Merely having students work in small groups on a regular basis will not guarantee their improvement as collaborators or their understanding of effective team work. Work with the small-group principles in the Student Guide and reinforce these concepts every time you require group work. The simplest and perhaps most effective method of taking an assessment-as-learning approach to small-group work is to help students recognize three levels of behavior, depending whether group members think primarily in terms of themselves, selected other group members, or the group as a whole:
Self-oriented behavior. Even well-intentioned group members can focus mostly on themselves without realizing it. Look for those students who merely offer opinions or information, defend their own positions, express approval of ideas that match their own, or only respond when asked by others. Such information-giving, advocating, and confirming behaviors typify a self-orientation within groups.
Partner-oriented behavior. When group members first move beyond themselves, they tend to form sub-groups with those most like themselves in personality or opinions. Students at this stage may ask a question of another group member, even challenge the opinion of someone they feel comfortable with, or participate in a sub-group conversation. They do not try to engage those outside their subgroup or work toward group coherence or consensus. Such information-seeking, summarizing, challenging behaviors typify partner-orientation within groups.
Group-oriented behavior. Genuinely thinking in terms of the group is not the same as the traditional notion of a group “leader.” It is a behavior that all group members can participate in, not just a leader. The group thinker polls each group member on critical matters, especially purpose, procedures, content, and deliverables. The group thinker initiates discussions, involves even reluctant members, challenges group decisions, mediates conflicts, manages resources (time, equipment, space, others’ talents), summarizes work, brings closure to discussions, and rehearses ideas, arguments, and structures. In tone, gesture, and word, the group thinker directs most matters to the group as a whole and helps the group work through its task in a timely and collaborative fashion. Such initiating, mediating, evaluating, and closing behaviors typify full group orientation.
Both you and your students can use these three easy levels for quick and productive assessment. Only regular attention to small-group dynamics can help students adopt group-oriented behavior as a natural part of their communication strategy.
Learn more about small-group assessment by reading the ISUComm assessment guidelines by mode.