Dave,
Your "problem" gives me the opportunity to stress two ideas that I
think are really important about TBL. One is a bit philosophical in
that in TBL (just like in life) students have the opportunity to make
choices about the way they approach the process. However, they DON'T
have the opprotunity to simply pick the consequences they want. The
consequences naturally follow their choices--IF we do our part. Thus,
if she isn't prepared for the RAT, she is naive if she thinks that her
opinions ought to be respected and, if they were, she'd be learning a
lesson that wouldn't help her later on. If students ARE prepared (and
IF we create the right conditions), EVERY student (irrespective of
gender or anything else) will have the OPPORTUNITY to become a credible
and respected team member. That brings me to my second point--the
tremendous value of the IFAT answer sheets. Based on your description
of the feedback process, you aren't using the IFAT's for the team tests
(nor did I until about 2 years ago--and I occasionally had a problem
similar to the one you describe). When you use the IFAT answer sheets,
the groups get INSTANT feedback on EVERY Question. As a result, a
loud-mouth is only one scratch away from having to "eat crow" and the
quieter, but well prepared, member(s) is/are one scratch away from being
validated and a couple of scratches away from being told that they need
to speak up. Since I started using IFAT's, I've never even had a hint
of anyone feeling like they aren't getting a fair hearing--and I have
never had to do any coaching as to how groups ought to manage their
discussions.
Larry
Larry K. Michaelsen
Professor of Management
Dockery 400G
Central Missouri State University
Warrensburg, MO 64093
O: 660 543-4124
F: 660 543-8465
>>> Dave Moewes <[log in to unmask]> - 9/21/04 12:07 PM >>>
Hello Everyone ...
I am teaching principles of economics using TBL. Each group has 5 -6
members. Gender was not used as a factor in
determining group membership.
Yesterday a female student came to talk with me and was upset with the
dynamics within her group -- made up of 4 other males and herself.
Class
averages, team averages, and unidentified individual scores have been
provided for the two RATS quizzes that have been given so far. This
student did not do very well in the first quiz and apparently the males
in
the group shared their scores so that they were able to figure out the
female student's score. This was unfortunate since they then
discounted
most of her comments and either ignored her attempts at participation
or
patronized her remarks. When results were passed out for the second
quiz
(again, no personally identifiable results), the males asked her
directly
what score she received. Even though such a question is highly
inappropriate, she felt she had to answer or be totally isolated within
the
group.
Obviously, the class score sheets are having exactly the opposite
effect of
what was intended -- for this particular group. Instead of providing
useful information and some incentive to improve, the information has
been
used against one of the group members.
I think that there may be a different dynamic, a more competitive
environment in male dominated groups and I am wondering if, in the
future,
gender should be taken into consideration to provide more of a balance?
I
indicated to the student that part of the peer review involved
questions
about other team members facilitating learning within the group and
that
the behavior of the males in the group was not advancing that goal.
This student does not want to be transferred to a different group.
Any
suggestions or comments on how this problem should be addressed?
Thanks.
Dave Moewes
To be enlightened is to be one with all living things.
Zen Master Dogen
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."
Albert Einstein
"To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act."
Anatole France (1844 - 1924)
Only the educated are free.
Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD), Discourses
David S. Moewes
Professor/Economics
Concordia College
Moorhead, Minnesota USA 56562
Telephone: 218 299 3488
FAX: 218 299 4277
http://www.cord.edu/faculty/moewes
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