Exercises
Think of a time when you were involved in a group project at school or at work. Which collaboration method or methods did your group use? How did your choice of collaboration methods contribute to the group’s success? How did your choice of collaboration methods lead to conflicts, inefficiencies, or poor project quality? What would you do differently if you were to start this project from scratch?
The videos in this textbook are directly based on the interactions of actual student teams. Before you complete any of the video exercises, take a moment to watch the introductory video which describes how the videos were produced and created.
View Team Video 1: Mark, Natalie, and Keith. Then, answer the questions that follow.
What method of collaboration does this team seem to be using?
For each team member — Mark (typing at the computer), Natalie, and Keith — provide two or three words or short phrases describing their role on the team.
Based on what you have observed, which team member do you think made the most important contribution, and which one made the least important contribution? Why?
Review Table 1.1 Which drawbacks do you see illustrated in the way the students in this video are collaborating? What problems do you anticipate this team will have in the future if the students continue this style of collaboration?
What changes would you suggest that this group make to improve their collaboration?
Now that you have more information, how would you modify your original responses to questions 2b–2e?
What actions would you advise the unhappy members of this group to take? How would you have handled the situation if you were Natalie? If you were Mark?
What major lessons can you learn from observing this team?
View Team Video 2: Shelly, Will, and Ben. Then, answer the questions that follow.
What method of collaboration does this team seem to be using?
For each team member — Shelly, Will, and Ben — provide two or three words or short phrases describing their role on the team.
Review Table 1.1. Which drawbacks do you see illustrated in the way the students in this video are collaborating? What problems do you anticipate this team will have in the future if the students continue this style of collaboration?
What changes would you recommend that this team make to improve their collaboration?
What major lessons can you learn from observing this team?