1. 1 Problem-Based Cooperative Learning Karl Smith Civil Engineering ksmith@umn.edu http://www.ce.umn.edu/people/faculty/smith/ Tower Design Exercise

2. 2 Professor's Role in Formal Cooperative Learning 1.Specifying Objectives 2.Making Decisions 3.Explaining Task, Positive Interdependence, and Individual Accountability 4.Monitoring and Intervening to Teach Skills 5.Evaluating Students' Achievement and Group Effectiveness

3. 3 Problem Based Cooperative Learning Format TASK: Solve the problem(s) or Complete the project. INDIVIDUAL: Estimate answer. Note strategy. COOPERATIVE: One set of answers from the group, strive for agreement, make sure everyone is able to explain the strategies used to solve each problem. EXPECTED CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS: Everyone must be able to explain the strategies used to solve each problem. EVALUATION: Best answer within available resources or constraints. INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY: One member from your group may be randomly chosen to explain (a) the answer and (b) how to solve each problem. EXPECTED BEHAVIORS: Active participating, checking, encouraging, and elaborating by all members. INTERGROUP COOPERATION: Whenever it is helpful, check procedures, answers, and strategies with another group.

4. 4 Engineering Design – Team Exercise The engineering method is design under constraints Wm. Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering Design in a major sense is the essence of engineering; it begins with the identification of a need and ends with a product or system in the hands of a user. It is primarily concerned with synthesis rather than the analysis which is central to engineering science. Design, above all else, distinguishes engineering from science (Hancock, 1986, National Science Foundation Workshop). A scientist discovers that which exists. An engineer creates that which never was. (Theodore von Karman, 1881-1963).

5. 5 Team Member Roles Task Recorder Process Recorder Materials Manager

6. Design objective Design and build a tower which can support a standard book as high in the air as possible (at least 25 cm). The tower is built from index cards and office tape. Design rules Materials are 100 index cards and one roll of office tape Cards can be folded but not torn No piece of tape can be longer than 2 inches Tower cannot be taped to the floor Tower must be in one piece, and easily transported in one hand Time to design and build: 20 minutes Height is measured from the ground to the lowest corner of the book placed on top Tower must support book for at least 10 seconds before the measurement is made Room must be cleaned up before measurements are made.

7. Group Processing B Plus/Delta Format B Plus Things That Group Did Well Delta Things Group Could Improve

8. 8 Will Durfee Design defines engineering. It's an engineer's job to create new things to improve society. It's the University's obligation to give students fundamental education in design (William Durfee, ME, U of Minnesota, Minnesota Technolog, Nov/Dec 1994).

9. Design team failure is usually due to failed team dynamics (Leifer, Koseff & Lenshow, 1995). It’s the soft stuff that’s hard, the hard stuff is easy (Doug Wilde, quoted in Leifer, 1997)

10. 10 Top Three Main Engineering Work Activities (Burton, Parker & LeBold, 1998) Engineering Total Design – 36% Computer applications – 31% Management – 29% Civil/Architectural 1.Management – 45% 2.Design – 39% 3.Computer applications – 20% Burton, L., Parker, L, & LeBold, W. 1998. U.S. engineering career trends. ASEE Prism, 7(9), 18-21.

11. 11 Teamwork

12. 12 Characteristics of Effective Groups respect establishing credibility communication accountability, responsibility positive attitude Trust Honesty No hidden agendas Unique ritual to the team Constructive criticism Goals, checkpoints Leadership Comfortable with the team, personal bonding Dedication Conflict resolution process Role clarification Initiative Sense of belonging Buying into goal, having a stake in goal Understanding other members strengths and weaknesses Complementing skill set Positive conflict

13. A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable SMALL NUMBER COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS COMMON PURPOSE & PERFORMANCE GOALS COMMON APPROACH MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY --Katzenbach & Smith (1993) The Wisdom of Teams

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15. Group Task and Maintenance Roles Group Task Roles Group Maintenance Roles Initiating Encouraging Seeking Information Expressing Feelings Giving Information Harmonizing Seeking Opinions Compromising Giving Opinions Facilitating Communications Clarifying Setting Standards or Goals Elaborating Testing Agreement Summarizing Following

16. Group Processing Plus/Delta Format Plus Things That Group Did Well Delta Things Group Could Improve

17. Team Charter Team name, membership, and roles Team Mission Statement Anticipated results (goals) Specific tactical objectives Ground rules/Guiding principles for team participation Shared expectations/aspirations

18. Code of Cooperation EVERY member is responsible for the team ’ s progress and success. Attend all team meetings and be on time. Come prepared. Carry out assignments on schedule. Listen to and show respect for the contributions of other members; be an active listener. CONSTRUCTIVELY criticize ideas, not persons. Resolve conflicts constructively, Pay attention, avoid disruptive behavior. Avoid disruptive side conversations. Only one person speaks at a time. Everyone participates, no one dominates. Be succinct, avoid long anecdotes and examples. No rank in the room. Respect those not present. Ask questions when you do not understand. Attend to your personal comfort needs at any time but minimize team disruption. HAVE FUN!! ? Adapted from Boeing Aircraft Group Team Member Training Manual

19. 19 Ten Commandments: An Affective Code of Cooperation Help each other be right, not wrong. Look for ways to make new ideas work, not for reasons they won't. If in doubt, check it out! Don't make negative assumptions about each other. Help each other win, and take pride in each other's victories. Speak positively about each other and about your organization at every opportunity. Maintain a positive mental attitude no matter what the circumstances. Act with initiative and courage, as if it all depends on you. Do everything with enthusiasm; it's contagious. Whatever you want; give it away. Don't lose faith. Have fun Ford Motor Company

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