Observing and Evaluating a Small Group
This chapter is pivotal to your final project in this class. As you know, for your final project you will be both observing and evaluating a small group. Pay close attention to this chapter, as it covers the following ideas:
Systematic Feedback
Success and Failure
Observer-Member Scales
Observer Feedback Guidelines
Individual Role Behavior
Verbal Interaction and Content
Analysis
Ethical Reflection
Chapter Objectives:
1). Describe four ways of learning how to make small groups successful.
2). Discuss the design, types and uses of rating scales.
3). Describe post-meeting evaluation forms.
4). Explain the key question regarding information usefulness.
5). Outline observer feedback.
6). Describe the evaluation of verbal interactions and content analysis.
The chapter starts out by covering Systematic Feedback by describing "four ways of obtaining feedback to improve a group's future success".
Page 247: "The first is to read a great deal about groups and teams".
Page 247: "The second method is participation in small groups".
Page 247: "The third approach is to obtain external evaluation advice".
Page 248: "A final source of feedback is our own reflection and analysis".
Can you see how you will be employing these four steps for your final project? You will engage in each step, focusing on each part equally. Reading about groups and teams (already doing that in this class), participation (most already have extensive experience working in small groups), external evaluation advice (ask questions, and ask for help if needed), and of course the big one: reflection and analysis. Your paper will be based on this final step!
Success and Failure - I will let you read this brief section on your own.
Observer-Member Scales
This section covers different types of rating scales. Pages 248-254 offer some great suggestions for obtaining feedback. Page 248 says, "When appropriate, consultant observers not directly involved with the group work can provide excellent insights. Recognizing this as an important source of growth and development, corporations systematically offer evaluations of a specific team's process by outside observers to help the team develop." For your final course project, you will be acting as an outside observer, or consultant. This project will not only allow you to grow as a member of possible teams in the future, but will give you unique insight into the inner workings of a team, and act as a consultant.
On Page 250, table 14.1 shows Rating Scale Topics - Possible Areas of Concern. This table can give you some great ideas when evaluating your group.
Page 251 talks about Post-Meeting Evaluation Forms. A great idea, if the group you are observing will allow it. Of course, some groups may not want you to act as a 'consultant', rather, simply an observer, and that's ok! But the more you can glean from your group, the better! Using an evaluation form can help your process of writing your paper.
Moving along to page 255 (though, don't skip the pages in between - they can only help your final project). This area talk about Observer Feedback Guidelines. If your group would like some feedback from you as an observer, use this section to guide your feedback. There are 10 discussion points/suggestions to read through.
Individual Role Behavior, Verbal Interaction and Content Analysis, and Ethical Reflection are all short sections, and I will leave those for you to cover.
As you can see, this chapter is essential for your final project. There are many ways to approach your final paper: Offering consulting services, acting as a silent observer, giving some general feedback to the group leader to improve group interaction, etc....
I hope that you have found this chapter as useful as I have!
Have a fabulous day!
The Blogging Prof.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Grades have been updated in D2L
Hello Fabulous Students,
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Discussion Week of Sept. 10-16
As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Discussion Week of Sept. 10-16
As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Week of September 24-30
Hello Folks!
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 14: Observing and Evaluating a Small Group
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Quiz on Desire2Learn: The quiz will cover chapters 4, 5 & 14
*Continue to work on Assignment #1 - This project is due by Oct 7th @ 11:59pm. You are more than welcome to submit papers early.
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Why use a consultant or an observer for a small group? (Remember, carefully think through your answer. Your final project is based on this very concept).
2). Outline and discuss the guidelines for providing observer feedback to a group.
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. (As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 14: Observing and Evaluating a Small Group
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Quiz on Desire2Learn: The quiz will cover chapters 4, 5 & 14
*Continue to work on Assignment #1 - This project is due by Oct 7th @ 11:59pm. You are more than welcome to submit papers early.
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Why use a consultant or an observer for a small group? (Remember, carefully think through your answer. Your final project is based on this very concept).
2). Outline and discuss the guidelines for providing observer feedback to a group.
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. (As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Week of Sept. 17 - 23
Hello Folks!
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.
NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 4: Four Phases of Group Development: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing
*There is no discussion this week
*Work on Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis.
*Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis is due by Sunday, Oct 7th @ 11:59pm. Title it as follows: FirstNameLasName_MovieAnalysis.rtf (ex. CarolPerez_MovieAnalysis.rtf) Please save your document in .rtf format. To do this, simply 'save as' and choose rich text format under the box where you name your file. The box to change the format is called "Save as type". There is a drop down menu. Simply find .rtf (or rich text format), and save it to your computer. Then email me at the class email address, and be sure to attach the file to your email. The assignment is due through email no later than 11:59pm on Oct 7th. You can always send the paper early. :)
Reminder: I hold office hours of Tuesday's and Thursday's from 9:30am to 11:30am on Yahoo Messenger. I can also chat with students over the phone during that time, or at your convenience. We can always make an appointment to chat over the phone in case you need clarification about something in the class. And of course, I'm always available through email.
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.
NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 4: Four Phases of Group Development: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing
*There is no discussion this week
*Work on Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis.
*Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis is due by Sunday, Oct 7th @ 11:59pm. Title it as follows: FirstNameLasName_MovieAnalysis.rtf (ex. CarolPerez_MovieAnalysis.rtf) Please save your document in .rtf format. To do this, simply 'save as' and choose rich text format under the box where you name your file. The box to change the format is called "Save as type". There is a drop down menu. Simply find .rtf (or rich text format), and save it to your computer. Then email me at the class email address, and be sure to attach the file to your email. The assignment is due through email no later than 11:59pm on Oct 7th. You can always send the paper early. :)
Reminder: I hold office hours of Tuesday's and Thursday's from 9:30am to 11:30am on Yahoo Messenger. I can also chat with students over the phone during that time, or at your convenience. We can always make an appointment to chat over the phone in case you need clarification about something in the class. And of course, I'm always available through email.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Grades have been updated in D2L
Hello Fabulous Students,
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Discussion Week of Sept3-9
I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades. It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Discussion Week of Sept3-9
I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades. It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Instructor Wrap Up - Harris & Sherblom Chapter 5
Diversity in Groups: The Strength of Different Perspectives
This chapter covers the following ideas:
*Defining Diversity in Small Groups
*Assumptions and Stereotypes
*Communication Contexts
*Diversity in Small Groups and Teams
*Making Diverse Groups Work
*Computer-Mediated Virtual Teams
*Ethical Behavior
Chapter Objectives:
1). Define Diversity and its role in small groups.
2). Better understand the effect of stereotypes.
3). Discuss the concept of communication contexts.
4). Explain the effect of language use on diversity.
5). Elucidate the influence of nonverbal communication on diversity.
6). Outline the effect of diversity on group commitment and consensus.
7). Present the strength obtained through diversity.
8). Suggest ways to help diverse groups work effectively.
9). Discuss diversity in computer-mediated virtual teams.
The first major section of the chapter defines diversity in small groups. On page 73 it says, "Diversity describes the reality of our national and world community that is made of people having cultures, languages, and social customs different from our own. Even when people in the United States speak the same language (and this cannot always be assumed) and share the same overall cultural value system, they often still have a different relationship to that value system than we sometimes expect." Table 5.1 on page 74 covers Diversity and Differences. It is not an exhaustive list, but will give you some idea of what the book is referring to when they talk about diversity.
With a term thrown around so freely at a place such as San Jose State, it's easy to forget just HOW diverse of a campus we are a part of. Looking at table 5.1 serves as a good reminder!
The next section, Assumptions and Stereotypes covers just that: assumptions we have and stereotypes we attribute to 'other' people who are different than ourselves. On page 75 it states, "To understand how we have come to have such different life experiences, we need to understand the internal matrix - the pattern - that culture creates in our lives. As human beings, our relationships within social groups begin at birth. We depend on one another for our physical and psychological well-being and for our survival throughout our lives. We learn automatic perceptual responses to our surroundings from those who nurture and care for us."
Page 76 goes on to say, "Thus, stereotypes can be damaging to all of us. They tend to perpetuate myths about groups of people and to disallow perception of the valuable differences and acceptance of the positive contributions each unique INDIVIDUAL had to contribute." (all emphasis mine)
Communication Contexts
This section covers the ideas of context in communication situations, Language Use and Nonverbal Communication. The section starts out talking in a general sense about culture and communicating with one another. It them moves on to defining "high-context environments" and "low-context environments". Two very good concepts - don't miss them!
The book then moves on to talking about Language Use, and how we can make assumptions about language use. Page 78 states, "Different cultures often make quite different assumptions about the appropriate use of language." Very interesting to think about, especially in an area of the country where we are faced with cultural differences daily.
Nonverbal communication - One of my favorite communication concepts. The book briefly covers nonverbal communication. Don't skip over it - think about it, talk to your friends about it, mull it over a bit. Nonverbal communication is awesome! Page 79 explains, "Nonverbal communication complements the use of language and is made up of deeply ingrained patterns. It is often subtle and multidimensional (Remland, 2000) and may take the form of body or facial gestures, tone of voice, turn taking, use of time, or habits of dress or hairstyle." What a neat section, especially as we discuss diversity in small groups. When observing your chosen group for the final project in the class, make sure you notice, and take note of nonverbal communication.
Diversity in Small Groups and Teams
This area covers two sub-ideas: Group Commitment and Consensus, and Strength in Diversity. Both sections are useful in understanding how diversity can really help groups and organizations. Very interesting to think about.
Making Diverse Groups Work
Conflict Management - this area has a great discussion about different cultures and conflict management. The book goes into greater depth about conflict management later on, but considering this concept and how it works in diverse groups is quite interesting!
Hierarchies of Power - Pg. 83, "There are hierarchies of power throughout our socialization process that we have come to take for granted, sometimes without being aware of the way in which we situate ourselves along the continuum. Clearly the overriding assumption of social, economic, and political power in the U.S. has long resided in upper-class and upper-middle-class White Europeans of wealth and privilege. Other members of society have implicitly been located along multiple hierarchies of power in relation to this group." Don't miss the rest of this discussion in the book.
Pressures for Conformity - The pressure to conform in a group is one that you will see quite a bit, especially in your group observations. You may have already observed this concept in action when working with a group in the past. Folks conform in order to get the job done, or move on from whatever task is at hand, rather than really thinking through the process and evaluating all possible alternatives. Sometimes this happens and a decision is made, even if it's not the best decision.
The last two sections are Computer-Mediated Virtual Teams and Ethical Behavior. Both sections are important to read through, especially the "ethical behavior" section. Each and every decision we make, whether in a group setting or not, has an ethical dimension. Understanding how that works in a diverse group is key.
This chapter covers the following ideas:
*Defining Diversity in Small Groups
*Assumptions and Stereotypes
*Communication Contexts
*Diversity in Small Groups and Teams
*Making Diverse Groups Work
*Computer-Mediated Virtual Teams
*Ethical Behavior
Chapter Objectives:
1). Define Diversity and its role in small groups.
2). Better understand the effect of stereotypes.
3). Discuss the concept of communication contexts.
4). Explain the effect of language use on diversity.
5). Elucidate the influence of nonverbal communication on diversity.
6). Outline the effect of diversity on group commitment and consensus.
7). Present the strength obtained through diversity.
8). Suggest ways to help diverse groups work effectively.
9). Discuss diversity in computer-mediated virtual teams.
The first major section of the chapter defines diversity in small groups. On page 73 it says, "Diversity describes the reality of our national and world community that is made of people having cultures, languages, and social customs different from our own. Even when people in the United States speak the same language (and this cannot always be assumed) and share the same overall cultural value system, they often still have a different relationship to that value system than we sometimes expect." Table 5.1 on page 74 covers Diversity and Differences. It is not an exhaustive list, but will give you some idea of what the book is referring to when they talk about diversity.
With a term thrown around so freely at a place such as San Jose State, it's easy to forget just HOW diverse of a campus we are a part of. Looking at table 5.1 serves as a good reminder!
The next section, Assumptions and Stereotypes covers just that: assumptions we have and stereotypes we attribute to 'other' people who are different than ourselves. On page 75 it states, "To understand how we have come to have such different life experiences, we need to understand the internal matrix - the pattern - that culture creates in our lives. As human beings, our relationships within social groups begin at birth. We depend on one another for our physical and psychological well-being and for our survival throughout our lives. We learn automatic perceptual responses to our surroundings from those who nurture and care for us."
Page 76 goes on to say, "Thus, stereotypes can be damaging to all of us. They tend to perpetuate myths about groups of people and to disallow perception of the valuable differences and acceptance of the positive contributions each unique INDIVIDUAL had to contribute." (all emphasis mine)
Communication Contexts
This section covers the ideas of context in communication situations, Language Use and Nonverbal Communication. The section starts out talking in a general sense about culture and communicating with one another. It them moves on to defining "high-context environments" and "low-context environments". Two very good concepts - don't miss them!
The book then moves on to talking about Language Use, and how we can make assumptions about language use. Page 78 states, "Different cultures often make quite different assumptions about the appropriate use of language." Very interesting to think about, especially in an area of the country where we are faced with cultural differences daily.
Nonverbal communication - One of my favorite communication concepts. The book briefly covers nonverbal communication. Don't skip over it - think about it, talk to your friends about it, mull it over a bit. Nonverbal communication is awesome! Page 79 explains, "Nonverbal communication complements the use of language and is made up of deeply ingrained patterns. It is often subtle and multidimensional (Remland, 2000) and may take the form of body or facial gestures, tone of voice, turn taking, use of time, or habits of dress or hairstyle." What a neat section, especially as we discuss diversity in small groups. When observing your chosen group for the final project in the class, make sure you notice, and take note of nonverbal communication.
Diversity in Small Groups and Teams
This area covers two sub-ideas: Group Commitment and Consensus, and Strength in Diversity. Both sections are useful in understanding how diversity can really help groups and organizations. Very interesting to think about.
Making Diverse Groups Work
Conflict Management - this area has a great discussion about different cultures and conflict management. The book goes into greater depth about conflict management later on, but considering this concept and how it works in diverse groups is quite interesting!
Hierarchies of Power - Pg. 83, "There are hierarchies of power throughout our socialization process that we have come to take for granted, sometimes without being aware of the way in which we situate ourselves along the continuum. Clearly the overriding assumption of social, economic, and political power in the U.S. has long resided in upper-class and upper-middle-class White Europeans of wealth and privilege. Other members of society have implicitly been located along multiple hierarchies of power in relation to this group." Don't miss the rest of this discussion in the book.
Pressures for Conformity - The pressure to conform in a group is one that you will see quite a bit, especially in your group observations. You may have already observed this concept in action when working with a group in the past. Folks conform in order to get the job done, or move on from whatever task is at hand, rather than really thinking through the process and evaluating all possible alternatives. Sometimes this happens and a decision is made, even if it's not the best decision.
The last two sections are Computer-Mediated Virtual Teams and Ethical Behavior. Both sections are important to read through, especially the "ethical behavior" section. Each and every decision we make, whether in a group setting or not, has an ethical dimension. Understanding how that works in a diverse group is key.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Week of September 10-16
Hello Folks!
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.
NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 5: Diversity in Groups: The Strength of Different Perspectives
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Email me with possible choices for your Group Observation Project. Get started early so that you have time to observe the group at least 2 times (although 3 observations are recommended).
*Start working on Assignment #1 Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Does valuing diversity come easily? Why or why not? Can you make some suggestions to enhance a group's ability to value diversity?
2). Explain the concept "white men of privilege". Do you agree with the concept? Why or why not?
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week.
NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 5: Diversity in Groups: The Strength of Different Perspectives
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Email me with possible choices for your Group Observation Project. Get started early so that you have time to observe the group at least 2 times (although 3 observations are recommended).
*Start working on Assignment #1 Concept Application Paper/Movie Analysis
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Does valuing diversity come easily? Why or why not? Can you make some suggestions to enhance a group's ability to value diversity?
2). Explain the concept "white men of privilege". Do you agree with the concept? Why or why not?
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Grades have been updated in D2L
Hello Fabulous Students,
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Created Blog - this means that you created and sent me your information by the due date. If you have received no credit for this item it is because you did not send me your information by the deadline.
Discussion Week of Aug 27 - Sept. 2 - This will be entered by tomorrow night at the latest. Check back for an update.
I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades. It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:
Created Blog - this means that you created and sent me your information by the due date. If you have received no credit for this item it is because you did not send me your information by the deadline.
Discussion Week of Aug 27 - Sept. 2 - This will be entered by tomorrow night at the latest. Check back for an update.
I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades. It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.
Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Instructor Wrap Up - Harris & Sherblom Chapter 9
Decision Making and Problem Solving
This chapter covers the following ideas:
*Decision Making and Problem Solving
*DECIDE: The Stages of Decision Making and Problem Solving
*Context Influences on Decision Making and Problem-Solving Groups
*Benefits of Decision Making in Computer-Mediated Groups
Chapter Objectives:
1). Explain the importance of defining the problem.
2). Discuss internal and external constraints.
3). Identify the process of developing alternatives.
4). Determine what issues must be considered in making the choice or decision.
5). Outline the implementation stage process.
6). Examine the decision-evaluation step.
7). Describe the influences on the decision-making and problem-solving processes.
8). Explain a benefit of computer-mediated group decision making.
The first major section of the chapter covers Decision Making and Problem Solving. It describes Decision Making as, "...choosing between two or more alternatives to solve a problem." It goes on to describe Problem Solving as, "...the generation of alternatives aimed at moving from an existing state to a preferred state".
It then moves to describing 6 steps to effective decision making and problem solving:
1). Define: To do this we have to understand what makes achieving this goal a problem. What are the obstacles that make it difficult to achieve?
2). Examine: Examine the constraints preventing our achievement of the identified goal. These constraints are often complex in nature and must be discussed thoroughly to be fully understood.
3). Consider: Consider the possible alternatives for responding to the problem within the constraints.
4). Initial: We make an initial decision after considering the possible alternatives. It is important that this be only an initial decision, that is open to discussion, reevaluation and change.
5). Develop: Develop a plan of action to implement the decision. This may be a simple, direct plan, or it may be a more complex set of processes and procedures.
6). Evaluate: Evaluate the results and consequences of the decision. This completes the feedback loop that informs our decision making the next time.
The next major section of the chapter is DECIDE: The Stages of Decision Making and Problem Solving. This section expands on the aforementioned ideas. Read through them carefully to understand each step. It is not enough to read through the definitions, rather, read each section in depth to fully grasp the concepts and understand the intricacies of each section.
*Define the Goal, Understand the Problem
*Examine the Constraints
*Consider the Alternatives
*Initiate a Decision
*Develop an Action Plan
*Evaluate the Results and Consequences
Context Influences on Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Groups
The book describes this process as follows, "Although the stages of the decision-making process form the structure that shapes it, the interaction among the stages gives the decision-making process its energy. Making decisions in groups and teams helps us to address the underlying interrelationships of the problems and issues to be resolved by making it possible to examine a problem from multiple and often discrepant perspectives."
It goes on to describe the following sections, which should be read thoroughly:
*Group Composition
*Group Process
The final section covers Benefits of Decision Making in Computer-Mediated Groups
The discussion in this section is exciting to me for obvious reasons. I teach a number of online classes, and as of next semester I will be teaching 6 classes per semester in an online format. Go ahead and read over the section, and geek out with me a little bit. :)
This chapter covers the following ideas:
*Decision Making and Problem Solving
*DECIDE: The Stages of Decision Making and Problem Solving
*Context Influences on Decision Making and Problem-Solving Groups
*Benefits of Decision Making in Computer-Mediated Groups
Chapter Objectives:
1). Explain the importance of defining the problem.
2). Discuss internal and external constraints.
3). Identify the process of developing alternatives.
4). Determine what issues must be considered in making the choice or decision.
5). Outline the implementation stage process.
6). Examine the decision-evaluation step.
7). Describe the influences on the decision-making and problem-solving processes.
8). Explain a benefit of computer-mediated group decision making.
The first major section of the chapter covers Decision Making and Problem Solving. It describes Decision Making as, "...choosing between two or more alternatives to solve a problem." It goes on to describe Problem Solving as, "...the generation of alternatives aimed at moving from an existing state to a preferred state".
It then moves to describing 6 steps to effective decision making and problem solving:
1). Define: To do this we have to understand what makes achieving this goal a problem. What are the obstacles that make it difficult to achieve?
2). Examine: Examine the constraints preventing our achievement of the identified goal. These constraints are often complex in nature and must be discussed thoroughly to be fully understood.
3). Consider: Consider the possible alternatives for responding to the problem within the constraints.
4). Initial: We make an initial decision after considering the possible alternatives. It is important that this be only an initial decision, that is open to discussion, reevaluation and change.
5). Develop: Develop a plan of action to implement the decision. This may be a simple, direct plan, or it may be a more complex set of processes and procedures.
6). Evaluate: Evaluate the results and consequences of the decision. This completes the feedback loop that informs our decision making the next time.
The next major section of the chapter is DECIDE: The Stages of Decision Making and Problem Solving. This section expands on the aforementioned ideas. Read through them carefully to understand each step. It is not enough to read through the definitions, rather, read each section in depth to fully grasp the concepts and understand the intricacies of each section.
*Define the Goal, Understand the Problem
*Examine the Constraints
*Consider the Alternatives
*Initiate a Decision
*Develop an Action Plan
*Evaluate the Results and Consequences
Context Influences on Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Groups
The book describes this process as follows, "Although the stages of the decision-making process form the structure that shapes it, the interaction among the stages gives the decision-making process its energy. Making decisions in groups and teams helps us to address the underlying interrelationships of the problems and issues to be resolved by making it possible to examine a problem from multiple and often discrepant perspectives."
It goes on to describe the following sections, which should be read thoroughly:
*Group Composition
*Group Process
The final section covers Benefits of Decision Making in Computer-Mediated Groups
The discussion in this section is exciting to me for obvious reasons. I teach a number of online classes, and as of next semester I will be teaching 6 classes per semester in an online format. Go ahead and read over the section, and geek out with me a little bit. :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Instructor Wrap Up - Harris & Sherblom Chapter 3
What a great chapter! Chapter 3 in Harris and Sherblom cover the ideas of:
Norms
Roles
Cohesion
Groupthink
These areas of Small Group Communication are particularly important for understanding the following objectives, as outline in the text on page 40:
*Describe the importance and impact of group norms.
*Clarify the different types of group norms.
*Illustrate the concept of group roles.
*Outline the different types of roles.
*Discuss the functions of norms and roles.
*Describe group cohesion and groupthink.
Let's start with Norms! As the book states, "Group norms define the nature of the group and the relationships among the group members by expressing the collective values of the membership and by identifying the place of group members within that value system. In every group, certain actions are approved of and others are frowned on. Knowing the norms means having a map, or a traveler's guide, for navigating the territory of group behavior and process."
This relates directly to one of the discussion questions this week (question #1). Think about the different types of small groups you are a part of. What are the norms? Think about family groups, friend groups, class groups, church groups, etc.... What are the norms that exist with each one of those groups? It's pretty interesting to try and point out the norms of each group, and how seemingly different they can be from one another. What is accepted in one group, may not be acceptable in another group.
Let's take a classroom situation. Think through the collective behaviors of your classes. What is ok behavior in your classes? There are simply rules that we abide by in the classroom, correct? Let's go a bit deeper. Classroom behavior in college can also differ greatly, correct? I find that students in communication classes tend to relate to one another a bit more than in some other disciplines. Perhaps we chat more in class? Hold more discussions and a bit less lecture? What norms can you see emerge from looking at your individual classes.
Now take this idea a step further. What norms can you see emerge in other groups you are a part of? Some things my seem a bit standard: respect for one another, how a particular process works, etc... (Keep this in mind when you are observing and researching for your final projects in this course. You may want to discuss the norms of the group you have chosen to observe).
Let's move on to Roles! I will write very little about this section, but do not skip over the table on page 46 and 47. Table 3.1 is great in outlining:
*Group Task Roles
*Group Maintenance Roles
*Self-Centered Behaviors
On page 45 the book talks a bit about Task Roles and Social-Emotional Roles. Both of these types of roles are essential for the effectiveness of the group, and both are important to learn about and understand when observing and participating in a small group.
Cohesion
Page 48 outlines group cohesion by describing it in these terms:
1). The degree which a member feels an 'attraction' to a group.
2). The extent to which members are loyal and committed to the group.
3). It's a force that binds members together.
The chapter then goes on to talk about what influences can affect the development of a group by describing certain characteristics of a group. This section of the chapter ends with 'consequences of group cohesion'.
Groupthink
This is something folks have probably heard of over and over again. But what is it? Groupthink can be read about HERE. While your book does a great job of explaining what it is, sometimes it's helpful to read about a concept in other terms.
Your book defines groupthink as, "....a strong occurrence-seeking tendency among group members that leads to a deterioration in their decision-making process." It goes on to outline five influences on groupthink:
1). Antecedent conditions
2). Occurrence seeking
3). Symptoms
4). Decision-making defects
5). Poor decision outcomes
After the section describes these five influences on groupthink, it talks about the origination of the groupthink theory, which is quite interesting to read about.
There is also table 3.2 that covers Janis's Groupthink Characteristics. Do not skip this table either. It gives some great information about groupthink, and helps to contextualize the section.
I hope that you found this chapter useful. Learning about Norms, Roles, Cohesion and Groupthink are necessary to the group process.
I will post another Instructor Wrap-Up for Chapter 9 tomorrow.
Norms
Roles
Cohesion
Groupthink
These areas of Small Group Communication are particularly important for understanding the following objectives, as outline in the text on page 40:
*Describe the importance and impact of group norms.
*Clarify the different types of group norms.
*Illustrate the concept of group roles.
*Outline the different types of roles.
*Discuss the functions of norms and roles.
*Describe group cohesion and groupthink.
Let's start with Norms! As the book states, "Group norms define the nature of the group and the relationships among the group members by expressing the collective values of the membership and by identifying the place of group members within that value system. In every group, certain actions are approved of and others are frowned on. Knowing the norms means having a map, or a traveler's guide, for navigating the territory of group behavior and process."
This relates directly to one of the discussion questions this week (question #1). Think about the different types of small groups you are a part of. What are the norms? Think about family groups, friend groups, class groups, church groups, etc.... What are the norms that exist with each one of those groups? It's pretty interesting to try and point out the norms of each group, and how seemingly different they can be from one another. What is accepted in one group, may not be acceptable in another group.
Let's take a classroom situation. Think through the collective behaviors of your classes. What is ok behavior in your classes? There are simply rules that we abide by in the classroom, correct? Let's go a bit deeper. Classroom behavior in college can also differ greatly, correct? I find that students in communication classes tend to relate to one another a bit more than in some other disciplines. Perhaps we chat more in class? Hold more discussions and a bit less lecture? What norms can you see emerge from looking at your individual classes.
Now take this idea a step further. What norms can you see emerge in other groups you are a part of? Some things my seem a bit standard: respect for one another, how a particular process works, etc... (Keep this in mind when you are observing and researching for your final projects in this course. You may want to discuss the norms of the group you have chosen to observe).
Let's move on to Roles! I will write very little about this section, but do not skip over the table on page 46 and 47. Table 3.1 is great in outlining:
*Group Task Roles
*Group Maintenance Roles
*Self-Centered Behaviors
On page 45 the book talks a bit about Task Roles and Social-Emotional Roles. Both of these types of roles are essential for the effectiveness of the group, and both are important to learn about and understand when observing and participating in a small group.
Cohesion
Page 48 outlines group cohesion by describing it in these terms:
1). The degree which a member feels an 'attraction' to a group.
2). The extent to which members are loyal and committed to the group.
3). It's a force that binds members together.
The chapter then goes on to talk about what influences can affect the development of a group by describing certain characteristics of a group. This section of the chapter ends with 'consequences of group cohesion'.
Groupthink
This is something folks have probably heard of over and over again. But what is it? Groupthink can be read about HERE. While your book does a great job of explaining what it is, sometimes it's helpful to read about a concept in other terms.
Your book defines groupthink as, "....a strong occurrence-seeking tendency among group members that leads to a deterioration in their decision-making process." It goes on to outline five influences on groupthink:
1). Antecedent conditions
2). Occurrence seeking
3). Symptoms
4). Decision-making defects
5). Poor decision outcomes
After the section describes these five influences on groupthink, it talks about the origination of the groupthink theory, which is quite interesting to read about.
There is also table 3.2 that covers Janis's Groupthink Characteristics. Do not skip this table either. It gives some great information about groupthink, and helps to contextualize the section.
I hope that you found this chapter useful. Learning about Norms, Roles, Cohesion and Groupthink are necessary to the group process.
I will post another Instructor Wrap-Up for Chapter 9 tomorrow.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Week of September 3 - 9
Hello Folks!
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 3: Norms, Roles, Cohesiveness, and Groupthink
*Read Chapter 9: Decision Making and Problem Solving
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Quiz on Desire2Learn: The quiz will cover chapters 1, 2, 3 & 9
*Email me with possible choices for your Group Observation Project. Get started early so that you have time to observe the group at least 2 times (although 3 observations are recommended).
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Are there group norms at SJSU? What are they? In the group of individuals that you spend time with, are there group norms? What are they? In both cases, how did you identify these norms? How did you adapt to these norms?
2). Distinguish between internal and external constraints. Provide and example of each one from your own experience.
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. (As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.
Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from D2L for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on D2L.
Due this week:
*Read Chapter 3: Norms, Roles, Cohesiveness, and Groupthink
*Read Chapter 9: Decision Making and Problem Solving
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Quiz on Desire2Learn: The quiz will cover chapters 1, 2, 3 & 9
*Email me with possible choices for your Group Observation Project. Get started early so that you have time to observe the group at least 2 times (although 3 observations are recommended).
Class Discussion:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE.
1). Are there group norms at SJSU? What are they? In the group of individuals that you spend time with, are there group norms? What are they? In both cases, how did you identify these norms? How did you adapt to these norms?
2). Distinguish between internal and external constraints. Provide and example of each one from your own experience.
3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading this week, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.
Remember to post 3 responses to your colleagues blogs. (As a reminder, comments will only be counted for the current discussion week. I do not go back to past discussion weeks to look for comments. Once a discussion week is over, it's over. So please make sure you are commenting on a relevant blog post. In other words, pay close attention to the post, and date.
Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://comm141p.blogspot.com/ and look on the right hand side of my blog to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words.
Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Hello Folks,
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you comment on a blog post, you should always reload the webpage (or return later) to see if you can see your comments published. If you cannot see your comments published on the other students blog post I cannot see your comments to give you points for them. You should always keep track of your posts and comments by using the "Track Posts and Comments" sheet that is uploaded to D2L under "Getting Started". However, it is your responsibility to make sure that your posts are published correctly. 99 times out of 100, comments that are not posted correctly is user error.
If you have trouble commenting on posts, please follow these directions:
1). Make sure you are using Firefox as your web-browser (download HERE)
2). Open up Firefox as your web-browser and log into your blog.
3). Open a new tab in the web-browser and link to my blog, and start reading other students blogs (student blog tab is at the top). Once you have found a blog you want to comment on, click "comment" below the post.
4). Type in your comment and then click on the drop down menu where it says "Comment As".
5). Choose "Google Account"
6). Since you are already logged into your blog in one of the open tabs, you should have no problem seeing your comment.
You can certainly experiment by leaving a message on one of my blog posts if you'd like.
:)
The Blogging Prof.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you comment on a blog post, you should always reload the webpage (or return later) to see if you can see your comments published. If you cannot see your comments published on the other students blog post I cannot see your comments to give you points for them. You should always keep track of your posts and comments by using the "Track Posts and Comments" sheet that is uploaded to D2L under "Getting Started". However, it is your responsibility to make sure that your posts are published correctly. 99 times out of 100, comments that are not posted correctly is user error.
If you have trouble commenting on posts, please follow these directions:
1). Make sure you are using Firefox as your web-browser (download HERE)
2). Open up Firefox as your web-browser and log into your blog.
3). Open a new tab in the web-browser and link to my blog, and start reading other students blogs (student blog tab is at the top). Once you have found a blog you want to comment on, click "comment" below the post.
4). Type in your comment and then click on the drop down menu where it says "Comment As".
5). Choose "Google Account"
6). Since you are already logged into your blog in one of the open tabs, you should have no problem seeing your comment.
You can certainly experiment by leaving a message on one of my blog posts if you'd like.
:)
The Blogging Prof.
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