.gif){kind=spacer}
| About the book |
This lively, concise and to-the-point guide offers hints and practical sugestions to help you deal with the issues you face when working on a group project. It helps you to understand what goes on in project groups, to move forward in difficult situation, and to draw valuable lessons from the experience. · How to share out the work · How to transform your group into a team · How to take decision · How to deal with`free riders' · How to work constructively with someone you don't like · How to make good use of your experience when applying for jobs A must for every student working on a group project, and especially recommended if you have been put into a group, assigned a project and left alone to get on with it! |
| About the authors |
Dr Peter Levin is an Educational Developer, specializing in student support at the London School of Economics. He works one-to-one work with students on managing their studies, including preparing for exams. Formally a lecturer in social policy at LSE, he is author of Making Social Policy (Open University Press, 1997). |
| Table of contents |
Contents Teamwork in universities. READ THIS FIRST! Part One: Basics and context What do we mean by `a team'? The benefits of working in a team Teamwork skills Academic teamwork and the job market Part Two: Getting started Get in your groups Get to know one another Formulate your ground rules The value of ground rules Mission statements Communication Meetings Taking decisions Check out your assignment and plan your work The project brief The elements of project work Programmes of work: the `critical path' Allocating tasks Part Three: How are we doing? Progress on the project Progress from `group' to `team' Personal progress Part Four: Perspectives on team behaviour Tensions: the task, the team and the individual Team roles Management systems and team organization Team development: forming, storming, norming, performing ' The decision-making process Negotiation Cultural traits and differences Individual traits: `cats' and `dogs' Part Five: Teamwork issues and solutions The task: getting the work done Getting help from your teachers Sharing the work load: `social loafing' The `free rider' problem Focusing on the task Taking decisions: `risky shift', `group polarization' and `groupthink' Personal and inter-personal issues The group that doesn't storm Getting your multi-cultural group to `bond' Do teams need leaders? Dealing with a team member who tries to dominate Working constructively with someone you don't like Finding your place in the team Part Six: Benefiting from the experience Getting feedback ' including appreciation Reflection Learning logs Reflective reports Applying for jobs Polishing up your CV Being interviewed Group tests in assessment centres Notes and references Further reading Background and acknowledgments |
