This hasn't happened to me since I no longer let the class decide on these weights. Do you want to do something simple or complicated? I assume you want to avoid appearing arbitrary, even if you are being arbitrary, which I think you will have to do some of. Business schools teach negotiation, which has a large literature. Since you are teaching genetics One approach, which could still be implemented, is to give your own choices of weights, then give a deadline. If there is no agreement on -----Original Message----- From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Francine Glazer Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 4:09 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: teams won't reach consensus on percentages for activities - please help! 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