Team Assignments in Online Class?

[burbuja0512]

Now that enrollment in my Capstone course is right around the corner, all of the details of the course syllabus actually is starting to matter to me.

I notice that for several weeks in a row, there are team assignments. What? How are busy working adults supposed to get together to do team assignments?? When are we supposed to do it? I've taken online classes, but only a couple and I didn't have to work in a team.

I like people and teamwork, but relying upon other people that are all over the country to become a good team sounds like a nightmare. I really wish I would have thought about this!

Does anyone have any experience with this and if so, do you have advice?

Thanks

[cookderosa]

Now that enrollment in my Capstone course is right around the corner, all of the details of the course syllabus actually is starting to matter to me.

I notice that for several weeks in a row, there are team assignments. What? How are busy working adults supposed to get together to do team assignments?? When are we supposed to do it? I've taken online classes, but only a couple and I didn't have to work in a team.

I like people and teamwork, but relying upon other people that are all over the country to become a good team sounds like a nightmare. I really wish I would have thought about this!

Does anyone have any experience with this and if so, do you have advice?

Thanks

Uggghhhhhh, let me know how you get through it. I'm way too type A to play well on a team. milelol: My strategy would be to pick the slackers, do it all, let them ride along and be sure we earned an A.

[alleycat]

Now that enrollment in my Capstone course is right around the corner, all of the details of the course syllabus actually is starting to matter to me.

I notice that for several weeks in a row, there are team assignments. What? How are busy working adults supposed to get together to do team assignments?? When are we supposed to do it? I've taken online classes, but only a couple and I didn't have to work in a team.

I like people and teamwork, but relying upon other people that are all over the country to become a good team sounds like a nightmare. I really wish I would have thought about this!

Does anyone have any experience with this and if so, do you have advice?

Thanks

Oh my this is a nightmare. I can not even stand face to face team projects. I don't believe they work out to well. It always seems like one or two people in the whole team get all of the work done.

Do you already have your team assigned to you? If so all you can do is communicate with them and plan to probably have to get way more work done then the rest of the people on your team. It is not fair but thats how these things go. It's almost over. You can make it.

[bawhitsett]

My master's capstone project was a total nightmare. On a team of 4 people, we initially had decided we would split the work up evenly, with other people helping out as requested / needed. One person's job was to write a few small parts but primarily to edit the other parts as needed to make them mesh. Fair enough.

We were all adults working full-time jobs yet 2 team members apparently had a lot more downtime, as they routinely would work on the project throughout the day and ask for team feedback in anywhere from 5-15 different places by the end of it all. It soon became impossible to keep up with it all. Early on An attitude started resonating within the group over the belief that some were doing more work than others. I had volunteered to perform an interview with 1 of our IT guys pending approval from our IRB but, though we had submitted our request early enough to beat the rush, they didn't get it back to us until late. I had relocated to TX from VA during this time and my interviewee had decided that he didn't want to participate any more. Being new to this area, I also didn't know of anyone I could replace him with. This led to more attitude, as if it was something I could help. Our editor would often rewrite things you had written to ultimately change the meaning or add factoids that, later on, you would be held responsible for providing references to. After he deleted a reference I had added at the beginning of the semester and then our team leader put it on me to put it back, this came to a head, with some real bitterness being thrown around. There would also be times when you were asked to edit your own stuff, which was fine, but where some would provide feedback early on as to whether or not it was okay, others would wait until 1-2 days before the deadline to lay a major revision request on you. I passed the class, barely, and graduated, but I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. And next time, I WILL be doing a solo project.

[marianne202]

Team projects are very popular in online classes. If you look at any job ad these days they usually always say something like "team player", must work well in teams, join our team etc. I have done courses with many team projects and they are usually frustrating for those who are diligent or perfectionistic by nature. The idea is to get different personalities working together towards a common goal, something that is very common in our global economy. Just realize that some members may be slackers or just not as focused and serious as you are. If you feel that you need control and success then volunteer to be the team leader so you can control what you can. You have to accept that there will usually always be a member or two that doesn't pull their weight. I would usually make the instructor aware of the problem if the member didn't respond or start doing their work. Most of the time, the instructors don't want to hear about it, they know each students work performance and the team project is more about your ability to work together and overcome obstacles while still meeting your goal, not so much about who does what. While the idea is to simulate work experiences, in real-life you would probably replace a non-working team member, but that isn't an option in online classes. Just buck up and do what you need to do to complete the project and get the grade you want. I have had some great teams and some horrible teams. Just as in life, some co-workers pull their weight and others don't. Don't stress over a team project until you really have a problem. Good luck!

[MA2]

Tell them you have their IP address and you will hunt them down if they don't pull their own weight on the project

[PonyGirl93]

I had a group project in one of my little 200-level classes, I was kind of horrified. I had a very decent team and I only had to do a little of everyone else's work, but some of the other groups didn't even do their projects, or one person did the whole thing. =[

[burbuja0512]

:eek: ok... now I'm terrified.


I am usually the take-charge type A person (sound like you Jennifer!) I manage people and have for several years so I'm used to the leadership role. My team right now is virtual, so I'm even used to working with people in different locations. However... this is different and unknown. I don't have team assigned yet because I haven't actually enrolled. I found out that I can't enroll until I have Principles of Finance done, so trying to get that taken care of in the next week and a half. Enrollment deadline is Mar 11.

There are 8 weeks in the Capstone Course and from weeks 2-5, it's all group work. Fully 25% of my grade. Unfortunately, it also coincides with some of my busiest travel time of the year. :eek::eek::eek:

[FinancialWorld]

I'm doing a group case project right now for a course. So far it's just me and another guy doing the work. We're having trouble getting in contact with the other two members. But we're both willing to just do whatever needs doing to get a good grade and get this thing done.

I agree, the group projects are kind of weird.

[cookderosa]

:eek: ok... now I'm terrified.


I am usually the take-charge type A person (sound like you Jennifer!) :

I was being absolutely serious. Find the bottom 3 in your class and form a group. Who cares if you carry them?