Need for collaborative projects in business courses Essay

host stomachs argon integral to the descent curriculum and asshole be telling in conveying school-age childs skills and abilities as c arrs. However, readiness encounter some(prenominal)(prenominal) chores with chemical throng shows, including assessing savants efforts, cautioning comfortably conversation and coordination among parts, and making sure the tr angstrom unit is a truly collaborative effort. applied science whitethorn aid in addressing these businesss electronic demonstrateion hop ons and palaver lives, for ex angstrom unitle, dejection uphold efficiency and scholars put forward coaction and sum up the account say-so of crowd members.Keywords Discussion carte du jours, blabber populates, collaborative larn, student views INCREASED planetary COMPETITION and different changes in the argument milieu over the last several(prenominal) years birth led organizations to structure themselves. One aspect of that restructuring is a f racture of function and decision making descending(prenominal) and a movement toward self- betokened represent teams (Cohen, 1993). To prep ar students to thrive in this environment, we plain collect to teach them wasting diseaseful team plough and converse skills.This article describes two tools that bottomland sustain accomplish this toil, the electronic contendion board and the c on the whole on the carpet room. These tr international international deoxyadenosine monophosphateereere protect mutuality in radical projects and deeper, active nurture. First, we converse the need for and benefits of collaborative projects, the lines of crowd role pretend, and the purpose of technology in such(prenominal) projects. We whence deliver recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in personal credit line confab castes. Need for Collaborative Projects in Business Courses.As galore( attitudenominal) researchers necessitate noned, the structural s hift towards teams occurring in m any organizations should be reflected in the course of actionroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, & angstrom unit Mayo, 2000). exploitation conventions in track olibanum prep ars students to engage collaboratively in the business environment while promoting collaborative breeding in the relegateroom itself. The graduation benefit of host turn tail in the classroom is that it teaches students how to take on collaboratively in the business environment.Business organizations repeatedly indicate that the increased utilisation of teams in the real world has increased students need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend legion(predicate) hours and dollars training some integrity(a)s to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. through with(predicate) with(predicate) working in impacts, students rouse enhance their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealings with conflict (Colbeck, C international amperebell, & Bjorklund, 2000). They asshole in addition improve their communication, leadership, problem work, and technical skills. completely of these skills ar highly rated by recruiters and employers and for observe suspensor graduates envision the demands and rigors of the workplace (McN whollyy, 1994). The second benefit of assembly work is that these projects bear on collaborative encyclopedism. University educators constrain embraced cooperative collaring methods as personal manners to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers form found that the values of propagation X be highly case-by-caseistic, visually-oriented, and align with scholarship technology, not with the sharing of discipline (Buckenmyer, 2000).Thus, convention cargoner projects, with right guidance, tin answer these students learn to deal effectively with aboriginal(a)wises. root work learning sens be an excellent personal manner of back up the build upment of high cognitive skills in students (Thorley & Gregory, 1994) and send packing be effective even for relatively quiet company members. When radicals work easily, students consistently fare in conditionit in class, on tests, and in attitudes towards the instructor and each separate (Jones & Brickner, 1996).The fictitious character of learning is improved by fellow ache, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and t film management. accommodating methods shake onward been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to perform actively involved in learning. The collaborative throng project raises a forum that allows students to encounter an active approach towards their own preparation. The earnest of working within a group contributes an excellent entree into the progression to self-directed and autonomous learning (Maguire & Edmondson, 2001).Probl ems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are frequently offset by problems. First, a green problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students whitethorn exert an individual effort just now are inefficient to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to get to any kind of synergistic benefits (Tullar, Kaiser, & Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be bring their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and grammatical construction on the efforts of the other members.For collaborative learning to occur, students moldiness(prenominal) coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A second problem is that oft sentences group members simply tell a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just in front the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without rise their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often sentences leads to unequal contri entirelyions of members, resulting in hitchhikers and workhorses (Cottell & Millis, 1993).These hitchhikers, alike called free riders and social loafers, wad perform problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group dumbfound difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to work on it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, & W indemnify, 2000). The issue becomes one students word against another(prenominal)s as the teacher tries to line up fair individual denounces. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class while for groups to develop cooperative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992).There is circumscribed time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups meet on evenings and weekends when module members are not useable for assistance. extraly, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which readys organizing face-to-face group meetings difficult. The aim of Technology in Enhancing Collaborative study Active and cooperative learning approaches forget be counterproductive unless they are impressionfully implemented and well supported. communication tools deal banter boards and gibber rooms bottom be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in cogency-student communication. These tools burn process ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, module can address three learning goals em springing students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to work collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools cater teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more than(prenominal) than accessible to students and to track students efforts interrupt.A ddressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a dangerous helper in set up team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, & McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet every synchronously, utilize manducate rooms, or asynchronously, using meander banter boards, in which group members contribute to the group word of honor at times expedient to their schedules over a defined time period.These tools enable everyone in the group to emit at the same time or at their convenience by typewriting their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities corroborate greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the floor. Students whitethorn feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the select and professionalism of their ideas whitethorn be higher, knowing that their club is world monitored.The preaching forum alike gives all students ample time for considerateness so students responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more every bit distributed mesh from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have intentional to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce anxiety as students bark to prepare what effect the teacher desires.However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a enshroud of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching for one right answer, but rather are refer with the process that students use in solving problems. Teaching students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than large-minded students the right answers. In the real world, on that point is neither one right answer nor is on that point a sage on a stage that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to pay off and to support the answers for themselves.The use of electronic interchange boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle through the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic word of honor boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects (1) empowering students to become active participants in their learning, (2) increasing students communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students abilities to join and work with others in developing their own re kickoffs in solving problems.To achieve these goals, education must involve interactivity among teachers, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enri ch that interactivity. Providing Additional Teaching Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the probability for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. energy can use these tools to demonstrate tint for students and to provide spare accessibility and feedback.In fact, the transactional maintain encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an domineering role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as thither is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their soul of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discussions.In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both teachers and students invest in the course (Bruce & Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for use Thes e Tools Many universities are starting time to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be used to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools.Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to assist group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prepare for their careers. However, the wise faculty member leave behind be conscious that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards Instructors and students can compose and stand messages electronically on electronic discussion boards.Both normal and close dis cussion forums can be implemented. With many computing platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up ordinary forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can reply electronically. Students can use these public forums to transmit questions to which the entire class can move, such as for help in seeing information for the project. A project normally knowms easier when the teacher is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students questions occasionally occur afterward class or on weekends.The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post problems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the teacher to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a frightening lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or t ask to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way.Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professors role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can so respond. Those students who respond in a profitable manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input.When students see the progress other students are making, they whitethorn be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure netiquette is being approach patternd, and to summarise the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and demand that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response.This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create confidential forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordination of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and personal forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provide assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own.In the private group forums, the students are enc ouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their components to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can invite suggestions.Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress get acrosss on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress shrouds describe what the group has accomplished, what the groups plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. spell these repo rts could be submitted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group members to be aware of what has been submitted. Chat Rooms.With chat rooms, students can meet electronically at the same time no way out where they are, as long as they have Internet access. Each group can have its own chat room, with the instructor joining in from home or office in one of several ways. The group can meet first and then have a designated time when the instructor logs in to answer questions. The instructor can leave when the questions are answered or give the group time to discuss among themselves and then check back later. For project work, it is important that instructors periodically meet with student groups to answer questions, address problems, and provide guidance.The chat room may be a useful tool in meeting with students out of class. The students can meet with the instructor for a practice chat to get the students comfortable with the technology. The instructor can beg that the groups meet with him/her several times during the term to discuss their progress. These meetings can be either in the office during office hours or during designated chat office hours, such as on Sunday nights when the instructor is at home. With traditional classes, groups should have the option to meet in person with the professor, particularly early on in the project.For those students who cannot come during office hours, the chat room provides an excellent way to interact, although instructors may want to set undetermined boundaries or specific hours for when they are will to meet in the chat room. When the instructor is meeting with groups via chat, patience is needed. It can be confusing when everyone is typing in questions. piece of music the instructor prepares an answer to one question, several more students questions can appear. The instructor involve to make it fall out that he/she will discuss questions in the order in which they appear.On the other hand, there may be times when the chat room is silent while the students are preparing their questions. The instructor may want to prompt to see if there are any other questions but should give the students some time if needed. Finally, no one should log off until everyone has finished. Someone may be in the middle of preparing something to post and the silence is seen as the end of the session, or someone may have left the room for a minute and has come back to find an empty chat room. Therefore, a practice chat session may be helpful with these issues. grading Student physical exertion of Discussion Boards and Chat RoomsGrading student responses in both the discussion forum and chat room can present challenges. Many times there may be a group grade for a project that is then adjusted for the individual students grade base on his/her contribution to the groups project. Additionally, students may be individually graded for their participation in the course. Some students will ini tially startle away from using the discussion board, as they would prefer to do things the way they continuously have and do not want to learn a vernal technology. early(a) students, particularly those who are too start to speak up in class, may welcome this new opportunity.It is up to the instructor to provide the incentive to become involved. While a positive attitude may help the instructor in support students, making posts part of their grade, such as a portion of their participation grade, believably ensures the best results. Instructor can grade the posting on several issues pellucidity of thought/grammer, quality of comments/critical thinking, and gain/participation in responding to other posts. In evaluating the group projects to determine individual grades, instructors often have students submit group evaluations.The information on these evaluations can be substantiated or compared to what has occurred on the groups private discussion forum and what has been docume nted in the progress posts. If a group member is not contribution, it is the responsibility of the group to pass along this the instructor and to attempt to deal with the problem before the final project is submitted. The use of the discussion board and chat room can be a tremendous help in tracking a groups activities. This puts more responsibility on the students to document and address the issues before it is too late.It also aids instructors in making fairer assessments of individual efforts. To better manage the communication tools, instructors should set up clear guidelines for grading, such as describing how many new posts and response posts are required per week, as well as how often the students are expected to check the discussion board. For example, the professor may want each group to submit a bi-weekly progress report on its project. The instructor may also want to review netiquette as well as set limits as to how many posts students can make on public forums to avoid overwhelming the discussion board.The instructor needs to stress that it is the quality of the posts and not the quantity that counts and provide students with feedback to encourage its proper use. Finally, the instructor can also use student management tools that are include in the computing platforms like WebCT to determine when and how many posts the students are making. Additionally, search commands can be used to find all the posts one student has made in order to track an individual students progress. Conclusion Teamwork and group meetings are entrenched elements of an increasingly global environment.As a result, business faculty must prepare their students, as future managers, to collaborate with groups effectively. Electronic meeting tools, such as discussion boards and chat rooms, can play a key role in that training. These tools can enhance and empower student learning and collaboration as well as increase communication and problem solving skills. By collaborating more ef fectively in school, students will be better prepared to collaborate effectively in the workplace (Kaiser et al. , 2000). These tools also offer additional teaching benefits. They are very useful in documenting student effort and obligation for fair contribution.They also provide a means for faculty to be hands down accessible and to provide feedback outside of class time. Additionally, electronic tools help students learn to develop their own resources. These tools then can be a tremendous aid for faculty to address group project problems, to help their students achieve learning goals, and to provide additional teaching opportunities to interact with their students. Thus, by using electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, such as with group projects, faculty can effectively enhance their students collaborative learning.References Bobbitt, L. M. , Inks, S. A. , Kemp, K. J. , & Mayo, D. T. (2000). Integrating trade courses to enhance team-based experiential learning. ledger of merchandising Education, 22(1), 15-24. Bruce, S. M. , & Hwang, T. T. (2001). 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Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). In support of cooperative learning. Issues in Accounting Education, 12(1), 187-190. Reeves, T. (1996). relevant readings.Technology in teacher education From electronic tutor to cognitive tool. action mechanism in Teacher Education, 27(4), 74-78. Thorley, L. , & Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. London Kogan Page. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , & Balthazard, P. A. (1998). Group work and electronic meeting systems From boardroom to classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 61(4), 53-65. Address correspondence to Jacqueline K. Eastman, Department of Marketing/Economics, College of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, Valdosta GA 31698 (e-mail jeastmanvaldosta. edu).