This document discusses the benefits and strategies for implementing group work in online and hybrid courses. Some benefits mentioned include learning to coordinate with others, having a more realistic "world" experience, being able to complete more complex multi-part assignments, and creating connections with other students. The document provides many examples of types of group projects that can be assigned such as research projects, blogs, role plays, and multimedia presentations. It also gives tips for instructors on how to structure group work, including clearly outlining requirements, assigning roles, providing necessary tools, and giving feedback.

1. Group work in
online and hybrid courses
Jjenna Hupp Andrews – May 2009

2.  “I'm a little worried about this class because I
do not like the idea of 'group work' for an
online class; I usually do not like depending on
others when it comes to my grade, especially
people I've never met before...”
 “..because ultimately that's the problem with
group, there is always one slacker!!!”
 “you need to jump into it with a positive
attitude and expect the best. If you run into a
problem make sure, you notify the instructor.”

3.  Learning to work and coordinate with others
 The “real world” Experience
 To “Share the load”
 Intimate discussion/debate on the topic
 Creating connections with others in class
 More complex, multi-part assignments
 Opportunity to experience different roles

4.  Be clear in requirements of the assignment
 Assign roles
 Choose size of group with project in mind
 Provide tools needed/examples
 Provide a way for students to give feedback on
group participation
 Be clear the no participation = no credit
 Be supportive, but do not jump in too soon
 Be willing to step in and problem solve when
needed
 Feedback!

5.  Research Projects
 Presentations in discussion board to class (Shiva)
 Action Research (212) conducts field research or examines
question/issue
 Blogs (71, 93) (Edublogs)
 Assign critical friend/web buddy
 Collaboration/ team bogs (94)
 Articulate purpose, procedure and expectations
 Jointly summarize project
 Reflection on topic
 Place for other groups to offer comments/ suggestions
 Role Play (89)
 Virtual debate
 “Hot Seat” activity
 Mock trial
 Video Scenario (201)
 Reflection activity afterwards

6.  Satellite discussions (110)
 Private resources: discussion
board, blog, Googledocs, wiki, etc…
 Example
 Small-Group Exam Question Challenge
 Students design exam questions
 Actual exam question to explore/research
 Wikis/Googledocs (190-192)
 Collaboratively write papers/projects
 Debate ideas
 wikibooks
 Case studies/scenarios
 Student-created case studies
 Real-life case studies
 Interviews

7.  Web-based research/surveys (200)
 Create a survey (Zoomerang, SurveyShare, etc.) to gather
data
 Analyze data
 Present results
 Team/group Writing (106)
 Paired or team related task
 Reflective writing (106)
 Interactive Fiction and Continuous stories (214)
 One person/group starts a story (“round robin”)
 Start with a story and change, edit, morph…
 Possibly assign roles
 Leader
 Coordinator of team website
 Researcher
 Document editor

8.  Multi-media presentations (225)
 Multi-media – video, images, words, sound…
(Microsoft
MoviMaker, Photostory, imovie, Xtranormal
animated movie, etc…) (Crisis of Significance)
 Digital Storytelling
 “Round Robin”
 Cross-class collaboration
 Learning communities
 Inter-school collaboration
 Service learning

9.  Bonk, Curtis J, & Ke Zhang. “Empowering Online
Teaching.” San Fransico, CA: Josey-Bass. 2008.
 golfmnkvn, “Crisis of Significance”, final video for
Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University (Dr.
Mike Wesch - Spring 2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyRlRH-1T9M
 Digital Story telling. Daniel Meadows
http://classtools.net/twitter/tweet.htm?message=Edu
cational%2520uses%2520of%2520digital%2520storytelli
ng&url=http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.ht
ml
 Group Project, Art 120w1 - Fall 2008, UM-Flint. “Shiva
Lord of the Dance”