Slide 1 Building Students’ Teamwork Skills for Successful Integrated Projects Paula M. (Penni) Hudis, Ph.D., Director Pathway and Curriculum Development

Slide 2 Goals for Today’s Session Identify benefits and challenges to effective group work Examine research on effective student teams Translate research into practical strategies and applications Share our experiences—and challenges— implementing team projects, especially in an integrated curriculum Experience a team-building exercise

Slide 3 BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Single SubjectParallel (Paired)InterrelatedConceptual Continuum of Integration

Slide 4 Single Subject Integration BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Single SubjectParallel (Paired)InterrelatedConceptual Individual teachers make connections within their own classroom

Slide 5 BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Single SubjectParallel (Paired)InterrelatedConceptual Two teachers share some topics, without team planning Parallel or Paired Integration

Slide 6 BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Single SubjectParallel (Paired)InterrelatedConceptual Several teachers plan to coordinate topics and instruction Interrelated Integration

Slide 7 BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Single SubjectParallel (Paired)InterrelatedConceptual Teacher team uses a concept or problem to frame instruction and create curricular coherence Conceptual Integration CTE MathEnglishSci Soc Stud For Lang Arts

Slide 8 Develop critical thinking skills Develop effective team-work skills Make the learning experience engaging for all students Deliver challenging, integrated academic and technical content Provide authentic context for delivering instruction Key Goals of Problem and Project-Based Learning

Slide 9 Why Integrated Team Projects? Integrated team projects are an effective way to meet all of these learning goals.

Slide 10 Challenges To Effective Group Work in Integrated Projects Group Discussion: What kinds of integrated team projects have your students completed? What challenges have you faced?

Slide 11 Strategies That Promote Effective Team Projects Pair-share: What team-building exercises and other strategies have you used to develop teamwork and create groups that work together productively?

Slide 12 Building Effective Student Teams Let’s give it a try!

Slide 13 What Does Effective Group Work Look Like in the Classroom? Students analyze their own group process Students identify group process problems and correct Group process is part of the grading system Peer evaluation is part of the process Students experience multiple roles Students use planning guidance and tools to be productive

Slide 14 Student Roles in Creating an Effective Group Learning Process Students participate in a team-building exercise that is fun and challenging Students analyze their experience with the exercise Students design a group performance rubric that gives them a stake in creating an effective learning process Students create and sign a performance contract that helps build trust in each other

Slide 15 Elements of a Performance Contract What elements would you like to see students include in their performance contract ?

Slide 16 The Teacher Role in Creating an Effective Teamwork Process Provide instruction on group process Structure the teams to foster cohesiveness and effective functioning Include assignments that foster collaboration and higher-level learning Give prompt feedback that focuses on individual and group performance Give multiple assignments and assessments to build skills and reduce anxiety Blends direct instruction and group work

Slide 17 Structuring Teams and Group Activities to Facilitate Cohesiveness and Productivity Individual and group accountability Activities require physical proximity Competition between teams plays a key role Internally heterogeneous groups Students DO NOT select their own teams Teams are appropriately sized— larger for more complex projects

Slide 18 Group Assignments That Promote Higher Level Learning Assignments involve teaching others (also builds trust) Students share and critique each other’s work Students resolve differences between answers Success involves competing with other groups

Slide 19 Assignments That Build Group Cohesiveness Include elements of group accountability Require physical proximity Involve discussion based on analysis of a complex problem Incorporate an element of competition with other groups Reward group success

Slide 20 Implementing the Research: Methods, Challenges, and Solutions Sharing Your Experiences: Group accountability Peer evaluation Evaluation of group process Share and critique other team members’ work Team performance contracts

Slide 21 Building Students’ Teamwork Skills for Successful Integrated Projects Thank you for being here today!