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Management Implementing Cooperation

The purpose of the study is to describe the effectiveness of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills when working in group work. This study analyzes a Senior Foods class from Naperville Central High School during the 2008 fall semester. During the semester students will work in small groups, two to three times a week, for foods labs. Students need to utilize one another to complete all tasks and learn the intended material. By giving students more time to reflect, more time to master a task, and teaching group work the desired outcome is that students will work better in small groups.

Introduction

Background of Problem

I have been teaching at Naperville Central High School for one year. Naperville Central High School is located in Naperville, Illinois and has approximately 3,000 students. I taught three Foods I classes, one Foods II class, and six Senior Foods classes during the 2007-2008 school year. Often the abilities of students taking food's classes vary. Some students want to pursue culinary and others simply want to eat food. Overall the students are motivated to succeed when preparing food. During these classes students work in small groups of four to complete cooking tasks. Students work with these small groups two to three times a week, 50 minutes each session, to prepare food. It is important for students to work well in their groups so they can prepare and eat the food in the 50 minute period. If students do not work well together they have a very difficult time completing their goal. Working in small groups is essential for high school students to build relationships, learn to work cooperatively, utilize problem solving skills, and learn how to distribute tasks. When students work in small groups they need to be able to communicate and cooperate with one another in order to reach the goal. Small group work helps students build vital life skills that they will use in my class and throughout life.

In the past, the goal of Family and Consumer Sciences, which was called Home Economics, was to teach students how to be homemakers. Now Family and Consumer Sciences focuses on teaching students life skills that can be applied to careers and everyday life situations. My goal is to teach my students information to pursue culinary careers and also teach life skills. Since most students in my classes are not interested in a culinary career my class is a great opportunity to teach students how to succeed when working in groups.

Rationale

Students work in small groups two to three times a week to prepare food. The students cannot prepare the food unless they are working in a small group due to time and supplies. I want students to utilize one another during their group work. In the beginning of the semester I discuss the importance of group work with the class. I have students work in small groups and record all tasks they can think of that need to be completed during each foods lab. After they discuss and record the tasks I hang four posters in the room with four task headings: head chef, sous chef, assistant chef, and dining room manager. Then students decide where each task fits best and they record it on the poster. As a class we discuss if we agree where each task fits. Once we all agree on where the tasks fit I will type and supply a handout with the task headings and tasks for each student. This is the only time I teach group work. During the semester I briefly emphasis the importance of task management and I have students fill out a group evaluation each lab but I do not stress group work again.

During group work students need to complete many tasks to allow them time to eat the food they make. Students need to get and measure the ingredients, get the equipment, read the recipe, preheat the oven, fill the sink with soap, wash, dry and put the dishes away, set the table, sanitize the work area and table before and after cooking, get the drying cloth and washing cloth, dry the sink and distribute cooking methods. Students are supposed to rotate tasks each lab, however, what usually happens is students do not rotate or delegate tasks within their group. Students will learn to do one task and do that task throughout the entire semester. For example, if a student starts out getting the ingredients they will continue to do that task for the entire semester and never switch tasks. This results in students missing the experience of all the other tasks. When students are forced to do tasks they normally do not do they become very stressed and frustrated because they are responsible for tasks they do not feel comfortable doing. Also, students do not use each other as a resource. Instead students come to me for simple questions that their group members can answer. Students are not communicating with their group members and it is causing frustration within the group because they are not accomplishing their goal and they are making simple avoidable mistakes.

Intervention Plan

When teaching Senior Foods last year I have observed that students do not know how to work well in small groups. I believe students do not work well in small groups because they are not taught how to work in small groups, they switch tasks too often, they do not conquer a task before they switch to a new task, and they do not communicate with one another. Due to this students become reliant on the teacher and less reliant on one another and become frustrated when confronted with new tasks and problems. In order to address these issues I plan on having students change tasks less often. Students will change tasks about every three weeks. I will provide time for students to reflect and discuss group work. When students rotate tasks I will give each group time to discuss group work. I will teach group work more often and encourage student input. I will implement this over the entire fall 2008 semester. The purpose of the study is to describe the effectiveness of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills when working in group. The question I will be investigating is: What are the benefits of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills to improve group work among high school foods students during the 2008 fall semester?

Focus statement

The purpose of the study is to describe the effectiveness of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills when working in group work.

Research questions

My research questions is: what are the benefits of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills to improve group work among high school foods students during the 2008 fall semester?

Questions that I will be examining are: How often should each group rotate tasks?

When should groups discuss and reflect group work and how often? How should I teach group work and how often? How should students be assessed on group work skills?

Key Terms

Head Chef

Oversees the quality of the product and manages his staff

Sous Chef

Assists the chef in the preparation of food and clean-up

Assistant Chef

Helps in all aspects of the kitchen and dining room

Dining Room Manager

Oversees table setting, retrieval of ingredients, and clean-up

Tasks

Students need to get and measure the ingredients, get the equipment, read the recipe, preheat the oven, fill the sink with soap, wash, dry and put the dishes away, set the table, sanitize the work area and table before and after cooking, get the drying cloth and washing cloth, dry the sink and distribute cooking methods

Instructional Coordinator

An administrative position in a high school that oversees a group of teachers, often referred as a department chair

Career and Technical Education

A department that combine Business, Technology, and Family and Consumer Sciences

Foods Lab

A lesson where students prepare food to reinforce curriculum

Literature Review

Veach and Gladdings (2007) research shows that working in groups helps students grow within themselves and become more confident. It is beneficial for students to work in groups to have the skills necessary to succeed in life. Group work allows students to engage in positive learning and help one another to learn no matter what level a student is at (Gillies, 2006). Group work is essential for the social and academic development of students.

Guidance and Group Work

Students do not have proper skills and will not naturally acquire skills to work well in groups (Prichard, Bizo & Stratford, 2006). Due to the lack of skills students have, it is crucial students are taught how to work with one another. Students were found to need more guidance when starting group work (Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith & Sumter, 2006). According to Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith and Sumter other suggestions from students were to have the teacher teach more before putting students in groups and to help motivate all group members. Gillies (2006) research shows that when teachers are working with students in small groups they have a tendency to express more caring language. Caring language can help guide groups in a non-threatening way and encourage students to work with one another to reach the group goal (Payne et al.).

Student Goals in Group Work

During foods labs students are concerned about preparing the food for two reasons; so they can eat the food and so they get a good grade. When they prepare their food I want them to master the tasks. The main goal of preparing the food is for students to learn the tasks of working in the lab. Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith and Sumter (2006) explain student goals go through stages. The first stage students have is they set a goal to get a good grade. Second, student's change their goal to simply finishing the project (Payne et al.). Students go through the foods lab to simply get the grade, not learn the material (Payne et al.). I want students to focus on learning tasks not just getting a good grade. When students focus on group and member goals the focus is put back on the task not the grade and the group is more likely to succeed (Payne et al.). According to Prichard, Bizo and Stratford (2006) students can only achieve personal goals when the group is being effective; therefore, students are encouraged to help each other with their tasks.

Reflecting Group Work

When working in groups it is vital for students to reflect on the group work to guide them where to go with the project. Group members should reflect group goals during the process of working on the project (Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith & Sumter, 2006). This helps keep the focus on learning the task instead of reaching a certain grade (Payne et al.). Students can encourage one another but it is the teacher that needs to regulate and keep the group on task (Payne et al.). In the beginning of group work it is important for the teacher to guide students on what needs to be accomplished and how to contribute to the group. Throughout the group project students should be analyzing their group role and helping other group members define their role in the group (Payne et al.). When students work together to define their roles it stresses the importance of teamwork (Payne et al.). It is important that students have time to reflect about group work with one another because students are more conscious than teachers when a group member doesn't understand a topic (Gillies, 2006).

Assessing Group Work

It is crucial that students get feedback when working in groups. According to Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith and Sumter (2006) when students work in groups they get feedback from their peers. The feedback is formal and informal (Payne et al.). Teachers need to consider product and process when assessing group work (Reading & Lawrie, 2006). When assessing students many work samples need to be considered in order to grade students fairly (Reading & Lawrie). Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith and Sumter research indicates that students prefer when each group member is held accountable. Every instructor has their preference of whether groups should be graded individually or graded as a group, despite which is used it is vital students know how they will be graded (Payne et al.).

Group work is important but can often be ineffective. Student must know how to work well in a group, understand the importance of learning over reaching a grade, and be able to reflect as a group member. In order for group work to be effective students must have guidance and time to reflect. Group work is not always effective; it requires a lot of guidance and reflection from both the teacher and students.

Data Collection

Methodology

The purpose of this study is to describe the effectiveness of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills when working in group work. Questions that I will need to answer to help guide my data collection are: How often should each group rotate tasks? When should groups discuss and reflect group work and how often? How should I teach group work and how often? How should students be assessed on group work skills? (See Appendix H) In order to answer my questions I will gather data using qualitative research methods. The qualitative research methods that I will utilize are student surveys, student journals/checklist, colleague interview, observations, videotapes, and field notes. The method of qualitative research I will be using is Ethnography. Ethnography is best for this study because I will focus on a group of foods students that are in there natural setting (Glanz, 2003). Data that will be crucial to my research is observations and interviews which is imperative when taking part in ethnographic research (Glanz, 2003). By using the listed research methods I will be able to answer my questions about group work.

Student survey

I will be using qualitative student surveys three times during the 2008 fall semester. First, I will use a student survey (See Appendix A) to examine how students learn best and their knowledge of how to work in small groups. Student input on teaching methods can help me develop a more effective curriculum and may result in more successful group work. It is imperative that I collect data to measure a student's knowledge about group work. Analyzing what students already know about working in groups will guide me in the group work curriculum.

Second, I will use a qualitative student survey (See Appendix B) to review students thoughts on reflecting and discussing group work, knowledge of group work, and rotating tasks. This survey will be given to students in the middle of the semester to ensure students have already worked in groups and rotated tasks several times. I want students input so I have an idea of what is going well, what needs to be improved and how often students should rotate tasks. I can use this survey to see how long it takes students to conquer a task. I can also use this to get students input on how often to change and what I can do to make the transition smooth.

The final qualitative student survey (See Appendix D) will reveal the students thoughts on task rotation and group reflection. This survey is essential to explore student's thoughts on the entire semester. With this information I can improve group work strategies for future classes.

Student journal/checklist-

Students will keep a continuing journal throughout the semester to record what went smooth during the lab and what needed improvement. Journaling, a qualitative research method, will help students reflect on positive and negative aspects of their group work and assist them in making change in future group work. In the middle of the semester students will use a qualitative checklist (appendix C) to keep track of what tasks they did during each lab. Using a checklist can allow students to keep track of tasks they are doing. This can hold students accountable for rotating tasks. They can see if they are doing the same tasks every week or if they are doing a variety of tasks.

Colleague Interview/questionnaire

I interviewed three teachers before the 2008 fall semester (See Appendix E, F & G). I interviewed Beth Hurst, a Naperville Central High School Foods teacher. When interviewing Beth Hurst I wanted to focus on how often she rotates tasks and analyze if her students are less frustrated and more willing to help one another. By reviewing how Mrs. Hurst's interview I can modify task rotations to be more effective for students.

I also interviewed Christine Bell, a Career and Technical Education Instruction Coordinator at Naperville Central High School, and Susan Johnson, a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Deerfield High School. I wanted to get their input on trends they have in their class and compare trends. By reviewing each teacher's thoughts I will use their experiences to assist my students. I can look at how each teacher assesses students. I can analyze how often group work is taught and review if that has a direct correlation with how well the groups work together.

Observation

During foods labs, throughout the entire semester, I will observe to see if the same students are doing the same tasks and how long they do each task. I will observe if students get frustrated when they switch tasks and I will look to see if group members are helping one another. By observing student I can see when students get frustrated and try to avoid allowing student to get to that point by teach group work or managing task more effectively.

Videotape observation

Videotaped observation will occur when I teach group work in the middle and end of the 2008 fall semester. I will use this to see how engaged students are when I teach group work. I will analyze the student's reactions to and reflect on if I need to change teaching methods. I will watch myself to see if I am engaging and reflecting the group work in a positive and exciting manner. I will use videotaped observations every time I teach group work throughout the study so I can see if students are getting bored and do not need me to continue teaching group work.

Field Notes

When students are reflecting and planning as a group I will be taking field notes. This qualitative research will take place in the middle of the semester. I will analyze my field notes to assess if students are utilizing their time. I will listen to what the groups are focusing on and make sure students are helping not criticizing one other. I can then interrupt if I have taught students teamwork or if I need to re-teach it.

Timeline for Collecting Data

Data Analysis

Qualitative Data

My data included student surveys, interviews, observations, field notes, and videotape observations. Once I collect my data I will identify themes or patterns that I find throughout my research (Mills, 2007). All of my data is valuable to my research and will help me when I am coding the data (Mills, 2007). I begin coding in the beginning of the fall 2008 semester around September by reviewing student surveys. The data from student surveys will allow me to see how students feel about group work and identify what areas need improvement. By reviewing all data I can search for a pattern of ideas or themes to help me interpret my data (Mills, 2007).

I will be analyzing and coding surveys throughout the semester. The data from student surveys will serve as a pre-survey and post-survey. Both surveys will show if students improved on group work and what strengths and weaknesses they had with group work. I will compare if students idea of group work changed throughout the class. I predict student's views on group work will be more positive and knowledgeable. I will gather this information by categorizing surveys into two groups. The first group will be students who felt group work was successful. The second group will be students who felt group work was not positive.

During the semester I will be observing students and myself teaching group work. I will take descriptive notes on student's interactions, views on group work, teaching methods, and group work reflection time. After taking detailed notes and videos I will code my observations. In order to do so I will read and reread notes to find common themes (Glanz, 2003).

When analyzing the interviews I will carefully read each interview to identify themes within all interviews (Mills 2007). I will use the interviews to help answer my sub questions which in turn will help answer my research question (Mills 2007). Specifically with my interview questions I will analyze how each teacher teaches and assess' group work. By grouping methods in which teachers use, I can organize what works and does not work for the teachers I interview.

Call for Action and Predictions

Importance of Successful Group Work

Finding ways for students to be more successful in groups is vital for student learning and student's success in life. It is important for students to be able to work well in groups. When working in groups communication and group participation is key for successful group work. I believe that through this research I will find ways to improve both communication within groups and participation from all group members. This research is important because students need to know how to work in groups not only in school but also in life.

I feel students are working in groups but not working together. Students aren't utilizing one another as a resource. Instead of using one another to master a task they are simply dividing tasks and individually finishing each task. If teachers understand how to guide students to work in groups students will work with each other. It is necessary that students understand how to work in groups because in every career and in many aspects of life people need to work in groups.

Affected Population

This research will provide students in foods classes valuable techniques on how to work in groups. Students from the foods classes will understand how to contribute to current and future groups. They will also be more knowledgeable about how to use group members as a resource. I predict that students will begin the class not knowing or understanding much about group work. After being taught about group work it is my prediction that students will start to contribute more in groups and utilize group members. I foresee that if students are given time to reflect after and before group work it will help to eliminate frustration and push communication. Students need to be able to utilize one another not only in foods classes but in all areas of academics. I feel students from the foods classes will take the knowledge they learn and apply it to other classes.

All teachers that utilize group work can benefit from this research. High school teachers who are working with students that are not knowledgeable in group work are most likely to benefit from this research. The more information students have on group work the better students will be when working in groups. I predict if students are taught how to work in groups and how to utilize one another students will be better group members. Teaching, managing, and assessing group work and giving student's group reflection time can be implemented into any academic area.

This study will directly affect Beth Hurst, Naperville Central High Schools Foods teacher. Mrs. Hurst and I work closely with managing the foods lab and often have one another's students. I predict that Mrs. Hurst will use any successful group work techniques that occur in my class and apply it to her classroom. The research will directly affect foods classes; however, students will take what they learn and apply it to all classes. This simple idea can be used in all academic areas to help groups succeed.

Predicted Outcome

I have not collected data yet but I have predictions of what I will find when assessing group work. In previous foods classes I have found that students master a specific task in the foods lab and then continue to do that task for the entire semester. Students become great at one task but are unprepared for all other tasks. I feel that if students use a checklist they will be more likely to notice they are only conquering one task and not mastering all tasks. I also predict that if students rotate tasks less often it will give them time to master all tasks and become comfortable with several tasks.

Another method that will push students to master all tasks is to have students reflect as a group. I believe this reflection time will give students an opportunity to teach one another tasks each member has mastered. Groups can also discuss their strengths, weaknesses, what they need to work on and what they have mastered. Overall, I feel this research will help teachers guide group work to create students that work more effectively together.

References

Gillies, R. M. (2006). Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(2), 271.

Payne, B. K., Monk-Turner, E., Smith, D., & Sumter, M. (2006). Improving group work: Voices of students. Education, 126(3), 441.

Prichard, J. S., Bizo, L. A., & Stratford, R. J. (2006). The educational impact of team-skills training: Preparing students to work in groups. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(1), 119-140. .

Reading, C., & Lawrie, C. (2004). Using solo to analyse group responses International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education.

Veach, L. J., & Gladding, S. T. (2007). Using creative group techniques in high schools. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(1), 71-81.

Appendices

Appendix A- Beginning of Semester Student Survey

How do you learn best?

Explain why that technique works for you.

How can I help you work successfully in a group?

How can I make sure all group members are contributing?

How should you contribute when working in a group?

What have been your frustrations when working in groups?

How should each group member contribute to the group goal?

In the past how have you communicated with group members?

Define a successful group.

Appendix B-Middle of Semester Student Survey

What does your group discuss during group reflection time?

Do you think it is beneficial to have group reflection time?

When is it most helpful to have group reflection time?

How often should you reflect with your group?

Has your group worked well together?

What are your groups' strengths?

What are your groups' weaknesses?

How long does it take for you to master a task?

How often should you rotate tasks with a group member?

Has your group members helped you learn new tasks?

Appendix C- Student Checklist

Student checklist- Use during a foods lab

What foods room job are you? (Head Chef, Sous Chef, Dining Room Manager, or Assistant Manager)

Mark each task you did during each lab

Appendix D- End of Semester Student Survey

Did you master all tasks in the foods labs?

Are you uncomfortable with any tasks in the foods labs?

Did your group members help teach you new tasks?

Did you help teach your group members new tasks?

What did you do during group reflection time?

Was it helpful to have time to reflect with your group?

How often should group members change foods room jobs?

Appendix E-Beth Hurst Interview

1.How long do you think it takes for a student to grasp one foods lab tasks (dining room manager, sous chef, head chef, assistant manager)?

I think it takes students at least three attempts to fully understand the role that they are assigned. Truthfully, there are still people who do not get it even by the end of the semester.

2.How long should students do one task before switching to another task?

I think they should switch after each task because it will not only allow them to see how all of the jobs ultimately work together, but it teaches them the importance of each specific job. Each job feeds into another. The quicker they can see how they all work, the better.

3.What teaching methods can be used to teach group work that will encourage students to utilize one another?

Peer teaching, think-pair-share, teambuilding and games are used.

4.How much time do you think needs to be devoted to teaching group work?

It is described and the explained in the beginning, but truthfully I probably do not devote enough time teaching group work. I cannot even tell you a specific amount of time devoted solely to teaching group work. The class encourages the use of group work throughout using the methods in question three, but I need to find a way to teach group work on it's own. That is a really eye-opening question!

6.Do the students in your class assess their group or themselves?

Yes, both.

a.If so, how?

They use a rubric and a questionnaire to assess their product, how well they performed their job and how well they worked together.

7.How do you encourage students to be reliant on one another instead of the teacher?

I try to reflect the questions back to the student or the students in the group. The students also are able to do group/table work and can take quizzes as a group. They soon realize that the quality of the project or product lies in the work that they as a group create.

8.Do you give students time to reflect on group work?

Students are able to do a reflection at the end of each recipe.

9.How do you guide students during this reflection time?

Students are taught in the beginning how to do the reflection and, as the semester continues, I monitor their work. Before each reflection we discuss, as a class, the product created and if this is something they would like to make again.

10.How do you assess group work? Group work is assessed on a variety of criteria including participation, timing, quality of product, and execution of recipe.

Appendix F - Christine Bell Interview

• What teaching methods can be used to teach group work that will encourage students to utilize one another?

I feel that any method that affords hands-on real-life learning is best. In CTE this is easier to do because our curriculum lends itself to it…just takes time to organize, create, set-up, etc. In order to encourage students to utilize each other, I believe you have to set up groups where each student has an area or “strength” that allows for them to contribute. To do this, a teacher really needs to know about their students

• How much time do you think needs to be devoted to teaching group work?

The actual teaching of group work should take place from the beginning of the semester. In the past I have given students a description of their role responsibilities. I would teach to the whole group first, then teach to the individual roles. (I'll email you a copy of “business circles” I've used in the past.)

• How do you asses group work?

I've assessed them a variety of ways: individually, as a group, self-evaluation, and group members evaluations.

• Do the students in your class assess their group or themselves?

Sometimes

• If so, how?

-I have specific guidelines I give the students…I generally take averages when they evaluate each other.

• How do you encourage students to be reliant on one another instead of the teacher?

-I do a variety of things…an example: The first time I get a question on how to do something (say in computer applications), I teach the student, but then I tell them when I get the question again; they have to teach the next student…and so on. This encourages the student to listen, understand, perform, and then teach it. Students' retention is better when I do this.

• Do you give students time to reflect on group work?

Absolutely! Especially if they are to continue working with the same group…What did we do well? What do we need to improve? How can we improve?

• How do you guide students during this reflection time?

I model for them, show examples of past students work, observe, etc.

• How do you assess group work?

A variety of ways…see question #3.

Appendix G- Susan Johnson Interview

• What teaching methods can be used to teach group work that will encourage students to utilize one another?

The strategies I utilize the most involve Cooperative Learning theory where students are given roles and everyone is held accountable for a task and each other's learning. I also like to incorporate Brain Friendly strategies where students need to work together to accomplish goals.

• How much time do you think needs to be devoted to teaching group work?

I think it depends on the class. Some years I feel like students adapt quickly and I can call out a strategy name by October and we all are on the same page. Other years I feel like I can be speaking a foreign language for months before everyone feels comfortable. I think it is important that as teachers we have to set up routines that outline expectations. We must be flexible and adjust when necessary, but routines are good to set up early in the year.

• How do you asses group work?

Whenever I have students work in groups, I assess them both individually and as a group. I think it is very important that no one person can overpower the group, nor can any one person just go along for the ride and receive points for work they did not do. I think they need to work together and be assessed at those skills of negotiating the content together, as well as what they contribute as an individual.

• Do the students in your class assess their group or themselves?

It depends on the assignment but I have students do both. I value self assessment but it takes awhile to get students to a level of mastery with that. I also think there could be value in students assessing each other but that can be a slippery slope - some lack confidence so will never speak their truth, others monopolize and control, still others would grade their friends highest, bc after all, they are kids! The skill comes in to be able as the teacher to have students feel safe enough to assess confidently and equitably. Deciding on the expectations from the start, with an agreed upon standard of achievement, usually in the form of a rubric, does help take away any ambiguity.

• If so, how?

Sometimes I have them give a score then tell me why they gave that score; I almost always require a written explanation of why they assessed they way they did so there is less or no misinterpretation on my part and they clarify their thinking.

• How do you encourage students to be reliant on one another instead of the teacher?

I do this by creating a community of learners in my classroom, first and foremost, starting on day one. We all learn from each other, myself included. Then I utilize strategies where they need to rely on one another; I set up group assignments where the groups change and the roles change and students fulfill different roles at different times with each other.

• Do you give students time to reflect on group work?

Yes, I typically require them to share reflections in writing.

• How do you guide students during this reflection time?

Many times I ask open ended questions - for example: comment on what you learned, how you performed, and how your group performed. I am amazed at the specific examples students will share about the group performance. Many times it appears to go really well and they can articulate that, OR it does not go well and they name what each group member did or did not do. Even then, usually the students who did not do the work own that. (Although I did have one partner project this year where one partner felt they worked well together and the other felt they did not. That has not occurred for a long time. I think that is true though bc I tell kids if they are having issues to come to me and we will work it out. This one student kept thinking her partner would come through so she did not tell me until the end. Now she knows she needs to seek guidance if this is occurs again.)

I also have individuals reply, not as a group, and tell them that I am the only one that will read these. They really are very honest.

Additionally I have used rubrics that set up the standards from the start, and they complete the work with the rubric in hand so they have something to go by as they do their work, to know what will be expected in the end. This takes some responsibility off of them in a sense because it is on the paper and is not just an opinion they share.

• How do you assess group work? Same as # 3 --

Whenever I have students work in groups, I assess them both individually and as a group. I think it is very important that no one person can overpower the group, nor can any one person just go along for the ride and receive points for work they did not do. I think they need to work together and be assessed at those skills of negotiating the content together, as well as what they contribute as an individual.

Appendix H-Triangulation Matrix

Focus Area Purpose:

The purpose of the study is to describe the effectiveness of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills when working in group work.

Focus Area Question:

What are the benefits of implementing task management, communication and cooperation skills to improve group work among high school foods students during the 2008 fall semester?

Qualitative/Quantitative

I am using qualitative research methods to gather my data. I am trying to see how I can improve student's group work. I do not think I will use quantitative research methods because I am not comparing grades.

Designs

I am using single measurement and ethnographic because I am implementing a new way for students to work in groups and measure if the group work is effective for their communication skills, task management skills, and cooperation skills.

Appendix I- Annotated Bibliography

Gillies, R. M. (2006). Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(2), 271. Through a study this article explains the importance of teaching students cooperative learning and then having them do group work. Group work is important for student to take part in to allow them to participate more and work well with one another. When students are put in groups their language varies. Teacher's verbal language also varies. Teachers have a tendency to be more creative and personal when working with students in groups.

Payne, B. K., Monk-Turner, E., Smith, D., & Sumter, M. (2006). Improving group work: Voices of students. Education, 126(3), 441. Group work is positive for students learning. Students learn teamwork skills, critical thinking skills, and learn about the taught area through group work. Group work is very positive but can be improved. Through this study students input on how group work could be improved included students centered themes and teacher center themes.

Prichard, J. S., Bizo, L. A., & Stratford, R. J. (2006). The educational impact of team-skills training: Preparing students to work in groups. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(1), 119-140. Collaborative learning is important for students to take part in so they work with others to reach a common goal. According to this article students do not naturally know how to work in groups. Group work must be taught to students in order for students to be successful when working in groups.

Reading, C., & Lawrie, C. (2004). Using solo to analyse group responses International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. When assessing group work 2 factors need to be considered, the product and the process. It is often hard to make sure that each group member is doing their part. This article explains interpreting individual responses and group responses by using a program called SOLO. The factors that influenced the responses of the group are similar thinking of group members, not citing supportive information, nature of data, and group size.

Veach, L. J., & Gladding, S. T. (2007). Using creative group techniques in high schools. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(1), 71-81. This article mainly focuses on small group work used in counseling. It explains how to incorporate music, movement, visual art, drama, play, and humor into group work. This will be helpful in my paper for when students get into new groups. These methods help students to be more open and comfortable with one another.

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