Matt - Group Interaction: Part 1

Perhaps the most challenging academic assignments during my college career have necessitated extensive group interaction. This is indicative of the inherent communicative and organizational challenges posed when operating in a group – not the actual substance of the work. Academic assignments that mandate some-level of group cooperation in higher education are particularly difficult because of the basic design: the professor typically selects the group; students have extensive non-academic responsibilities, incomparable to primary education; the standards for academic excellence are diverse and sometimes seemingly incompatible; and academic research is perhaps most functional for the individual. The artificial bureaucracy created by the group dynamic often poses a seemingly insurmountable obstruction to the learning process and the extracted “lessons” are often more social than academic. However, real-life group scenarios often provide more pertinent and applicable “lessons” than those within the classroom because they generally lack the characteristics previously enumerated. Hopefully, these three antidotes should illuminate my grievances with the system:

Discussion of my Academic Work: Conducting Formal Research in the Group Dynamic

During the spring of my sophomore year I was enrolled in an exceptionally engaging course NCLC Peace Studies, which explored the theories of peace and its application domestically and internationally. While the curriculum was diverse and truly ambitious, it was pragmatic as it identified the problems evident in conflict and then the potential means for overcoming it. The professor emphasized the intangible and often institutional acts of violence that provoke “hard” violence. While the subject-matter was fascinating it was a bit too theoretical for the group I was paired up with to deliver a comprehensive presentation on economic injustices in Washington, D.C.

The initial challenge posed to the group was how to effectively articulate the issues associated with economic injustice and provide unique analysis. There are several non-profit organizations that have authored extensively on the economic injustices found in our nation’s capital and were central to our findings; however, the intent of the project was to conduct original research that might further elucidate the well-documented findings – including the group’s thesis.

Without the infrastructure of a formal organization that has resources, conducting primary research was a daunting task. Moreover, the subject matter was largely theoretical but with very tangible subcategories (i.e. availability to quality healthcare, affordable housing, great education, etc.), which made focusing the research very difficult. The fundamental obstacle posed by this assignment was organizational as it demanded a methodical and disciplined approach to completing the project. This was particularly challenging for me as the issues were cognizant but difficult to communicate and delegate among group members. That is to say, the group understood the issues but had difficultly examining the specifics without completing the entire assignment. On the most challenging of assignments, I find it desirable to work independently because the preferred outcomes seem far more attainable and subject-matter is generally more lucid.

Written Text

For one to appreciate group interaction, the study of conflict resolution is a necessity. Although this assertion may seem a bit cynical, academic groups almost inevitably experience some level of conflict. It was with great pleasure that I enrolled in an international conflict resolution course last spring, where I further examined the practical application of conflict resolution theory. The most impressionable publications that I reviewed were Bill Ury’s The Third Side and Joseph Nye’s Understanding International Conflicts, which extensively debunk the source of conflict and examine solutions. While I certainly do not contend that the import of my group interactions is on par with resolving international crises, the basic theories presented in these texts have better enabled me to understand group interaction.

Non-Written Text: Pressing Forward on the Thames

The purest form of group interaction is actualized in group sport. As a marginal athlete who’s physical hobbies are generally for the recluse (skiing and hiking), it was a pleasant challenge to join the St Catherine’s College Rowing Society. While the performance of most sports teams is often measurable by their ability to effectively utilize all members of the group (see the 2004 Boston Red Sox), this skill is strikingly evident when rowing. With an eight-member crew and a cox, the team must row fluidly and entirely in-sync. All rowers must properly perform nearly a dozen motions simultaneously for the boat to move forward. Operating as a cohesive unit is absolutely critical when rowing, as a boat of eight renegade rowers is effectively useless. For instance, a highly efficient team of average rowers could beat eight Olympians that do not stroke together.

Over the course of Michaelmas Term, I was paired with eight novice rowers that had an exceptional desire to win. Prior to sunrise, I spent most mornings with the team preparing the boat for a morning of rowing. As the term waned, the competency of the crew surged; at the outset, we struggled to row in groups of two but eventually morphed into a synchronized squad of eight. The object of our desire was to perform well in the Christ Church Regatta – Oxford’s premiere rowing competition during the fall term. Indeed, the team managed to actualize this goal, stroking well past Wadham College during the first round and falling just short of St Anthony’s College in the round of elimination.

Linda's Group Interaction: Post ONe

As I think about all the group work that I have been involved in throughout the past three years at George Mason, I think the best and most successful outcome came from my group project in my Intro to Integrative Studies class last fall. From the beginning, we were very big on planning and staying organized. As a group, we were free to decide what we wanted to research on, and we chose the beginning of New Century College, and what it was like in the early years. Each of us set up interviews with people that were around when New Century first started, and who were a part of forming the college. I got to interview Robert Bernard, who is still a teacher in NCC. Bernard told me about how far NCC has come since then. My group got valuable information, and we always met on time when we scheduled meetings. Together, we went around campus and took pictures of various places, like the Enterprise Building, where NCC based now, and the Johnson Center, where it was first based 11 years ago. We read articles on NCC, and got to see the different reactions from everyone at Mason, and not at Mason, when it first started. We collaborated all of the information we found, and together made a documentary film, but on power point slides. The day it came to present, we were very well prepared. The reaction from our audience, our class, was really good. We got feed back right away. We were very satisfied with the outcome of our project, and the process in which it took to get there. The three of us worked very well together, and contributed equally.

From this experience, I learned that group work is something that everyone needs to be committed to. In order to be successful, everyone needs to contribute and meet their expectations because the other members in your group are depending on to get your job done.

Written Text: I searched the web for information on group interaction, and I found an article on how to facilitate group interaction. This is more like a guideline for teachers and what they should watch for when they assign group work. It states the benefits of group interaction, and how it helps everyone socially. It also states that by having students evaluate one another makes the process more likely to be successful. According to the article, it helps improve group interaction skills. When asking people to evaluate and reflect upon previous group interactions they have had, you hear stories about good experiences, as well as bad ones. One of the most important issues is acknowledging a problem. The article states that when there is a problem with in a group, people should state how they feel in first tense, rather than blaming anyone. There needs to be a balance in the amount of group that everyone does, and all ideas should be suggested. What I found to be most helpful was the group evaluation form that was provided at the end. Everyone should go and take a look at it for some helpful guidelines.

Non-written Text: When I think about group interaction, the movie Remember The Titans comes to mind. For those of you that haven’t seen the movie, it is about the high school T.C. Williams football team, which isn’t far from us in Alexandria, Virginia. This was a story about when T.C. Williams was first integrated, and the big controversy it caused in that time era. The movie focus’s on the football team, and how they interact with one another. At first, this was a new concept to them, mixing up the students, so they did not react well together at all. The coach stressed that they would have to learn to like each other, because they needed to unite as one to play together and be a successful team. Although they faced struggles outside of their own team, they ended up learning how to interact together and accepting one another. Eventually, the team helped their school and community come together, and accept integration. I think this is a powerful movie, and shows how although at first it was difficult to come together, the more time they spend together, they ended up becoming one, a team.

From my own experiences, written text, and non-written text, I have learned that group work can go so many different ways, from being successful to unsuccessful. Although I have been fortunate enough to have great experiences so far, I am ready to be involved and used my knowledge about group work on other group projects that I will be working on this semester, next semester, and in anything else that requires group work or effort in my future.

Sources:
http://cse.edc.org/products/assessment/middleschool/pdfs/SALI_Group_Interaction.pdf#search=%22group%20interaction%22

Jessica's Group Interaction Exercise - Part One

Looking back at my academic experiences group interaction has always played a significant role. I have been involved in group interaction someway since I was in elementary school. In the past I have been "blessed" with some of the best and the worst of groups. However, my NCLC 391 group helped me fully understand what the group interaction competency was all about. Before this group experience I always expected the same thing, 5 people in a group with a few doing most of the work and someone always managing to do nothing. But this group was different. Seeing as how we all came together to work on a topic we were passionate about we had a sense of what was expected of each other; and we had previously worked together in other classes (added bonus!). We quickly divided tasks and assigned roles of each member, gathered contact info, and came up with what our presentation was going to be like. It was one of the easiest transistions into a group project that I had ever experienced. We didn't have to spend an hour deciding who was going to send out the first e-mail or who was going to be responsible for someone if they didn't do their part. We knew that if we wanted to be successful compromising and collaboration were key. Everyone was present for group meetings and we kept track of our project through tons of emails and online chats. It was the BEST group experience I have had.

A written text that has helped me to understand group interaction is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Group interaction was a daily thing for all of society; upper class always attending some formal affair and talking of all the latest gossip around town. This novel shows just how important roles can be in society and when dealing with your peers. It helped me understand how defining roles and tasks are significant for success. The Bennet's coming from lower upper class had to struggle to keep their name in good graces with the community after the youngest daughter ran off with a soldier. The family had to work together to find their runaway relative and work fast so that their name wasn't shamed. They understood that if word spread aobut the girls frivolous behavior the whole family would be ruined, and the parents expectations (their daughters marrying wealthy men) would never occur.

When I think of group interaction and a non-written work that has helped me grasp what this competency is all about I immediately think of the movie "Office Space". In a business class that I took my professor used to relate communication topics to movies and tv shows. This movie shows me what NOT to do when interacting with a group.
Starting with a boss who doesn't care about his employees, al l that matters was if reports got sent out, and if the job is getting done. Then you have the diverse group of employees who don't know how to communicate with each other, they all hate their jobs. The only shared concerns they have are who is getting laid off and when are they going to hang out next door at Chotchkie's.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Bantam Dell Publishers. New York, NY March 2003.

Colleen's Group Interaction Exercise Part One

Reflecting on my academic experiences I can point out a variety of instances where group interaction was the cornerstone of my learning. Before entering college I viewed group interaction in a very simple and literal way. I saw it as an assignment that needed to be completed by more than one person. I did not see it for what it truly is...An experience where people have an opportunity to collaborate towards a goal an in the mean time learn not only from the research for the assignment, but from the people completing the assignment.

Personally, one of my own academic pieces that transformed my thinking of group interaction was my participation in my Unit Four group, during the NCC first year experience. The group was composed of twenty people, which was unheard of to me. I had never had an academic assignment that involved the collaboration of more than four to six people; therefore the idea of working with nineteen others had me worried. I had been under the false notion that the bigger the group the more likely there would be chaos with a lack of direction. I felt it was unfathomable for twenty people to complete one assignment yet I was proved wrong. Patience and open communication lead the path to success. Our group made sure everyone had a voice, therefore established subcommittees within the large group in order to take care of some of the tedious tasks. Between the subcommittees and the large group meetings, our group was able to maintain a direct and collaborative effort in the most organized fashion. The group enforced open discussions and active listening in order to create a presentation that reflected everyone’s strengths. It was as if we were twenty different people unified into one direct cause. In the end we successfully completed our assignment and it taught me that having an organized and successful group is not dependent on the number of people, but the way the people collaborate. Collaboration is a plausible entity as long as people are willing to communicate and respect one another.

After my Unit Four group experience I felt confident in my understanding of group interaction and became much more aware of different kinds of group interaction. Last fall I had the opportunity to observe a fifth grade class’ literacy program titled, Word Study. This program broke students into groups based on their reading level. Yet, I learned these students were gaining much more out of these groups than I could have expected. These students did more than simply read the same book together every morning, but they became a type of support network. I spent a lot of time with the lowest reading group and learned a lot from them. These boys and girls became a type of family and bonded over the challenges of reading. A few of them had only been in the country a couple of years and were having a difficult time trying to read at a fifth grade level. Group members were encouraging and motivational to one another. Their interactions resembled a family more so than classmates, as they helped one another improve in their reading. It was enlightening to see how group interaction can truly boost someone’s motivational level while trying to overcome obstacles. I will always remember my observations because it reminded me of the importance of support and motivation within group interaction.

Group interaction is always full of surprises with many possibilities; possibilities for disaster, as well as, possibilities for success. Yet, whatever those possibilities may be, it is up to us as individuals to go into a group with an open mind and positive thinking. Many people fear group interaction, yet I have come to learn that if I openly embrace group interaction, the rewards are endless. In his essay, Experience, Ralph Waldo Emerson stated: “Life is a train of moods like a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many colored lenses which paint the world their own hue, and each shows only what lies in its focus,” (353). When I read this essay, I like to replace the term “life” with “group interaction.” Group interaction is an experience in itself, in a way it’s like a process that presents many challenges such as collaboration, compromise and communication. Yet in the end we learn not only about the group’s given assignment, but we learn about ourselves and others.

Group interaction can be one of the most challenging competencies New Century College places before its students, yet it helps prepare people for the real world. Through my experiences group interaction has given me the opportunity to learn more about the subject I am studying. It reminds me of my personal strengths and weaknesses, it teaches me how to connect to a variety of people and work towards a shared vision. Overall, group interaction is a learning tool that is present and essential to life.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Experiences.” Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ed. William H. Gilman. Penguin Group: New York, 2003. 350-74.

First Competency Exercise

As a couple of people have sent me queries, here's a clarification, if anyone needs it, of the competency assignment for this week...

1) This week's competency is Group Interaction. I've indicated the competency for discussion each week in the weekly schedule. For example, the schedule this week reads:

Research and Write: the Group Interaction exercise & post it to the class blog by midnight, 9 September.
(http://classweb.gmu.edu/lsmithg/Capstonef06/f06sched.html)

2) If you click on the Group Interaction exercise link in the online weekly schedule, you'll find guidelines on what you should discuss in this exercise. Part I asks you to choose three items which have significantly enhanced your understanding of the competency of group interaction - one piece of your own academic work, one written text and one non-written text. You then should discuss in detail how each has illuminated your understanding of the competency and transformed/deepened/ enriched your practice of the competency over time.
(http://classweb.gmu.edu/lsmithg/Capstonef06/f06competency.html)

3) The final part of the exercise, due next Tuesday, 12 September, asks you to read the work of all your fellow writers and, in this case, group interaction experts par excellence, and then "...post to our blog a reflection on the two or three blog postings which have most challenged or changed your view of group interaction."
(http://classweb.gmu.edu/lsmithg/Capstonef06/f06sched.html)

4) Some writers asked how long each discussion should be. It's hard for me to give any kind of word limit in this style of exercise. Some writers need lots of words and sentences to argue their points convincingly. Others write much more succinctly, and need far fewer words and sentences. So in this exercise you have to call on your own judgment a little more, and decide when you have communicated your arguments about the significance of each of your chosen items successfully to your audience.

If you're still not clear on what you should be doing, send as specific an e-mail query (or set of queries) as you can and I'll do my best to clarify further. Looking forward to hearing from you over the next few days, via e-mail or blog...

Hi fellow classmates! I was wondering if anyone has started to work on the blog assignment for this week. I am a bit confused about the directions and was wondering if someone could direct me as to what to do. If anyone feels that they understand the directions could you email me at cmcauley@gmu.edu? I would appreciate it! Thanks---Colleen

Bio - Matt

I suppose it is unnecessary for me to write a detailed personal profile because all of my attributes were correctly selected within moments of starting the “name game” last week. That said there is a bit more depth (not much… kidding) to my personality than skiing, law and New Hampshire.

Inspired by a need for environmental and healthcare reform, I have long been involved in political activism, supporting candidates that I believe would get our country back on track. After losing two consecutive heart-breaking races, I finally earned a mark in the V column by helping elect a Democrat over the incumbent Republican Governor of NH during the 2004 election. In the spirit of individualism and general distrust of government, the NH governor has a two year term in office, so I returned home this summer to work on the reelection campaign.

I decided to attend GMU because of the excellent political science program and close proximity to our nation’s capital. With a concentration in legal studies – under the umbrella of integrative studies – I am following the pre-law track and hope to attend law school someday. Over the course of the summer, most of my leisure time was occupied with LSAT logic games as I am preparing to take the exam later this fall.

At any rate, I’m sure we’ll all get to know each other in the coming months, so I will leave it at that.

Hiiiii Class

OK, this is embarrasing but I am a bit confuse as to how to use this blogger system. My fiance created one for me a while back since we have gmail, but i never knew how to use this. I thought I've accepted the invitation to Capstone but i don't see my name on the list. hmmm....

Hopefully, this post works....

The 411 about me:

I'm "TV" short for Thanh Van. I'd prefer people to call me TV cause I'd get annoyed when they can't pronounce my name correctly. I am a Christian and am working with my fiance with a youth group weekly. I was a Girl Scout (yes...i was a fat kid. Instead of selling the cookies, I end up eating most of them...). I am on my way to getting my teacher's permit/license. However, I'm aiming to have an At Home Tutoring Session after I get marry. That way I can set my own schedule and take care of my family. But we'll see...

Alrightie, i hope everyone had a wonderful labor day weekend and not too wet. I went to OC and almost got blown away by the hurricane. I went Crabbing for the first time in my life and caught ONE! One our way back we witnessed an accident of a car flipped upside down. They were able to pull the man covered in blood out and waited for the rescue team to come. *sigh* May the Lord be with him and his family...

*this is so weird...i felt like i was writing to the class a letter...i was about to sign it too. haha*

ok ta ta..see you all in class

Linda Biberaj

Hey! My name is Linda and I was in the second to last group where you had to guess which fact belonged to me from the columns one, two, and three. I am from Fairfax Station, and I attended high school in Alexandria, Va. I still live at home and my concentration is in Elementary Education. I plan on becoming a third grade teacher. This semester I will be applying to George Mason for graduate school, where I can get my master's in Education. I really hope I get in though.

Virginia Beach is my second home, where my family has a beach house. I have spent every summer there since I was nine with the exception of this past summer. Instead, I spent my days working at a law firm as a legal assistant, and taking summer school. I was a counselor for the Horizons Science camp that is run through NCC. It was definitely a great experience, I love working with kids.

This summer I got to do some travelling, when I could. I went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and enjoyed the beach there, it was beautiful. I also went to the Outer Banks and to Myrtle Beach. The most exciting thing was turning 21 in August, and I got to celebrate it at my favorite place, Virginia Beach, with my friends.

I am spending my Labor Day weekend here in New York City, so I just took some time to write a little bit about me while I could. I am looking forward to this semester as well as getting to know all of you. See you Tuesday, and have a great weekend.

Linda