Working in groups for the purposes of planning and delivering a project offers students a powerful learning experience. When run effectively, the process promotes and enhances critical thinking, aids social development, and has shown to reduce student attrition. “Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and are asked to think about and apply what they are learning in different settings. Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students to deal with the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily, both during and after college” (NSSE, 2009).

However, managing group work outside of the classroom is by no means an easy task and students are faced with a myriad of problems that range from the inability to communicate effectively, lack of leadership, difficulty assigning tasks and tracking the progress of those tasks, to difficulties around showing equal participation. This micro-course focuses on a variety of different types of tools and technologies that students can use to help them manage group work, work collaboratively on shared documents, and keep a reflective account of their progress and findings.

To take this course online, click the Start Course button in the top right of the screen.

Reference
Assessment for improvement: Tracking student engagement over time. (2009). National Survey of Student Engagement. http://nsse.iub.edu/NSSE_2009_Results/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]