Groups
Group Membership
Group A
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Group B
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Group C
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Group D
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Groups - FAQs
Q: Why are we working in groups?
A: Whether this course is taught in the classroom or on-line, group work is an important part of the methodology for learning to analyze and interpret literary texts. In order to practice the skills of critical reading and thinking that are primary goals of this course, you should use the three-step process that the course is designed around in order to be successful:
1. Read the unit texts on your own and think about the meaning; it is recommended that you do this at the beginning of each unit section.
2. Participate in group discussion exercises to engage the texts further; everyone who reads a literary text will notice different elements and even create different interpretations. Discussion with peers helps everyone to engage the texts, understand them more fully, and see them from a different point of view.
3. Ask questions and read the instructor's comments; the final phase is to ask me about anything that is still unclear and to read my comments. My goal is to help students understand texts and consider elements that were not brougt up in group discussion.
Q: How do I contact my group?
A: By 9/1, after the groups have been assigned, you should introduce yourself to your group in the "Forums" tool under the "Introductions" topic. Each unit, there will be discussion threads set up with prompts for each group. You can use this area to post your work in progress. You can also schedule real-time chats with your group in the Group's Chat Room (groups are responsible for setting up their own chat times). Finally, you can use the course email within Sakai to send messages to your group. To do this, go to the Course Email and click on "Compose Message." Then select the appropriate group from the "To" list.
Q: Who is the group leader and how do we divide up the work for each week?
A: Issues of group leadership and work organization are entirely up to you; work out these issues within your groups. After teaching this class in an online format for several semesters though, I have compiled some recommendations for group work that have worked well for many of the groups:
1. Assign someone to coordinate each assignment. In order to prevent any one group member from taking on too much responsibility or a disproportionate amount of work, it is a good idea to rotate this task to a different group member for each discussion.
2. Divide up the work on the individual questions; depending on the number of questions in that discussion, 2-3 members might be working on a part of the total assignment. This also helps distribute the work.
3. Set a clear deadline before the final report is due when all of the parts of the assignment need to be turned in to the discussion leader.
4. Allow enough time so that all of the members of the group can review the final report and make suggestions for any additions or edits: this is a very important part of the process, because it allows everyone to fully engage with the group's entire assignment.
Finally, let me stress that staying in contact with your group and keeping up with the reading and the work is the best way to make the discussion posts a productive and positive experience for everyone.
Q: Will we be changing groups during the term?
A: No; it takes time to establish a rapport with a group, so it is more efficient to keep the same groups throughout the term.
Q: What if one of the group members does not contribute to a Discussion exercise?
A: If a group member does not participate in the group's discussion and report, then that individual's name should not be included as a contributor on the final report.
© 2011-12 Susan Shelangoskie, Ph.D.