Hi, What I'm going to say may be seen as heretical, but it's worked great in my junior level genetics class. I love TBL, but didn't want to waste precious class time letting the groups decide percentages, so I don't give them the option. As I state in the syllabus, their RAT grades will be 50% individual, 50% team. The practice RAT I offer at the beginning of the semester, instead of being over the syllabus, asks basic genetics questions so I can assess their backgrounds and deficiencies. This doesn't count in their final grade, but teaches them how the RATs work and gives me (and them!) valuable information. Just my 2 cents, and probably worth no more. But the students love the RATs! Mary Anne Nelson *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Dr. Mary Anne Nelson Professor; MARC Program Director Department of Biology, Room 206A, MSC03 2020 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 Phone: (505)277-2629 office (505)277-1668 lab (505)277-0304 FAX E-mail: [log in to unmask] *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:08:38 -0500 Francine Glazer <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hello, > > I'm teaching undergraduate genetics (junior-level >majors) using TBL for > the second time. My class has gotten stuck at the >activity where they > decide on percentages for individual/team/team >maintenance activities. > Three of the 5 teams seem willing to compromise >extensively, a fourth > team is willing to compromise within reason (i.e. they >don't want to > move too far from their starting position, but are >willing to move > some), and the fifth team... ahh, the fifth team! > > The fifth team started with a position dramatically >different from the > other teams (only 15% individual vs. 40, 40, 45, and 55 >for the other > teams) and is absolutely refusing to give. Their >delegate was taking a > 'steamroller' approach and locked heads with team 4's >delegate so that I > sent all the delegates back to their teams and requested >that they > choose someone else. > > Now team 5 has a new delegate who at least is letting >the other > delegates have their say, but team 5 is stonewalling the >process by > refusing to compromise - even though it is clear that >the rest of the > class is all in accord. > > When we ran out of time, I said we will continue >negotiations at our > next class, but that I'd like the issue to be settled >within about 20 > minutes, so we can move on to the first iRAT. I >suggested that the > teams each confer within their private discussion boards >on WebCT and > decide where/how much they are willing to give 'for the >good of the > class.' (Yes, I also spoke individually with each team >to that effect.) > > I see on the discussion board that teams 1-4 are indeed >deciding on > where they can yield. Team 5, on the other hand, >remains as intractable > as ever. > > Help! All advice welcomed; I'm not sure what to do if >they don't reach > consensus. > > thanks, >Fran > > > -- >Francine S. Glazer, Ph.D. > Professor, Biological Sciences > Kean University > Union NJ 07083 > > Ph: 908-737-3661 >Fx: 908-737-3666 > http://www.kean.edu/~fglazer