Building Bridges in the On-Building Bridges in the On-line Classroom: The Case line Classroom: The Case for Team Projectsfor Team Projects

Chris MahoneyChris Mahoney

Anne Arundel Community Anne Arundel Community CollegeCollege

Advantages of Team Advantages of Team ProjectsProjects

Promote student communication Promote student communication and interactionand interaction

Reinforce the learning of essential Reinforce the learning of essential elements of the writing processelements of the writing process

Provide students with an Provide students with an opportunity to conduct the opportunity to conduct the planning, research, and writing of planning, research, and writing of a document jointlya document jointly

Advantages of Team Advantages of Team Projects (cont.)Projects (cont.)

Allow students to review the work Allow students to review the work of their peers and to have their of their peers and to have their own work reviewed by othersown work reviewed by others

Aid retention insofar as students Aid retention insofar as students have a chance to get to know and have a chance to get to know and work with their classmateswork with their classmates

Disadvantages of Team Disadvantages of Team ProjectsProjects

Frequently result in an uneven Frequently result in an uneven workload workload

Often give rise to interpersonal Often give rise to interpersonal conflicts conflicts

Usually are time-intensive and Usually are time-intensive and require a high degree of require a high degree of coordinationcoordination

Solutions for Team Project Solutions for Team Project DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Progress report/memorandum; Progress report/memorandum; review of online classroom review of online classroom interactioninteraction

Team meeting/conference area Team meeting/conference area visits; chat room logsvisits; chat room logs

Team Projects Structure, Team Projects Structure, Procedures, and Procedures, and RequirementsRequirements

Size (minimum = 3; maximum = 5)Size (minimum = 3; maximum = 5)

Team Membership (alphabetical or Team Membership (alphabetical or random) random)

Team meetings (every week or Team meetings (every week or every other week) every other week)

Project length (minimum = 2 pages; Project length (minimum = 2 pages; maximum = 4 pages per student) maximum = 4 pages per student)

Team Projects Structure, Team Projects Structure, Procedures, and Procedures, and Requirements (cont.) Requirements (cont.)

First version of TP: instructor First version of TP: instructor review and peer review review and peer review

Final version of TP: posted in the Final version of TP: posted in the online classroom prior to the end online classroom prior to the end of the course (to permit further of the course (to permit further peer feedback)peer feedback)

Team Project Evaluation Team Project Evaluation and Gradingand Grading

Weight (minimum = 10%; Weight (minimum = 10%; maximum = 20%)maximum = 20%)

Team grade vs. individual gradeTeam grade vs. individual grade

“ “The Independent Option”The Independent Option”

TP Instructor ReviewTP Instructor Review

Peer ReviewPeer Review

Sample Team ProjectsSample Team Projects

Computer Lab Project Computer Lab Project

Education Abroad Project Education Abroad Project

Pro/Con contemporary moral Pro/Con contemporary moral issues issues

Small business benefits plan Small business benefits plan

Child care feasibility studyChild care feasibility study

Questions? Comments?Questions? Comments?

Thank You for Your Time!Thank You for Your Time!

In case you have any further In case you have any further questions or comments, please questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me: feel free to e-mail me: cmmahoney@aacc.edu