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From: g_harrison@vger.nsu.edu (George C. Harrison, Norfolk State University)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Group projects
Message-ID: <911.281ef73a@vger.nsu.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 21:13:30 GMT
References: <1991Apr29.212148.15481@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Distribution: na
Lines: 41

In article <1991Apr29.212148.15481@rodan.acs.syr.edu>, anand@wotan.top.cis.syr.edu (Rangachari Anand) writes:
> It is end of the semester and I have been hearing a number of gripes
> from students regarding group projects. As always, one enthusiastic
> person in the group does 90% of the design and programming. Not
> surprisingly, this leads to resentment on the part of the enthusiastic 
> person: "Why should my work help these free-loaders get a good grade?".

This has become an age-old question.  I do group projects in my CS2 and
Software Engineering courses.  

> While it is true that the intent of group projects is to prepare
> students for the real world, the students are, it would seem, expected
> to pick up the techniques of group interaction on their own. Is there any
> book containing practical tips for solving this problem which I could 
> recommend to my students?

I do the following:  1)  use a text book that stresses team psychology and
interaction.  2)  spend at least two class hours lecturing on team work (this
may be one of the most important and significant set of lectures you can ever
give).  3)  make the instructor the "project manager."  4)  have the team
choose their own leader.  5)  provide communication opportunities for the
students (mail, talk, phone, etc.)  6)  require weekly writen reports on the
progress to their goal(s).  7)  grade using a biased technique:  I have the
students RANK themselves in the team according to the amount of critical effort
they contributed; have them SIGN such a report from the team; choose a team
grade and distribute that grade according to the rankings. 
 
For example... if they rank themselves, 1, 2, and 3 and the team grade is 80%
then the grades are 90%, 80%, and 70%.  This method seems to work well.  
 
I am convinced that the instructor can't just give a team project and remain
passive.  

> R. Anand                | School of Computer and Information Science
> anand@top.cis.syr.edu   | Syracuse University.

-- George C. Harrison                              -----------------------
----- Professor of Computer Science                -----------------------
----- Norfolk State University                     -----------------------
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