teamwork self-efficacy of 582 online and face-to-face students who attend the same academic program were compared.FindingsThe results suggest that online students have less positive attitudes towards teamwork compared to face-to-face students although online students have a higher level of teamwork self-efficacy. Therefore, online students’ relative less positive attitudes toward teamwork cannot be explained by the lack of engagement, teamwork skills or interest.Research limitations/implicationsThe homogeneity of the sample population is one of the limitations of the paper although it provides the opportunity for a comparative study of online and face-to-face students by controlling the majors.Practical implicationsInstructors should evaluate the appropriateness of team assignments while incorporating teamwork in online classes.Originality/valueConcerns about online teamwork are discussed but have not been rigorously investigated in the literature. The authors conducted a comprehensive study involving 582 undergraduate students. The findings of this paper suggest that new approaches are needed to incorporate teamwork in online classes. The results also show that importance of building teamwork self-efficacy.

scholarly journals Direct Problem-Based Learning (DPBL): A Framework for Integrating Direct Instruction and Problem-Based Learning Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Winarno ◽  
Kalaiarasi Sonai Muthu ◽  
Lew Sook Ling
Keyword(s):  
Direct Instruction ◽  
Direct Problem ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Teamwork Skills ◽  
Instruction Approach

Direct instruction approach has been widely used in higher education. Many studies revealed that direct instruction improved students’ knowledge. The characteristics of direct instruction include the subject delivered through face-to-face interaction with the lecturers and materials that sequenced deliberately and taught explicitly. However, direct instruction resulted in low creative thinking and teamwork skills among students. Therefore, problem-based learning activities were adapted to reform and create an innovation of a direct instruction approach in developing the new situation.Objective: This study aimed at exploring lecturers’ and students’ perspectives towards Direct Problem-Based Learning (DPBL) activities as a new approach for activities in the classroom.Design: A quasi-experimental design was used.Participants: Third-year students (N = 276) who signed up for Computer Networks subject from Dian Nuswantoro University, Indonesia and five lecturers were involved.Findings and Results: Learning outcomes were significantly positively (Sig. p=.00). Creative thinking skills score increased 8.4%, Teamwork skills score increased 11.5%, and knowledge score increased 25.9% of DPBL approach. The majority of students have difficulties in the direct instruction approach 4.71(.472). Whereas, 1.99(.655) students have low difficulty in DPBL approach. Expert participants agreed that DPBL approach can enhance creative thinking and teamwork skills  4.70(.50).

Using a GSS to Support Virtual Team-Building

2011 ◽  
pp. 92-108
Author(s):  
Wayne W. Huang ◽  
Kwok-Kee Wei ◽  
John Lim
Keyword(s):  
Group Support Systems ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Group Support ◽  
Research Issue ◽  
Important Research ◽  
Group Support System ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Teamwork ◽  
Research Propositions

This chapter deals with the use of a group support system (GSS) to support virtual team-building. Literature review on Group Support Systems (GSS) indicates that most prior GSS research focuses on supporting face-to-face teamwork, and few studies were conducted in supporting virtual teamwork and team-building. When virtual teamwork becomes more common in modern organizations, how GSS can be used to enhance virtual team-building is becoming an important research issue. This chapter proposes a conceptual team-building framework. By embedding this conceptual framework into a GSS, the GSS may have the potential to support virtual team-building. Based on the framework, a set of testable research propositions is formulated, and some suggestions for future GSS research are discussed.

Defending either a personal or an assigned standpoint

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-100
Author(s):  
Timo Salminen ◽  
Miika Marttunen
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Personal Opinion ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Support Students

Abstract This study clarifies whether a specific type of role play supports upper secondary school students’ collaborative argumentation. Data consist of 12 dyadic face-to-face and 12 chat debates. Data analysis focused on the quality of students’ argumentation. Comparisons were made between students who defended standpoints at variance with their personal opinions on the topics, between the two study modes and topics, and by gender. When the students defended a standpoint differing from their personal opinion, the male students engaged in counterargumentation more often than the female students. When, in turn, the students defended their personal standpoint, they produced both counterargumentative and non-argumentative speech turns equally often, and their arguments were more poorly elaborated than when they defended an assigned standpoint. The study suggests that role play in which both counterargumentation and students’ personal standpoints on an issue are taken into account is a viable means to support students’ high quality argumentation.

scholarly journals Implementation of Facebook study groups as supplements for learning management systems in adult ODL environments

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ishan Sudeera Abeywardena ◽  
Tham Choy Yoong
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Participation Rate ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Online Tool ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Support Students

As an open and distance learning (ODL) institution, Wawasan Open University (WOU) employs a blended approach for delivering courses to its undergraduate and postgraduate students, who are entirely adult learners. In this approach, the use of a learning management system (LMS) is absolutely crucial for student support as well as the enhancement of the whole learning experience to compensate for the lack of face-to-face interaction between the students and the academics. WawasanLearn, the open source, Moodle-based LMS system used by WOU, is a comprehensive online tool that enables students and academics to effectively interact in a virtual environment. However, analysis of data from several semesters shows that the rate of student interaction on WawasanLearn is low with respect to the sharing of knowledge. In order to qualitatively and quantitatively identify the factors contributing to the student participation rate in WawasanLearn, a survey was conducted among the undergraduate students studying in various disciplines including science and technology, business administration, liberal studies, education, languages and communication. Feedback regarding the manner of support students expect from WawasanLearn was gathered from close to 550 students throughout Malaysia. Another purpose of the survey was to identify whether and why students are drawn to participate more frequently in social networking platforms such as Facebook (facebook.com). As a result of the findings of the survey, a pilot project was implemented to study the use of Facebook groups as study groups for supplementing WawasanLearn. These study groups were run in parallel to WawasanLearn for seven course modules over two consecutive semesters. This paper discusses the findings of this pilot project with respect to the implementation of Facebook groups as supplements to the LMS in an adult ODL environment.

scholarly journals Promoting Critical Thinking and Learning in a Large-Enrolment Humanities Class

2022 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiruthika Ragupathi ◽  
Zi Hui Yeo ◽  
Hui Chieh Loy
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Mass Higher Education ◽  
University Courses ◽  
Qualitative Responses

To promote the development of critical thinking abilities in an introductory undergraduate humanities course in the context of mass higher education, we implemented a course design that employed a series of scenario-based multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and informal peer discussions. Using an online survey to gather perception data and self-reported behavioral data, this study examines the extent to which the course design was effective at promoting critical thinking and student experience. Deductive analysis of students’ qualitative responses indicate that the course design was successful in promoting students’ development of critical thinking. Both deductive and inductive analysis of students’ qualitative responses also suggest that students largely had favorable attitudes towards this course design, though there are also some who express concerns. Our design may be useful for instructors and instructional designers aiming to promote critical thinking and learning in university courses.

scholarly journals ValuED: A Blockchain-based Trading Platform to Encourage Student Engagement in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aydin Abadi ◽  
Jin Xiao ◽  
Roberto Metere ◽  
Richard Shillcock
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Source Code ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Reputation System ◽  
Available P ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
The Uk

The provision of higher education has been changing ever more quickly in the UK and worldwide, as a result of technological, economic, and geopolitical factors. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated such changes. The “student experience”—the interaction of students with their institution and with each other—has been changing accordingly, with less face-to-face contact. In this work, we have explored a way to improve student engagement in higher education. We describe “ValuED”, a blockchain-based trading platform using a cryptocurrency. It allows students both to buy and sell goods and services within their university community and to be rewarded for academic engagement. ValuED involves a reputation system to further incentivise participants. We describe the implementation and piloting of this platform and draw conclusions for its future use. The platform’s source code is publicly available.

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