From Group Work to Cooperative Learning: Using ANGEL to Support

1. From Group Work to Cooperative Learning: Using ANGEL to Support Collaboration Efforts at a Distance Ann Luck,John A. Dutton e-Education Institute Jim Sloan, Gould Center for Geography Education and Outreach College of Earth & Mineral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University ANGEL Day 18 May 2004

2. Our Agenda • Background information – the CPGIS and GEOG 5223 • GEOG 5223 Final Project - “Before” • Enter cooperative learning! An overview… • GEOG 5223 Final Project - “After” • Outcomes: Advantages and Lessons Learned • Q&A

3. Background – The CPGIS and GEOG 5223

4. CPGIS Overview

5. The CPGIS Curriculum

6. Overview of GEOG 5223 • Course focus: How GIS software can be used to integrate geographic data compiled from various sources • Students expected to spend 8-12 hours per week on course work; Instructor spends ~ 8 hour/wk. • 6 lesson projects, with quizzes to check comprehension of online content; message boards to allow discussion; and a final project posted to student’s PSU e-portfolio

7. Overview of GEOG 5223 – A quick peek

8. GEOG 5223 Final Project – Before • “Pretend that you are part of a group competing to receive a contract from the Albemarle County (Virginia) Historical Society (ACHS) to create GIS data layers from early 20th-century Sanborn maps of the City of Charlottesville.” • Students have last 4 weeks to complete project • Team work optional – 40-50% chose to work alone • The only group-specific instructions specify designation of a team coordinator who submits team’s work and acts as conduit for questions

9. GEOG 5223 Final Project – Before (cont.) • Problems: • A lot of work for one individual, yet little incentive to work together; individual does not benefit from interaction • One or two team members end up doing bulk of project work • Teams arbitrarily determined, can lead to problems…

10. Enter cooperative learning! An overview… “Putting students into groups does not necessarily gain a cooperative relationship; it has to be structured and managed by the teacher or professor.” (Johnson & Johnson, 1994)

11. Enter cooperative learning! An overview… • CL is a relationship in a group of students that requires: • Positive interdependence (sink or swim; individuals can’t succeed unless the group does) • (Face-to-face) promotive interaction (encouraging, motivating) • Individual accountability (no “hitch-hiking”) • Interpersonal skills (communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution) • Group processing (reflecting on how well the team is functioning and how to function even better)

12. GEOG 5223 Final Project – After • Positive task interdependence – Teams of 4 work on 4-part project; 1 person takes the lead each week; leader must complete his/her part before the next week’s leader can begin; group grade each week (2/3 of project grade) • Promotive interaction – Each week the “non-leaders” serve in peer review role, providing encouragement and feedback • Individual accountability – instructor can review individual contributions to ANGEL team space; 1/3 of project grade • Interpersonal skills – ANGEL team space, accessible by instructor, used for all team interactions (can use chat logs) • Group processing – ongoing small group and whole-class feedback from instructor; end-of-project peer review via ANGEL survey tool

13. GEOG 5223 Final Project – After (cont.) • What worked well from students’ perspective… • “Rate the instructor's effectiveness in encouraging team strategies in the handling of the Final Project.” 5.5 (out of 7) • “Rate the extent to which working with a group on the Final Project helped you to understand the concepts taught in this course.” 5.0 (out of 7) • “Rate the extent to which your Final Project group members revealed to you new viewpoints and appreciations of the subject matter.” 5.0 (out of 7)

14. GEOG 5223 Final Project – After (cont.) What worked well from students’ perspective… “At first, I was leery of working in a small group. Now I'd say it was a great experience! The others shared ideas that I wouldn't have thought of, which helped round out my thinking A LOT! Perhaps I was fortunate, but everyone in my group seemed to WANT to do this project and to do it WELL. With a common goal and motivation like that, the end results had to be great! :-) I've come away from this experience with a much better appreciation for others' input. I think I understand most of what's going on, but then someone else says something that reminds me that I don't know everything! … I also met some friendly people to work with. I hope I meet them again in the next course -- I'd be willing to work with them again! Overall, the Final Project was a rewarding experience for me.”

15. GEOG 5223 Final Project – After (cont.) • What worked well from Jim’s perspective… • None of the groups dissolved… • Prior ANGEL survey of student’s work habits helped • ANGEL message board transactions were telling

16. GEOG 5223 Final Project – After (cont.) • Room for improvement… • Include module on team dynamics to prep teams for interpersonal aspects of the project (iStudy?) • Build in formal group processing opportunities each week, including instructor feedback • Help them save more time • Refine strategy for groups of fewer than 4 • Show peer review categories • Evolve from weekly leader/non-leaders to synthesizer model

17. Resources • The Cooperative Learning Centerhttp://www.co-operation.org/ • John A. Dutton e-Education Institutehttp://www.e-education.psu.edu • Certificate Program in GIShttp://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/gis/ • Penn State’s e-Portfolio initiative http://www.e-portfolio.psu.edu • iStudy Moduleshttp://istudy.tlt.psu.edu/ • Ann Luck -Luck@ems.psu.edu; Jim Sloan -JimSloan@psu.edu

18. Questions??