national university: can we make online group projects work?

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Can We Make Online Group Projects Work?

NU Spring Symposium March 2014

Copyright © National University

Nelson Altamirano (SOBM)Ben Radhakrishnan (SEC)

Mary Beth McCabe (SOBM)

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General Approach to Group Learning

• After listening students must do something

Learning by doing

• Students not so comfortable. Instructors help build confidence

Motivate creativity

• A group learning project shows who are dependable and who are not (free riders)

Group and individual responsibility


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We want people who..

work together to generate

new ideas and find solutions

commit to the team and be dependable

willing and wanting to

cooperate and pitch in to help

communicate clearly,

concisely, creatively

coordinate with others


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ECO203: The Assignment

Objectives• At the end of this assignment

students will understand economics at a deep level and learn how to differentiate theoretical results from real situations; gain excel skills, team working skills and game creation skills that are useful in their working environments;

• reinforce their writing and presentation skills; and finally learn economics by doing it and having fun.

• The deliverables of the game assignment are three: a paper in word, a game engine in excel and a presentation in power point.

Game Paper• This short written assignment is 5

to 10 page long without including the pages for the title, references and appendixes. It contains the following distinguishable sections:

A. Abstract

B. Instructions

C. Game Board and Excel Engine

D. Microeconomics Debriefing Section

E. References

F. Appendix

G. Attachments


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ECO203: The RubricThe Products (80%)

(i.e. Paper, Game Board and Engine) The Process (20%)

(i.e. your participation and contribution to the team work)

This is a group grade, all members receive the same grade based on the group submission. One group member should submit all 3 documents (paper, excel engine and board) by Week 4.

This is an individual grade with two components to be evaluated when you submit the paper, excel engine and game board in Week 4. At that time, each group member must send the self and peer evaluations.

Paper (40%) The paper will be graded based on Content Structure Style

Self Evaluation Give yourself

10 if you did as much as everyone else in the team, i.e. a ‘fair’ contribution

6 if you did below the ‘fair’ contribution but helped the team

3 if you did almost nothing over the entire week

0 if you did nothing Game Board (15%) The game board will be graded based on Design Integration with Engine Engine (25%) The engine will be graded based on Design Formulas that express game rules Formulas that calculate winners

Peer Evaluation (average of points you receive from your teammates) Evaluate every other team member’s contribution to the team project. Give each of them

10 if you think this person did as much as everyone else in the team, i.e. a ‘fair’ contribution

6 if you think this person did below the ‘fair’ contribution but helped the team

3 if you think this person did almost nothing to help the group

0 if you think this person did nothing Copyright © National University

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ECO203 - LogisticsTue Thu Fri Sun

W1 Session 1Excel Basics

Session 2Excel D/S

Office Hour Exam1Group members

W2 Session 3Excel Elasticity, Consumption

Session 4Excel Profit, Costs

Office HourGame Description

Exam2Comment on Game Description

W3 Session 5Excel Perfect Competition

Session 6 Excel Monopoly30’ Advising

Office Hour Assignment

W4 Session 7 Session 8Game Presentations

Office Hour Exam3


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ECO203 – Student Work


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ECO203 – Problems & Challenges

• Time needed: “after listening they MUST apply concepts to games”

• Faculty time intensive. Can all ECO203 instructors do the same?

• Huge effort, big accomplishment reward for students


Groups in Simulation

• Online marketing simulation• 7 students/3 groups• Graded on performance of value and

decision making ability• 60% of grade group driven• Six decision rounds completed• MBA Marketing Capstone

9Copyright © National University

Sample: Group workAdvertising and Research

Strategy: Advertising and research were spent focusing on the target market for each product. For the earlier rounds, it was only necessary to promote for the Sonite Brands; we attempted an even split between MOVE and MOST. Once MOVE took the market lead for high earners and professionals we began to allocate more budget to advertising MOST and to target shoppers and savers.

Group: Mobile Final Report, 2013

Share Price Index


Feedback• “We had to alter different strategies in each

round in order to stay ahead of the game. Therefore, I think it was important and imperative that we worked in teams because it helped make our decisions more quickly and effectively. It was nice to go over and get the advice and suggestions of my team member. We started very strong in first place at the start of the game and we ended in second towards the end.” (Student)

Challenges– One Freeloader– Technology – Complex subject matter– No textbook, just manual– Timing and holiday schedule (Nov/Dec)– Faculty time intensive, esp. prior to class

begins.


MS Sustainability ManagementOnline

• Capstone Project (SEM610A & B)– Clear Indication of ‘Team project’ in the course

outline– Complete a project Idea paper in SEM610A, and full

project implementation in SEM610B– Team selects a Team Leader

• Facilitates Team activity• Leadership and project management opportunity• Instructor promotes situational leadership• Team feedback is part of the final grade evaluation



• Capstone Project Teamwork Feedback Process– Team’s responsibility to keep the instructor in the

loop when team is not working right• Follow team • Time is short and recovery is hard; quick resolution is important• Chat session Agenda item on teamwork

– Recommend resolution from within the team• Instructor will intervene as necessary and as required

– Formal Feedback from each member of the team, a requirement for grading.

• Individual grade can be different (lower) for poor teamwork per formal feedback



• Feedback Form • Real Feedback



• Project Completed– LEED Certification for a commercial

real-life building in CA– Team worked with a company

sponsor– Team made a fine final capstone

presentation to our Faculty (Dean, Chair and others)



• Challenges- Students from across the country

with time differences- Students who have not completely

been with the cohort for all courses- Cultural and communication

differences18Copyright © National University


• Support to the Team Members• Instructor’s encouragement and talking-up why

teamwork is important• Reflects most of real world environment• Remote working is the new norm

• Instructor’s unwavering support and availability (phone calls, emails)

• Instructor’s offer to intervene and meet only with team • Do not take sides but be objective• Reflect on the positives of working together


Q&A

What advice would you have from your group online projects?


national university: can we make online group projects work?

Education

game engine

game paper

game board

game assignment

excel engine

group grade

grade group

engine engine