A
Word About Teams
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Team Projects require that students work with
one another collaboratively. This is not always easy. Something
as simple as scheduling a meeting can sometimes become complicated and
frustrating. Teamwork requires patience, hard work and the cultivation
of social skills. Here are some simple guidelines that may help:
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pay attention to process.
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be clear about what is expected from each member
of the group; don't leave meetings with issues about responsibility unresolved.
Take time to make certain that everyone understands what is expected.
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Manage your time carefully: 1) start early (projects
always take more time that you think); 2) be attentive
to deadlines -- in a group project, the failure of any one individual can
often derail the work of the entire group.
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Begin your very first meeting by getting to know one another better.
Go around the group giving your name and some general information about
yourself (hometown, campus address, major, goals in life, etc.).
Include some important personal detail: e.g., the most important thing
others should know about you, etc. A good way to do this is over
a pizza or a cup of coffee. (At subsequent meetings, you can use
this warm-up phase of the meeting to briefly share experiences -- successes,
frustrations, etc.)
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At the very beginning of a meeting, decide how much time you will assign
to each part of the meeting. When you reach the end of the allotted
time, you must move on or make a conscious decision to allocate more time
to that particular task.
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Pause, on occasion, to summarize what has been decided and to ask, "what
must we do next?"
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While each individual is responsible for his or her individual contributions
to the project, it may also be useful to assign one or more additional
roles or responsibilities to each member of the team. These roles
might include the following:
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The Team Coordinator, who would be responsible for scheduling meetings,
for keeping the process moving on schedule, and for the timely creation
of the project itself. The coordinator would also be responsible for filing
an evaluation of the project, describing the process and identifying the
contributions of each of the team members.
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The Team Editor, who would be responsible for the clarity and cogency
of the text, and for assuring consistency in style, citation of sources,
etc.
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The Team Researcher, who would be responsible for the accuracy of all material
contained in the project.
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The Team Technician, who would be responsible for technical issues,
including helping classmates and mounting the final project.
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The Team Recorder, who would take notes on meetings, summarizing
the decisions reached, the responsibilities assumed by each individual,
and any deadlines involved. This summary would then be posted to the Team
Database, so that everyone is clear on where things stand and what is needed.
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The Team Presenter, who takes responsibility for organizing the presentation.
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The Team Monitor, who monitors the group process, watching to make certain
that the process is working smoothly, the everyone understands their responsibilities,
who can intervene and mediate when the group has problems. The Team Monitor,
like the Team Coordinator, would be responsible for filing an evaluation
of the project.
For
more guidance on leading small group discussions, see any of the many books
on quality management. For example, Peter R. Scholtes et al., The
Team Handbook (Joiner Associates, 1988). For a Florida
State University professor's guide to student teams, click on TEAM
Organization. For a gateway to the quality movement that includes
many useful links, see the State of Georgia's Quality
Homepage.
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