Is it too simple to ask Jeff if there is a reason he is not participating? Elanor Simon Tweddell wrote: > Sophie, > > I was asked a similar question by a colleague using TBL in another > discipline a couple of weeks ago. I’d not had this problem before so I > had to think about it for a day or two and discussed it with a > colleague. Here’s what we came up with: > > 1. Write an impromptu, discipline-related task (as an application > exercise) that challenges the teams to solve a similar problem, but in > the workplace i.e. looking forward to a time that they are in practice. > This task might include others tasks as well but build in an appropriate > problem e.g. a colleague in the work team that isn’t pulling their > weight or a client that won’t engage or talk during a case > review/hearing or a case that demonstrates the need for all team members > to pull their weight in the workplace. A 4S case that challenges the > teams to come up with a solution might create some useful class > discussion afterwards and provide the team with some ideas. Jeff might > even come to realise that actually the workplace is all about teamwork > and reflect a little on his behaviour to date? > > 2. Consider using the ‘Jeff Case’ you describe below as an application > exercise when introducing students to TBL for the first time in the > future. Setting the teams a similar challenge about how they would > engage with and challenge a possible ‘Jeff’ in their team will create > some really useful class discussion and acts as a kind of preventative, > pre-emptive strike in case there are any possible Jeffs out there. If > someone isn’t engaging later on in the course, then the teams might be > able to draw on this discussion and handle this themselves, possibly > just with the phrase ‘come on, talk to us, don’t be a Jeff!’ Deep down, > no one really wants to think that they are being the ‘Jeff' in their group…. > > Hope this makes sense and good luck with Jeff! > > Perhaps you could share with the Listserv how and if this problem is > eventually resolved? > > Best wishes > > Simon > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Simon Tweddell BPharm MRPharmS FHEA > Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice > Curriculum Development Fellow > Centre for Educational Development > University of Bradford > Bradford > United Kingdom > BD7 1DP > Tel. +44 (0)1274 235241 > Email. [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Twitter: @simontweddell > Skype: simon.tweddell > > Accredited Consultant-Trainer in Team-based Learning > > > From: "Sparrow, Sophie" <[log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> > Reply-To: "Sparrow, Sophie" <[log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> > Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 19:56:41 +0000 > To: <[log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> > Subject: Team dynamics problem > > Greetings TBL colleagues - > > I could use some advice. > > For the first time in the 8 years I have been using TBL, I have a team > that is not working well. One of the team members (I’ll call him > Jeff-not his real name) does not talk to, make eye contact with, or > engage with the team unless they are working on a tRAT. When they are > engaged in team applications during class, he does not turn to face the > rest of his teammates, does not contribute and does not listen to them. > As with all students, he knows that team contributions count for 15% of > the final grade. > > Context: > This is a first year graduate US law course, and I am working with teams > of 6. > > On this particular team, half the students have come straight from > undergrad,and 2 of the others have worked for a while before coming to > law school. Jeff is a bit older than the others, has a PhD in science > and was educated in EU in predominately lecture-based settings. In his > team he has voiced his dislike of all the assessments in this course, > and said that he wished it were like some other law school courses, > where the only grade is on the final exam. > > Students in this class have given and received anonymous midterm peer > feedback (now 2 weeks ago). Several of the members of the team have > several times come to talk to me about how to engage this student. In > the feedback he received, Jeff was asked to participate more. That has > not happened. The students had ideas about how to try to engage him > more, and he has not been responsive. At this point, two of the students > are very frustrated as they keep trying to get Jeff to work with them, > but they are finding that they are spending a lot of time trying to get > him involved when he appears to have no interest in doing so. They don’t > want to “write him off” and not engage him during team applications, but > they – and I – are not sure how best to handle this. A couple of team > graded team applications are coming up over the next month, and we have > 2 more tRATs to do. > > I am not sure how to respond to this situation, and would love your > ideas and suggestions. > > Thanks much, > > ~ Sophie > > Sophie M. Sparrow > Professor of Law > University of New Hampshire School of Law > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > 603-513-5205 > -- Elanor Withnall, BVSc, MACVSc Associate Professor of Anesthesiology St. Matthews University P.O.Box 30902 Grand Cayman, KY1-1204 Cayman Islands British West Indies +1 345 745 3199 +1 345 745 3130 (fax)