Reflection+on+the+experience+of+working+in+a+group+(Hurdle)


 * __Group Assignment Web 2.0 : Reflections on the experience of working in a group.__**


 * John Downie (Student No. 210642976)**

Completing this group assignment has been a challenging experience. The diverse range of workplaces that our members represent created the first obstacle of deciding on an appropriate format and outline for our assignment, but this was reasonably easily overcome through discussions on DSO.

I believe that our differing workplaces also created the next obstacle which I would label as prioritising - all 4 of us have had to balance priorities, and unfortunately, our priorities did not always align. I am confident though that this would still be the case had this been a face-to-face group task rather than an online task.

I think that our biggest obstacles have been in consistency and frequency of communication. As we are from various points on the globe, being online at the same time is very difficult, and our access to the Internet has varied. This has made communication difficult at times, for example, simple decisions about presentation that can be resolved in a few minutes have taken much longer, hampering progress.

The benefits of group work have not been missed. As we all bring very different work and life experiences to the group, we have all had the opportunity to learn from each other and I personally have gained many new skills from working with this group.

The online format of this assignment has been a valuable experience due to its ability to connect people in very different places. As educators, experiencing this method of learning is crucial, as the opportunities that can be created for our students become endless.

John.

**Derya Oztan Kabak (Student No.: 211252913).**

I was wondering how to work as a group on DSO, but I found it very easy and helpful. As a group, we discussed the format of our assignment and shared the work on DSO. Then we started to work individually until last week. During that time, we tried to be in contact via DSO and WikiMedia which is created by our unit instructor, Muriel. Last week, we posted our parts on WikiMedia to be edit as a last work. John has created a Prezi account and Dawn has created a wikispace for us. During this semester, I learned too much about new Technologies in education especially about web 2.0 applications. I learned to use wiki space and prezi and communicate via DSO as a LMS (learning management system). I would like to thank all my group members and Muruel for their support.

DERYA


 * Dawn Webster ( Student No.210638102).**

The group project experience of using Web 2.0 tools, and contemplating and researching possible applications, was most enjoyable. It has certainly inspired me to continue to explore all that Web 2.0 has to offer, and to increase and fine-tune my skills in this domain. I am also encouraged to continue to network with other professionals, and to join and/or establish areas on the web where this can take place. I am convinced of the utility of group collaboration. I have learned from my collaborators and I have enjoyed meeting with new minds. There is such a vast quantity of knowledge and skills to be acquired that it is necessary to take on board the implications of the //concept// of Web 2.0 and to 'share'. Future joint projects in which I participate will be informed by what I have learned during this assignment.

I believe we could describe ourselves as an 'harmonious' group (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011). We agreed from the beginning on the topic, sections and format of the artifact. Our focus as a group and for our individual sections was clear from the outset, we reflected on the produced sections and discussed them via email, we readily agreed on the presentation format, and thought about the assessment requirements, producing contributions in line with these. A lot of time was spent in final revision. (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p.1352). The only way in which we might be considered to have displayed qualities of a more 'anxious' working group, would be in terms of the hesitation in beginning collaboration on a frequent and regular basis early on, which could be ascribed to our conflicting schedules and, I suspect, our novice status in terms of on-line collaborative learning processes (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p.1351). Recent research mentions previous experience and, though it does not primarily pursue this line of inquiry, it recognises the implications of this omission in the study and recommends this direction as a component in future research (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p.1356). There was no struggle between members of the group to have conflicting approaches gain primacy, no 'changing minds and direction' or lack of cooperation (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p1352.).

The major draw-back to our process in the group project was a late start to real interaction in discussion. As John mentions, we faced some obstacles in being able to work collaboratively on the project at the same times. We each found ourselves beleaguered by other commitments at different times throughout the project. This led to an initial phase where we each worked on our own sections individually more than we shared our content and research (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p.1354). In hindsight, despite the efficacy of on-line learning in allowing time-tabling to be avoided, I think it would have been valuable to have been on line synchronously, at least some of the time. We did find it easy to agree on what each of us would be responsible for, and each member of the group provided material in good time. In the last week of the project the emails flew thick and fast between John and myself, and I regret that we were not able to begin this process earlier.

The lack of conflict in the group does //not// suggest that the group would have necessarily improved interaction had the on-line tutor been a presence as a 'social relationships facilitator' (Oliveira, Tinoca & Pereira 2011, p.1356), and while one would not expect post-graduate students to require a mediating presence, recent research does suggest that there is a role for the facilitator in this regard. The research by Oliveira //et.al.//(2011) also suggests that the construction of groups be taken into account, and there is discussion around group members' 'negotiated identities'. Our group was formed on a 'sign up' basis, and worked well as such a group.

Reference. Oliveira, I., Tinoca, L. & Pereira, A. (2011). Online group work patterns: how to promote a successful collaboration, //Computers and Education, 57, 1,// 1348-1357.

__**Group statement on member contributions.**__

All members of this group have contributed to the completion of this assignment.

Derya Dawn > Luyue John
 * group discussions on DSO/ MediaWiki
 * composition of introduction
 * composition of History
 * group discussions on DSO/MediaWiki
 * composition of Secondary Schools Section
 * creation of Wikispace wiki
 * addition of research to Wikispace wiki
 * Preparation of assignment in Word doc format
 * multiple emails, daily, in final week to refine submission
 * group discussions on DSO
 * composition of Tertiary Education section
 * composition of Conclusion
 * group discussions on DSO/MediaWiki
 * composition of Primary Schools and Web 2.0 section
 * creation of Prezi
 * addition of research to Wikispace wiki
 * addition of research to Prezi
 * multiple emails, daily, in final week to refine submission