1. B uilding S tudents ’ Teamwork
S kills for S ucces s ful Integrated
Projects
Paula M. (Penni) Hudis , Ph.D., Director
Pathway and C urric ulum Development
www.C onnec tE dC alifornia.org
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2. Goals for Today’s Session
• Identify benefits and challenges to effective group work
• Examine research on effective student teams
• Translate research into practical strategies and
applications
• Share our experiences—and challenges— implementing
team projects, especially in an integrated curriculum
• Experience a team-building exercise
Slide 2

3. Continuum of Integration
Single Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual
Subject
BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED
Slide 3

4. Single Subject Integration
Single Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual
Subject
Individual
teachers make
connections
within their own
classroom
BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED
Slide 4

5. Parallel or Paired Integration
Single Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual
Subject Two teachers share
some topics, without
team planning
BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED
Slide 5

6. Interrelated Integration
Single Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual
Subject Several teachers
plan to
coordinate topics
and instruction
BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED
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7. Conceptual Integration
Math
Arts English
CTE
For
Sci
Lang
Soc
Stud
Single Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual
Subject Teacher team uses a
concept or problem to
frame instruction and
create curricular
coherence
BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED
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8. Key Goals of Problem and
Project-Based L earning
Develop critical
thinking skills
Develop effective
Provide authentic
team-work skills
context for
delivering instruction
Deliver challenging, integrated Make the
academic and technical learning experience
content engaging for all students
Slide 8

9. Why Integrated Team Projects?
Integrated team projects are an
effective way to meet all of
these learning goals.
Slide 9

10. Challenges To E ffective Group Work
in Integrated Projects
Group Discussion:
What kinds of integrated team
projects have your students
completed?
What challenges have you faced?
Slide 10

11. Strategies That Promote E ffective
Team Projects
Pair-share:
What team-building exercises
and other strategies have you
used to develop teamwork and
create groups that work
together productively?
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12. Building E ffective Student Teams
Let’s give it a try!
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13. What Does E ffective Group Work
L ook L ike in the Classroom?
• Students analyze their • Peer evaluation is
own group process part of the process
• Students identify • Students experience
group process multiple roles
problems and correct
• Students use
• Group process is part planning guidance
of the grading system and tools to be
productive
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14. Student Roles in Creating an E ffective
Group L earning Process
• Students design a group
performance rubric that
• Students participate in a gives them a stake in
team-building exercise that creating an effective
is fun and challenging learning process
• Students analyze their • Students create and sign
experience with the exercise a performance contract
that helps build trust in
each other
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15. E lements of a Performance Contract
• What elements would you like
to see students include in their
performance contract?
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16. The Teacher Role in Creating an
E ffective Teamwork Process
• Provide instruction on • Give prompt feedback
group process that focuses on individual
and group performance
• Structure the teams to
• Give multiple
foster cohesiveness and
assignments and
effective functioning assessments to build
• Include assignments that skills and reduce anxiety
foster collaboration and • Blends direct instruction
higher-level learning and group work
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17. Structuring Teams and Group Activities to
Facilitate Cohesiveness and Productivity
• Internally heterogeneous
• Individual and group groups
accountability • Students DO NOT
• Activities require physical select their own teams
proximity • Teams are
• Competition between appropriately sized—
teams plays a key role larger for more
complex projects
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18. Group Assignments That Promote
Higher Level Learning
• Assignments involve • Students resolve
teaching others (also differences between
builds trust) answers
• Students share and • Success involves
critique each other’s competing with other
groups
work
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19. Assignments That Build
Group Cohesiveness
• Include elements of • Incorporate an
group accountability element of competition
with other groups
• Require physical
proximity • Reward group success
• Involve discussion
based on analysis of
a complex problem
Slide 19

20. Implementing the Research: Methods,
Challenges, and Solutions
Sharing Your Experiences:
• Group accountability
• Peer evaluation
• Evaluation of group process
• Share and critique other team
members’ work
• Team performance contracts
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21. B uilding S tudents ’ Teamwork S kills for
S ucces s ful Integrated Projects
Thank you for being here today!
Slide 21