Dr. Ken Barger
Anthropology, IUPUI
December 29 2004

A104 Cultural Anthropology

LEARNING TEAMS

Humans are social animals, and most of what we learn in life involves social processes. For example, we learn our views of life and the universe, language, values, social roles, and likes and dislikes as we interact with others from infancy until the day we die. These social learning skills are important as we go through life. (See the IUPUI Principles for Undergraduate Learning.)

This course will draw upon these group processes to develop our learning skills with team projects. Each team will be composed of about six members selected randomly (though this will change somewhat with drops and adds over the course), with each person investigating the learning issues for a different case country. (Team members can decide which members cover which countries. If anyone has a strong reason for focusing on another case country, they can discuss this option with me and their team members.)

The teams will compare the case countries in investigating three issues over the course: migration, human rights, globalization, and International relations. The emphasis is on applying the course concepts and principles of adaptation systems, cultural systems, and ethnocentrism to develop our abilities to resolve issues in general (in our personal lives, in our society, and in world affairs). This involves the learning skills of analysis of a contemporary social issue using course concepts and principles, synthesis of new insights into the issue, and evaluation of practical and workable solutions to the issue. (See the course web page on Learning.)

These learning exercises expect you to gather basic ideas and information (knowledge) on your own outside class. Initial materials are available in the ONCOURSE web pages on the learning issues. But you are expected to search for other relevant sources in the Library and on the Web to develop a valid and balanced pool of information in addressing the issues.

The Team Learning Process

The primary challenge in the team learning exercises is to develop our abilities to understand and resolve issues which we face both individually and as a society.

This involves critical thinking and problem solving skills. In addressing social issues, we need to follow a grounded process for developing valid and balanced understandings:

1. Define the Issue:

• What is the primary problem being investigated?
• What is the overall context of the issue?
• Why makes this a problem that needs resolution?

2. Acquire Valid information:

• Identify relevant sources to ensure grounded understanding of the issue.
• Identify the biases inherent in these sources.
• Ensure a balanced range of information that represent the various views and interpretations about the issue.
• Read and record comprehensive information:
  • On the issue in general.
  • On the issue in the case Country you are investigating.

3. Analyze the Systems Context:

• Compare the similarities and contrast the differences across the Country cases.
• Identify the relationships and the major influences (causes) of the problem.
• Assess the actual outcomes (impacts) on the groups concerned.
  • Specific impacts on people's lives.
  • Overall balance for the adaptive continuation of the group.

4. Synthesize Explanations:

• Explain how the major causes create the problems that are evident around the world.
• Explain how the major impacts result in the problems evident around the world, including the impacts on the adaptation of the groups concerned.

5. Synthesize and Evaluate Adaptive Solutions:

• Identify alternative solutions for changing the causes of the problems that can help produce a more adaptive outcomes across the Country cases concerned.
• Evaluate which solutions can have the most adaptive outcomes.
• Develop a concrete, practical, achievable action plan that will actually accomplish the main goal of the solution.
• Evaluate how this plan will actually achieve a more balanced outcome for societies around the world.

The solution is the ultimate measure of the quality of the team process.

Be sure to follow this process in investigating and resolving the issue in this learning exercise.

Team Learning Issues

Group learning is one emphasis in the course. Humans are social animals, and we learn most of our behaviors in a group setting. So part of the course work will be devoted to team learning. These exercises are designed to develop our abilities to understand and resolve current issues, particularly the process involved in critical thinking and problem solving skills.

The class will be divided into teams of about 5-6 people each, and over the semester each team will investigate four issues:

• Global Migration
• Human and Cultural Rights
• Economic Globalization
• International Relations

Instructions and initial research materials on these issues are available in separate web pages by clicking on the each of the above issues. Additional resources are available in the Tools section of ONCOURSE.

In investigating these issues, each team member will gather information on a different case Country from those indicated below, and the whole team will compare similarities and differences across these country cases to derive those internal and external forces that are influencing the issue:

• Brazil
• China
• Egypt
• India
• Kenya
• México
• Nigeria
• Philippines

If anyone is interested in investigating another country other than those indicated above, please check with me for approval so we can dicuss the standards and contents involved.

Teams are expected to use valid and reliable research materials on the Issue and case Countries, such as those indicated in the Tools section of ONCOURSE. Note that searching the WEB is the most inefficient means of research, since there are many biases in this open arena and filtering through thousands of sites to find the few that are relevant. The best sources include:

• Academic journal articles, which are peer reviewed and therefore reliable. Journal articles are also short and basic information is easy to identify and extract. The Reference Desk at the University Library has several online search engines that are very useful in identifying such sources, such as those indicated in the Tools section of ONCOURSE.
• In-depth articles from respected newspapers. (Only those listed in the Tools section of ONCOURSE will be accepted.)
• Teams are expected to utilize a range of materials on each country in their reports, and the quality and range of sources used will affect grades.

Some in-class time will also be devoted to team sharing and discussions, but the learning exercises expect you to gather basic ideas and information on your own outside class, including:

• Reviewing Class Notes and Course Web Pages.
• Identify relevant sources materials.
• Analyzing information on the issue from case Countries, synthesizing explanations about causes and impacts, synthesizing and evaluating effective solutions, and writing the final team reports.

The four team Learning Issue Reports should be submitted in the designated ONCOURSE Forum by the times specified in the Schedule and in-class instructions.

In order to share our learning and broaden our understanding of the learning issues, each student should read all other team reports, and Reply to at least two of these reports no later than the final deadline following the instructions in the report guidelines.

In the classes following the submission of the team reports, there will be an in-class learning exercise where we can learn from each other to reinforce learning. These classes are required in order to further our learning.

If you have questions about the reports, would like to discuss your ideas for the different sections of the report, or would like me to review a draft of the final report, please let me know. I will be happy to talk over your ideas, if you want to catch me after class, set up an appointment, or e-mail me.

Working Together as a Learning Team

Two common student complaints about team learning projects are that, on the one hand, some members do not do their fair share of the work, and, on the other hand, some members try to dominate the process. It is important in group learning for everyone to do their part, and for everyone to be allowed to do their part.

In reality, of course, this is not necessarily easy to do. Students come from many different backgrounds, and have different learning styles and skill levels. This is not to say that all behaviors and styles are appropriate or should not be counted. But, for example, there is a difference between people who are not interested in the issue or who count on others to do their work for them, and people who may lack experience, confidence, or basic learning skills. When someone does not do something, it is hard for others to know the underlying reasons, but in group learning the outcome affects all. If such a problem arises, the team needs to discuss this with the individual, find out what that person sees as his/her responsibilities and what level of skills that person has, and try to help that person develop in doing his/her part. That person also needs to be aware that how the other team members perceive their effort and contributions will affect his/her grade for that assignment.

Team Roles

In order to effectively distribute the division of labor, team members discuss and determine who is the best team member to perform certain tasks. Everyone should be involved in reviewing the basic issue, the collection of basic country information, synthesizing patters and relationships across countries, and editing drafts of the team report. In addition, teams should negotiate which role each member will assume in the group process of conducting the projects:

• Summarizer: Organize and summarize information at different stages of the project, and make this available to team members along the way. The Summarizer is also responsible for giving me a weekly team update every Sunday to let me know where the team is in the Learning Activities (indicated below), what each team member is (or is not) doing, and any problems that may arise. These weekly reports keep me posted on when I need to provide special guidance, and also provide important information on contributions to the team effort when I consider individual grades for the project.
• Synthesizer: Focus on analyzing and evaluating the issue, to make sure the final product is balanced, comprehensive, and grounded. The Synthesizer helps lead the team through the assessment of the forces involved, the impacts these forces have on adaptation, and evaluating the possible outcomes of various solutions.
• Time Keeper: Maintain a schedule for working on the team project, and coordinate with everyone to make sure each person is on task and does their part by the deadlines set along the way. One common problem of team projects is that people do not keep on task, and so the Time Keeper's job is critical to ensure that the final report is comprehensive in synthesizing everyone's information and thoughts.
• Devil's Advocate: Look positively for the information gaps, unsupported interpretations, logical flaws, etc. in the information summaries and draft reports, in order to make sure the final product is as effective as possible. In other words, the Devil's Advocate should ask the critical questions that I will ask when I look at the final report.
• Issue Researcher(s): Collect additional information on the issue to fill in the gaps to make sure the final product is balanced and comprehensive in addressing the issue. The Researcher is not responsible for investigating others' case countries (though s/he is responsible for doing his/her own case country)... but rather for collecting and analyzing information on the issue.
• Writer: Prepare outlines and drafts for the team to review, and the final version of the team report. The Writer should examine the Report Guidelines for the issue being examined, and submit outlines and drafts to the team members for review and editing before the final report is posted. All team members are expected to contribute to the development and editing of the final report.

A team may chose to rotate these responsibilities with each of the issue projects, but the team should consider how to best produce the final product given the different abilities among its members. If a member of the team does not fulfill his/her responsibilities, the others are not expected to do their work for them, but must procede to do the most effective job possible. Be sure to keep me informed of any problems, so I can take these into account when considering the team processes and products.

Effective Team Working Relations

Working well together does not mean fully agreeing with each other. It means interacting in ways that are productive given differences. This is a process, not an outcome, as we often have to agree to disagree and work together for the common good. Different views are healthy as we seek solutions that have to work across diverse backgrounds. Some "rules of engagement" that help guide group work include:

• Do your work on time. Slackers impede the whole team process, and hurt the other team members. When someone does not do their part, the team should proceed without that person (who will be penalized in the individual grade for the project).
• Respect for others' different views, experiences, and level of learning skills, and agree that working together is more important than having having only one "right" perspective.
• Focus on the ideas, not the person.
• Listening to others's views, trying to understand their perspective and reasoning process (rather than seeing these in terms of our own meanings).
• Look for common overlaps, then examining how these can be expanded to include more of the various perspectives.
• Help each other develop their abilities to understand and learn.

Everyone is expected to work together positively, responsibly, and constructively (as indicated in the IUPUI Principles for Undergraduate Learning). In this way, everybody will maximize their own learning and social skills, and the collective products will be much more effective.

As happens occasionally, problems may arise that affect a team's ability to function together effectively and constructively. One of the most common problems is someone not doing their part in the team effort. When a problem arises, be sure to let me know, and I will try to mediate the situation. This can be a positive opportunity to develop our problem-solving and interpersonal skills, and we will try to work together to identify the conflict, identify effective solutions, and monitor the implementation of those solutions. If necessary, I may reassign team members or take other necessary actions. I also take such things into account when assigning individual grades.

Note that I will be regularly monitoring team activities, and will offer advice and suggestions as appropriate.

Team Communications

Two ONCOURSE features have been set up for team use:

1. Team Mail: A Group Mail designation has created for each Learning Team for general arrangements, questions, reminders about tasks, discussions about the project, etc.
   • To send a message to fellow team members, go to the InTouch section then to Course Mail and click on Oncourse Mail, then click on New Message, and in the TO box click on the name of your team. Be sure to put your Name and the Team Name in the Subject Box of all messages. Then fill in the text box with your message.
   • You can create a folder to store messages that relate to your team activities. In Course Mail, click on Create/Edit Folder, then create a folder with your team name.
2. Team Forums: A Discussion Forum has been created for each Learning Team for posting materials that will be used in the report, editing comments, etc. (The Forum will soon clog up if you use this for general communications such as asking questions, etc.)
   • To see what new postings are there, go to the InTouch section then to Discussion Forums and click on the forum with your team name. click on Expand All. Then click on the particular postings or replies.
   • To post project materials in the right frame, put your Name in the Subject Box, then fill in the Text box with your materials. (I recommend preparing the materials in word processing, highlighting and copying, then pasting into the Text box, by right clicking on your mouse in the box. This will ensure you always have your own record of the materials.)

Team members may also want to communicate by telephone, in person, by getting together before or after class or at other times.

Note that I will be regularly monitoring team communications and expect weekly Team Updates from the Summarizer to keep me informed of the team's progress. Keep in mind that the main evidence I have about who is actively contributing to the team process is from team communications and the weekly updates, and that I take these into account when assigning individual grades for the team reports.

Grades

Individual Grades (up to 10 points for each learning exercise) will be assigned to each team member, based on:

• The overall quality of the team report. This is the starting point for assessing individual grades. (For example, if the final team report is rated a "8" (out of 10), the people who contributed most to the project will receive this score, and others less according to how much they contributed.)

  The team reports on the learning issues will be scored on the basis of the rating criteria specified in the instructions for each of the issue reports. Note that this emphasizes an effective learning process, and feedback comments will be provided for each team project based on these criteria.

• The evidence for determining individual contributions to the team project includes:
  • The overall quality of the individual Country Report, following the outline for the final team report, posted in the team Forum on time.
  • Peer evaluations of each team member. (This is very important in my assessment).
  • Other evidence of positive and effective contributions to the team effort (team mail, team postings, weekly reports, etc.).

Peer Evaluations of Team Members

In college, people are expected to be responsible for their own learning as adults. This means that there is accountability, in this case for group learning. With each team report, students are asked to submit a confidential evaluation to me of themselves and of the other members of their team, using the following rating procedure:

Rating Scale (0-5 points) of the team member's contribution to a comprehensive and effective final report:

1. Very Poor, did not actively participate nor make useful contributions to the project.
2. Poor, participation and contributions to the project were marginal.
3. Fair, participated some and made some contributions to the project.
4. Good, actively participated and made useful contributions to the project.
5. Excellent, was a crucial member of the team, and made positive contributings to the team process and to the quality of the project

Students are also required to make comments explaining their rating of the other team members' contributions to the project:

• Active Participation in contributing to the team effort at each stage of the project in gathering information, in analyzing and synthesizing principles regarding the issues, and in organizing the report
• Quality of Participation in contributing to the team effort, in providing useful information, in analysis of patterns across countries, in synthesis of principles and solutions, and in evaluation of impacts on adaptation
• Positive Participation in contributing to the team effort and in helping team members develop their understandings and learning skills

The emphasis is on positive and constructive learning relationships. Note that two situations will be critically examined:

• One is where team members express poor mutual ratings toward each other, since this reflects failure in cooperative learning.
• The other is where team members express superior mutual ratings toward each other, since this reflects failure in critical thinking.