Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection

Naveen Seth

doi:doi:10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

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Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection

Naveen Seth

Published in Education Journal (Volume 5, Issue 5)

Received: 31 August 2016 Accepted: 14 September 2016 Published: 10 October 2016

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Abstract

From a student’s perspective, topics within a course and courses within a program of study can seem to stand alone. As a result, learning can become siloed and disjointed. This paper describes the use of semester-long integrative projects that students undertake in teams. The projects are broken down into smaller parts that follow the order of topics covered in the course. Such projects build research skills and connect students’ work to course topics, thereby reinforcing learning, while building engagement through contextualizing course material according to each team’s interests. They have been successful in advancing student learning in a more integrative way and in achieving learning outcomes at course, program and institution levels.

Published in	Education Journal (Volume 5, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
Page(s)	121-125
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Group Projects, Undergraduate Research, Contextualization, Electronic Portfolios

References

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[5]	G. D. Kuh, “High-impact educational practices: what they are, who has access to them and why they matter,” Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2008.
[6]	S. Moore and K. Teter, “Group‐effort applied research: expanding opportunities for undergraduate research through original, class‐based research projects,” Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, vol. 42 (4), pp.331-338, July 2014.
[7]	D. Efstratia, “Experiential education through project based learning,” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 152, pp.1256-1260, October 2014.
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[9]	R. Katula and E. Threnhauser, “Experiential Education in the Undergraduate Curriculum,” Communication Education, vol. 48 (3), pp. 238-55, July 1999.
[10]	S. Moncure and C. Francis, “Foundations of experiential education as applied to agroecology,” NACTA Journal, vol. 55 (3), pp. 76-92, September 2011.
[11]	C. Colbeck, S. Campbell and S. Bjorklund, “Grouping in the dark: what college students learn from group projects,” The Journal of Higher Education, vol. 71 (1), pp.60-83, January-February 2000.
[12]	B. Payne and E. Monk-Turner, “Students' perceptions of group projects: the role of race, age, and slacking,” College Student Journal vol. 40 (1), pp.132-139, March 2006.
[13]	A. Hutto, G. Black and T. Frontczak, “Matchmaking in marketing class: using Fisher's personality profiling to form student teams,” Marketing Education Review, vol. 21 (1), pp.43-48, Spring 2011.
[14]	M. Ford and T. Jewels, “Highs and lows of implementing a management strategy eliminating 'free passengers' in group projects,” Issues in Informing Science & Information Technology, vol. 5, pp. 1-10, 2008.
[15]	T. Schoenecker, K. Martell and J. Michlitsch, “Diversity, performance, and satisfaction in student group projects: an empirical study,” Research in Higher Education, vol. 38 (4), pp.479-495, August 1997.
[16]	P. Strauss, A. U and S. Young, “"I know the type of people I work well with": student anxiety in multicultural group projects,” Studies in Higher Education, vol. 36 (7), p.815-829, February 2011.
[17]	R. Hansen, “Benefits and problems with student teams: suggestions for improving team projects,” Journal of Education for Business, vol. 82 (1), pp.11-19, September 2006.
[18]	X. Jin, “A comparative study of effectiveness of peer assessment of individuals' contributions to group projects in undergraduate construction management core units,” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 37 (5), pp. 577-589, August 2012.

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Naveen Seth. (2016). Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Education Journal, 5(5), 121-125. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

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ACS Style

Naveen Seth. Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Educ. J. 2016, 5(5), 121-125. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

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AMA Style

Naveen Seth. Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Educ J. 2016;5(5):121-125. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

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@article{10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16,
  author = {Naveen Seth},
  title = {Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection},
  journal = {Education Journal},
  volume = {5},
  number = {5},
  pages = {121-125},
  doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20160505.16},
  abstract = {From a student’s perspective, topics within a course and courses within a program of study can seem to stand alone. As a result, learning can become siloed and disjointed. This paper describes the use of semester-long integrative projects that students undertake in teams. The projects are broken down into smaller parts that follow the order of topics covered in the course. Such projects build research skills and connect students’ work to course topics, thereby reinforcing learning, while building engagement through contextualizing course material according to each team’s interests. They have been successful in advancing student learning in a more integrative way and in achieving learning outcomes at course, program and institution levels.},
 year = {2016}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection
AU  - Naveen Seth
Y1  - 2016/10/10
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
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AB  - From a student’s perspective, topics within a course and courses within a program of study can seem to stand alone. As a result, learning can become siloed and disjointed. This paper describes the use of semester-long integrative projects that students undertake in teams. The projects are broken down into smaller parts that follow the order of topics covered in the course. Such projects build research skills and connect students’ work to course topics, thereby reinforcing learning, while building engagement through contextualizing course material according to each team’s interests. They have been successful in advancing student learning in a more integrative way and in achieving learning outcomes at course, program and institution levels.
VL  - 5
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Author Information

Naveen Seth

Business Administration, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, City University of New York, New York, United States of America

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Naveen Seth. (2016). Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Education Journal, 5(5), 121-125. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Naveen Seth. Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Educ. J. 2016, 5(5), 121-125. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Naveen Seth. Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection. Educ J. 2016;5(5):121-125. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16,
  author = {Naveen Seth},
  title = {Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection},
  journal = {Education Journal},
  volume = {5},
  number = {5},
  pages = {121-125},
  doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20160505.16},
  abstract = {From a student’s perspective, topics within a course and courses within a program of study can seem to stand alone. As a result, learning can become siloed and disjointed. This paper describes the use of semester-long integrative projects that students undertake in teams. The projects are broken down into smaller parts that follow the order of topics covered in the course. Such projects build research skills and connect students’ work to course topics, thereby reinforcing learning, while building engagement through contextualizing course material according to each team’s interests. They have been successful in advancing student learning in a more integrative way and in achieving learning outcomes at course, program and institution levels.},
 year = {2016}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Small Group Projects to Provide Context and Connection
AU  - Naveen Seth
Y1  - 2016/10/10
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
T2  - Education Journal
JF  - Education Journal
JO  - Education Journal
SP  - 121
EP  - 125
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2619
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160505.16
AB  - From a student’s perspective, topics within a course and courses within a program of study can seem to stand alone. As a result, learning can become siloed and disjointed. This paper describes the use of semester-long integrative projects that students undertake in teams. The projects are broken down into smaller parts that follow the order of topics covered in the course. Such projects build research skills and connect students’ work to course topics, thereby reinforcing learning, while building engagement through contextualizing course material according to each team’s interests. They have been successful in advancing student learning in a more integrative way and in achieving learning outcomes at course, program and institution levels.
VL  - 5
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download