Blog About Class

1. Why did class devolve into chaos??? - It delved into chaos because suddenly the structure of the goal shifted.  All of the sudden we had a new option introduced and there came a variety of different opinions about what to do and how to do it.
2. What could you have done to keep that from happening? - Like Zach said, keep an eye on what the client specifically asks for.  If they aren't specific, communication with the client is just as, if not more so, important as communication with group members.  Keep calling them till you get all the info. you need.

1. Regurgitating ideas you have read is all well and good, but if you cannot apply them, then what is the point? - Exactly.  It's nothing but speculation otherwise.  You can talk the talk all you like but if you can't walk the walk it'll show in the final product.
2. What can you do to be more mindful of your team buidling decisions and how to actually implement the techniques we have been learning all semester? - Communication and organization is the foundation of a good team and essential to its functioning.
3. Is always sticking with people you already know the best solution to forming a good team? Working with people you already know may be human nature and the easiest way to make sure you get a good grade on a project, but remember that you are being assessed in this course not only on the product you create but how you work with your team and apply the techniques we have been covering in class... Unlike other classes, the product in this class is secondary to the process of creating the product. - No it's not and this is the issue that got me the most frustrated when we broke off into groups.  One if not two of the teams that formed were people who already knew each other and completely ignored everything we learned in class thus far!  Not only is that an insult to the course but it's an insult to me who didn't have a comfort zone to recede into.  I knew nobody coming in practically.
4. What did you learn about yourself and team building as a result of what happened in class today? - I learned that I can speak up and say the facts as well as try to bob and weave to accommodate people.
5. How should the potential conflict that could erupt based on discussion todayt be handled in a way that allows for the best teams and personal satisfaction for all people? - Personal satisfaction isn't always possible with a group.  That's why I was considering giving the team a gift during the project to provide them some personal motivation.
6. Instead of just backing down and saying, "Whatever..." what might be a better way to incorporate and include all ideas and styles? - Listen to what people have to say in regards to what the client wants.

Group Management

Since I wasn't here for the Blind Egg experiment, here's a copy/paste of the fort exercise as an example:


_________________________________________________________________________________
The class was instructed to separate all the chairs from the desks in the classroom in an entertaining way by working as a team instead of merely a group...the difference of course being our teamwork working towards a common goal rather than just a collection of people with the class in common.  The plan of how to go about solving the problem was rough at first, full of soft spoken individuals and indecision, but once we got started we figured it out as we went.  By the end, we had worked together to make a fort from the desks and a throne from all the stacked chairs!  It was glorious.

1. Do you think it was a team or a group experience?
Definitely it was a team experience.  It was a little slow going at the start, but once we found our rhythm things picked up and we had people communicating and cooperating to achieve the solution to our posed problem.

2. What was your contribution to the exercise?
At the start, I was mostly involved with moving desks.  I helped push the desks toward the back of the room while a portion of my peers arranged them to make a fort.  When we had to dismantle our creation at the end of class I multitasked where I saw openings to help out, switching between moving desks and chairs back where they belonged.

3. How effective do you think the exercise was?
Very - and fun too.  We fulfilled the project's criteria and in time, too.  Everyone did their share and because of it, cleanup went really fast by the end of it.

4. What would you have changed about the exercise?
Personally I would have liked to keep the fort standing, but that's just me.___________________

Of this experience we focused on the task and each other.  First we separated the tables and chairs, then, to fulfill the interesting criteria, we split off into two groups, one in charge of tables and one in charge of chairs.  Not much clarification was needed in the project.  The first part was simple and easily accomplished and the other was thought up and executed without flaw.  "The mouse", now, I would say there were some who fit into that rank and they were the ones who simply went along with the ideas others threw out.  On the other hand I didn't hear anything inappropriate from the class to simulate the loudmouth.  Since this was done in the last ten minutes of class there was no written record other than our class notes and blog entries.  There was no negative feedback but there was plenty of positive feedback once we were done.  Our fort and throne were very creative, fun, and fulfilled the mission of the assignment.  Handling failure is an important skill, but not one immediately relevant to the experience of this exercise.  Handling deadlock could be exemplified when we first didn't know how to start and the first ideas voiced weren't well responded to.  That is, there was silence.  People were too shy to respond which implied disfavor but didn't offer up any ideas of their own.  Only when things got moving did they feel they could express themselves.  Again, sign posting doesn't really apply here because the class and project was so short, but for projects it is important to deal with the big picture and details equally.  Avoid single solutions - the first idea may not always be best.  Active communication was important to fashion the chairs and tables into something fun, a demanding task during construction!  Guidance for relocating the objects was important as well.

What I would change...

In the future, given the time for it, I would start with focus and appointing a leader or two who can inspire the group and possesses a set of skills that promotes balance and participation (especially to the mouse of the group)...and, if needed, veto ideas from the loudmouth.  Clarification and active communication would happen here along with a written record of all ideas and the final decision regarding the path to achieving the project goal.  Sign posting would keep us on check with the big picture and finer details and would be supervised by the group leader/s.  Avoiding single solutions, handling failure and deadlock would be among the issues possibly risen from the active phase of completing the project which requires adaptation and further communication to move forward.  Looking back on the project there were no group leaders, no loudmouths, and many mice.  Though this wasn't particularly an issue with this project, being as simple as it was, future projects are bound to be more complex and require a formula such as this for a higher rate of success.

The Blind Egg

I guess I'll start out this entry with a confession, I was absent from our last class.  I'm not proud of it, but migraines know no mercy.  It is for this sad fact I will be defaulting to the second option of this blog's required content: discussing five things I learned from the assigned reading.

1.  The Stages of Group Development
Well, first I learned the stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.  First you form the group, then comes the trial of appointing jobs, the agreement is reached, everyone performs his or her role, and finally the group adjourns after the project is done.

2.  Risks and Decision Making
Risks are assessed differently in a group vs. individual basis, though it is not fully understood and differs from person to person.  Some people believe that responsibility is shared and are therefore more likely to take risks in a group project whereas others are more cautious when taking others' welfare into consideration.  Decision making in groups can put strain on the dynamic if they are self-authorized or imposing or any other number of risks.

3.  What Should Determine a Leader
Sometimes the leader in a group is the person who's loudest and pushiest, but according to the reading that type of behavior is unqualified for the position.  (Surprise, surprise.) Now, what a leader should be is someone who can bring about action and goal-orientation in the group's members, someone who promotes cooperation over competition, and someone who builds trust and resolves conflicts.

4.  Communication
Communication involves both the said and the unsaid, silent cues such as body language, and is essential for the organization, understanding, and execution of a group project.  Communication calls for speaking up as well as active listening skills and giving proper feedback.  To communicate efficiently revolves around balance.  Proper seating so that everyone can see each other (with the two most contributive members spaced apart so they're not talking in just one direction) is most beneficial to group meetings.  Also, knowing when to talk and when to listen, taking turns and speaking up in a fair and even sequence is cooperative and respectful to all present.

5.  Teambuilding is...
"...a big subject with more definitions than we have room to list."
And, to me, teambuilding is as unique as the individuals making up the group.  Each person has their own learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and ways they grow to change those traits.  Although certain strategies are helpful to apply when working in a group to make it a team, it requires original thinking each time for each project.

Flying High : A Kite's Journey

Meet Team Sky Pirate!~

Shawn Gwyn & yours truly, Allison Schwein

I can't tell you how many times I've been put in the position to build a functional kite to save my grade...okay, one.  But you didn't hear it from me...

This assignment for Teambuilding in Technology split the class into groups with that objective: build a kite - without buying one or using a kit - that is functional and flyable.  Our kite was constructed of the following:  recycled string and spine from a broken kite, plastic party table cloth, stickers, and colored duct tape.  We also drew a rather dashing rainbow skull and cross bones with colored Sharpies.  All this for under ten bucks!! - and we got to keep the sharpies and kite, so you know, for an artist and experienced flyer like ourselves, win/win.

Objective 2: flying.  Did it really fly?  That's for the class to decide.  See, the term fly gets thrown around a lot these days, who among us can say for sure?  Such is the prisoner's dilemma.  If just one member of the class says a kite didn't fly, even if all the others attest it did, it gets graded in the negative.  We test flew the kite the night of its construction and it flew beautifully, but the day we flew it as a class was a little less than spectacular.  Still, true to our words everyone agreed everyone's kite flew.  Since we're all in the same boat anyway it'd be silly not to in this case, but I don't think this is the last we've seen of our prisoner's dilemma.

More on the process and working as a team, we split the cost of the supplies and effort.  I did the formal research beforehand but Shawn had flown kites more than me so he had the experience to contribute.  He supplied the kite's spine and string and stickers and we split the funding for the other supplies.  When making the kite itself we first folded the skin material (for thickness and durability when flying) as many times as it could and put the spine on it.  We used a ruler and traced straight lines around the spine for the shape of the kite.  We taped the edges together so they stayed put and combined experience with printed instructions in fastening the spine in place and threading the string through.  All n' all I'd say we were not only a team, but THE BEST team!  Working with Shawn was fun, awesome, and easy.  Now, for all you aspiring kite builders, there were A LOT of kite building tutorials online, but omg, for something fun and simple, I wouldn't recommend it.  In my experience get an awesome friend, do a bit of forethought, and just dive in.

...and now I say...


GO FLY A KITE!~

Thoughts on Competition

My thoughts on competition that I shared in class Thursday were largely explored in the four exerts of our reading:  "Being a Team Player on the Job", "Competition in Education"from Wikipedia, "Competition VS. Cooperation", and "Competition/Cooperation".

But before I delve into that, what do these words mean, literally?  For this, I consulted dictionary.com:

Cooperation:  (n.) an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint action

Competition: (n.) the act of competing; rivalry for supremacy, a prize, etc.

According to the articles, studies and research back up my feelings regarding competition as a stressful practice that divides rather than unite people to achieve a certain goal.  This goal, however, is not exemplary of the highest quality.  No, in fact competition merely seeks to do better than someone else or a group.  In the article "Competition VS. Cooperation", the most elaborative piece in the collection in my opinion, Isaksen is quoted as saying trying to do well and trying to beat others are two entirely separate mental processes that cannot be performed simultaneously.  If that's not enough evidence there's also the impact of competition's stress on human health quoted in every article.  However it is specifically emphasized in Wikipedia in the eye opening reality of the academic stress plaguing Japanese students in significant numbers, in some cases leading to suicide.

To be fair, every power needs a balance, to this I am not blind.  To merely act cooperatively has its weaknesses, or shall I say, potential weaknesses, like the "yes man" syndrome.  This occurs when people in a group are too agreeable and can unanimously agree to something inappropriate to the project's prosperity.  However as a team is nothing but a group of people, this can be maintained by individual awareness and the act of speaking up to keep the power of decision honest and balanced rather than mainstreamed.

This is not to say that competition doesn't have its place, but if I were to draw up some rough figures I would estimate it being helpful in only a fraction of the quantity cooperation is.  Competition is a good motivator according to "Competition/Cooperation", but is most enjoyable with combined with cooperative teamwork.  In other articles it was suggested that to promote a sense of unity, motivation, and participation in a team one might consider sharing leadership and rewarding the group as a whole when things go well.

Well, I feel like I'm rambling now.  There were so many good points brought up in how to work better in groups to bring out the best in oneself and each other, but I'll hang back on those seeing as how I don't need to tell you all what you already know and read.  IN CONCLUSION, heh, I feel better having my thoughts and feelings on the topic confirmed, especially since no one else in class seemed to share my views in it.

Prisoner's Dilemma

Today's in class exercise mirrored what's called the prisoner's dilemma: namely, the inner struggle you face when given the option to get off on a lighter sentence (of sorts in a real life situation) at the expense of telling all you know about your partner in crime.  The pro's, con's, psychological stress, etc.

Our experience however was a little different, and thankfully so.  I mean, in trying to turn a group into a team I should hope there would be no turning against one another, and though it wasn't directly outspoken I feel the entire class had this same impression.  So how we handled which one of the entire class would receive the only available A - after a series of brain storming and voting - came down to an obstacle course challenge full of spinning in circles, finding the teacher in her office, and racing back to the classroom.  Even if there was only one winner at least this way everyone could have fun.

The winner, it turned out, wasn't really the winner since this so-called competition was really more of an exercise as I suspected, but fun and learning was had in a creative and collaborative process so I like to think we're all winners here.  I just wish prisoners had an easier time of it, but who knows?  Maybe one day they'll see the light and wind up settling their differences with dry erase board marker obstacle course challenges.

My Peers' Blogs

This assignment required me to peruse my peers' blogs and see who I might be able to work with in team projects and those I might find it more difficult to work with.  I report my findings below:

3 People I Think I Could Work With...

Heather I think I could work with because she helped take the class notes and according to her blog she's able to emerge in a leadership position (something I've been forced into by default time and time again).  Lecia Floyd had some interesting points about what she got out of her speech course, a class that provides skills that I feel would help unite a group into a team.  In addition, Ryan seems to be open to contributing whatever's needed in a team effort, which would compliment those who take on more extreme positions while staying conscientious of the final product.  In a team, balance is key.

3 People It Might Be Difficult To Work With...

Three people I think I would find it hard for me to work with (potentially) include Chris Carraway, Matt Eaten, and Alec Strater.  Chris because he mentioned how competitive he can be which is a trait I've often found to be stressful in a group setting, especially if the group's supposed to be a team working toward a common goal.  Matt Eaten finds working in a group as difficult as I do which may make for a challenge if needing to work together, and when I read over Alec's blog I found some of the answers he gave to be rather vague which may be an issue for the projects we do over the course of the semester.