References
Additional Reading
Online Resources
Major Assignment
Activities
Return to Small Group Home
PRAGMATIC ISSUES IN SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION-Instructors
This module deals with some of the nuts and bolts of small group work. Students are provided with strategies for assisting them in coordinating their group and individual efforts. Topics covered are:
1. Structuring teamwork in groups
2. Group meetings (meeting planning, group records)
3. Leading discussion (this is not for the designated group leader only!)
4. Researching topics
5. Planning, implementing, and evaluating a project
Below is an outline of the information on the student side of this module.
I. STRUCTURING TEAMWORK IN GROUPS
A. Characteristics of effective teams
1.A Clear, Elevating Goal
2.A Results-Driven Structure
a. Clear roles and accountabilities.
b. An effective communication system.
c. Monitoring individual performance and providing feedback.
d. Fact-based judgments.
3.Competent Team Members
a. Essential skills and abilities.
b. A strong desire to contribute.
c. The capability of collaborating effectively.
4.Unified Commitment
5.Collaborative Climate
6.Standards of Excellence
a. Standards of excellence should address individual commitment, motivation, and performance.
b. Standards of excellence are sustained in performance.
c. Standards of excellence are not static.
7.External Support and Recognition
8.Principled Leadership
a. Team Leader Principles
1.Avoid compromising the team's objective with personal issues or hidden agendas.
2.Exhibit a personal commitment to the team's goal.
3.Do not dilute the team's efforts with too many priorities.
4.Be fair and impartial toward all team members.
5.Confront and resolve issues associated with inadequate team member performance.
6.Be open to new ideas and information from other team members.
b. Team Member Principles
1.Fulfill task and maintenance roles as needed, avoiding self-centered roles.
2.Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
3.Collaborate effectively with other team members.
4.Make the team goal a higher priority than any personal objective.
5.Demonstrate a dedication to completing team tasks.
6.Share information, ideas, and feedback with other group members.
7.Assist other team members when needed and appropriate.
8.Demonstrate high standards of excellence.
9.Support team decisions.
10.Directly confront important issues.
11.Demonstrate leadership in ways which contribute to the team's success.
12.Respond constructively to others' feedback.
II. GROUP MEETINGS
A. Meeting Planning
1.Define the meeting's purpose.
2.Establish starting and stopping times the meeting.
3.Make all necessary physical arrangements.
4.Notify group members of the meeting.
B. Group Records
1.Agenda.
2.Minutes.
3.Reports.
III. LEADING DISCUSSION
1. Briefly review or explain the meeting's purpose.
2.Distribute any handouts.
3.Suggest group procedures.
4.Keep the discussion focused on the group's goal.
5.Assist the group in covering all items on the agenda.
6.Make sure all group members have an equal opportunity to speak.
7.Listen carefully to what each group member has to say.
8.Keep disagreements focused on issues rather than people.
IV. RESEARCHING TOPICS
A. Critical Questions in Researching Topics
1. Who is the author?
2. What is the source? (Who sponsors the page?)
3. What is the author trying to communicate?
4. What are the author's purposes?
5. What are the author's conclusions?
6. What evidence has the author provided to support these conclusions?
7. Is this evidence of sufficient quality and quantity?
8. Is there any information the author seems to have omitted?
9. What questions is the author trying to answer?
10. What problems is the author trying to solve?
11. What are the author's underlying assumptions?
12. Are those assumptions sound?
13. What inferences has the author drawn?
14. Are those inferences valid?
B. Questions to ask when Conducting Research
1. Who else might be knowledgeable on this issue?
2. What organizations address the problem you are investigating?
3. What events are happening?
4. Where is this information located?
5. Why is this information important?
C. Places to Start
2.Excite
3.HotBot
5.Infoseek
6.Lycos
10.NBCi
11.Webcrawler
12.Yahoo!
V. PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING A PROJECT
A. Planning-Steps in Standard Agenda (a slightly different version is in the Critical Thinking module; the primary difference is that this version includes "Understanding the Charge")
1. Understanding the charge
2. Phrasing the question
3. Fact-finding.
4. Establishing Criteria.
5. Generating alternative solutions.
6. Testing alternative solutions against the criteria.
7. Formulating the final solution and preparing the final report.
B. Implementing
1. Planning is the key to implementation.
2. Example of Group Action Plan
C. Evaluating
1. Part of Group Action Plan is a final evaluation
2. Final Evaluation instructions
Barge, J. K. (1994). Leadership: Communication skills for organizations and groups. New York: St Martin's.
Dobson, A. (1996). Managing Meetings: How to Prepare, How to Take Part and How to Follow Up Effectively. Philadelphia: Trans-Atlantic.
Doyle, T., & Gotthoffer, D. (1999). Quick guide to the Internet for speech communication. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Hackman, J. R. (1998). Why teams don't work. In R. Tindale, L. Heath, J. Edwards, E. Posavac, F. Bryant, Y. Suarez-Balcazar, E. Henderson-King, & J. Myers (Eds.)., Theory and research on small groups (pp. 245-267). New York: Plenum Press.
Jarboe, S. (1996). Procedures for enhancing group decision making. In R. Hirokawa & M. Poole (Eds.), Communication and group decision making, 2nd ed. (pp. 345-383). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Larson, C., & LaFasto, F. (1989). Teamwork: What must go right, what can go wrong. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Makau, J. (1990). Reasoning and communication: Thinking critically about arguments.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Lembke, S., & Wilson, M. (1998). Putting the "team" into teamwork: Alternative theoretical contributions for contemporary management practice. Human Relations, 51, 927-944.
ADDITIONAL READING (instructors)
Assibey-Mensah, G. (1998). Ghana's women-in-development program: Problems, issues, and prescription. Journal of Black Studies, 29, 277-295.
Becker-Reems, E., & Garrett, D. (1998). Testing the limits of teams: How to implement self-management in health care. Chicago: American Hospital Publishing.
Berteotti, C., & Seibold, D. (1994). Coordination and role-definition problems in health-care teams: A hospice case study. In L. Frey (Ed.), Group communication in context: Studies of natural groups. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Buzaglo, B., & Wheelan, S. (1999). Facilitating work team effectiveness: Case studies from Central America. Small Group Research, 30, 108-129.
Devine, D., Clayton, L., Philips, J., Dunford, B., & Melner, S. (1999). Teams in organizations: Prevalence, characteristics, and effectiveness. Small Group Research, 30, 678-711.
Dewar, D. (1999). 13 keys to successful teamwork. Workforce, 78(2), W3.
Entin, E., & Serfaty, D. (1999). Adaptive team coordination. Human Factors, 312-313.
Friedman, P. (1989). Upstream facilitation: A proactive approach to managing problem-solving groups. Management Communication Quarterly, 3, 33-50.
Schultz, B. (1999). Improving group communication performance: An overview of diagnosis and intervention. In L. Frey (Ed.), D. Gouran (Assoc. Ed.), & M. Poole (Assoc. Ed.), The handbook of group communication theory and research (pp. 371-394). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Seibold, D. (1995). Developing the "team" in a team-managed organization: Group facilitation in a new-design plant. In L. Frey (Eds.), Innovations in group facilitation: Applications in natural settings (pp. 282-298). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
TEAMS
Teamwork
http://www.towson.edu/~lieb/editing/teamwork.html
This page demonstrates teamwork in the process of WWW publishing.
http://www.enigma.co.nz/hcro_articles/9910/index.html
Rural Health in New Zealand and Australia
An article from Healthcare Review that identifies the practical implications of a team-based approach to rural health care.
Managing Meetings
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~etfreedman/26.htm
This page focuses on the use of computer technology in managing meetings. Part of a larger site that addresses issues concerning learning/instructing and new communication technology.
Team Meeting Guide
http://www.engr.psu.edu/coop/toys/me101s/me101%20-%20class%201%20-%20teamwork%20handout.doc
More practical information on designing and implementing effective meetings. Although this information is aimed at Engineering students, it is applicable across small group contexts.
RESEARCH
Company Research
http://iws.ohiolink.edu/companies/
Need to gather data on specific organizations? Developed by a librarian at Kent State U, Company Research provides step-by-step procedures on researching organizations. "Company data is one of the most commonly sought types of information. The information may be needed for course work, preparing for a job interview, or for investment decisions. Many individuals are unfamiliar with traditional or electronic business resources. This site is designed to simplify the research process and to aid a beginning researcher by offering a self-help approach."
Internet Public Library
Sponsored by the U of Michigan's School of Information in conjunction with Bell+Howell, the IPL contains its own collections as well as tools for searching the WWW for additional information.
Internet Tutorials
http://library.albany.edu/internet/
Sponsored by the U at Albany Libraries, the site includes information on basic use of the Internet, research guides, search engines, and software training.
Library of Congress Homepage
An invaluable resource for information on nearly every topic you might want to research. Provides help and FAQs on using the site.
Social Research Update
http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru/sru.html
Published quarterly by the Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford, England. "Each issue, we will cover one topic [e.g., focus groups, researching the WWW, computer assisted personal interviewing] in sufficient depth to indicate the main directions of recent developments and provide a bibliography for further reading. If there is room, we shall also list courses, addresses and other useful information."
ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES (instructors)
Empathy: Interpersonal & Small Group Communication
A moderated listserv primarily for college instructors of interpersonal and small group communication. Other members are graduate students, high school teachers, researchers, counselors, and consultants. The website provides information about the listserv and includes instructional resources.
MAJOR ASSIGNMENT
This assignment can be modified to fit any number of instructor objectives. The purpose of this assignment is for students to put small group communication concepts into practice. Students generally find this assignment valuable and fun to implement. This assignment works best in classes in which the instructor follows a workshop module in class meetings. The primary problem with this assignment is students' tendency to use activities they've observed in other classes or found in instructors' manuals. A clear statement about expectations and plagiarism is a must.
This assignment includes Standard Agenda (for choosing a topic), agendas and minutes (for out of class meetings), research, a Group Action Plan (for implementing the project), and a Group Final Evaluation. This is an excellent assignment to facilitate student application of the pragmatics of small group work.
A major assignment in this course is a workshop conducted by each permanent group on a topic relevant to participation in task-oriented small groups and decision making. Your topic must focus on important skill(s) needed for effective small group communication. Each group is responsible for selecting the topic and related concept(s), fully researching the current literature on the topic, and presenting that information to the class in a creative and participatory manner. Each team will have 75 minutes (one class meeting) to complete its presentation.
Your primary objective is to develop small group communication skills in your audience members. Therefore, your presentation should: (1) Facilitate our understanding of the topic you are presenting and (2) "Train" us in its practical application. Each individual in the group is responsible for helping the group research the topic and develop the workshop. All group members must participate in the presentation of the workshop.
Selection of Workshop Topic
For your group project in this class each group will act as "consultants" in that I am asking you to become experts on a particular communication skill (or skills) relevant to small group communication. Once you become experts, I am going to "hire" you to train real organizational members (your classmates). Your "pay" (i.e., grades) for these services will be contingent on the quality of your presentation, workshop packet, and other related materials.
Sometime during the last half of the semester, your group will present a workshop to the class that will train students in communication skill(s) relevant to critical decision making in small groups. To begin that project, you must select three potential topics for your workshop. In your decision-making process you MUST USE STANDARD AGENDA, discussing and writing out each step. You must identify topics that the group can handle and do well on. Thus the decisions you make during the next several group meetings will determine, to some degree, how well you will do later on.
When you reach the Criteria step of Standard Agenda, include the following criteria in addition to those you generate. These criteria should then guide your selection of workshop topics in the evaluation of alternatives step of Standard Agenda. In the final step of Standard Agenda, rank order your top three workshop topic choices.
CRITERIA:
Your topic must:
1. incorporate important communication skill(s) relevant to small groups
2. not be one covered extensively in class.
3. lend itself to development and illustration in 75 minutes.
4. be "trainable" (involves audience exercises/activities).
5. lend itself to a creative presentation.
6. motivate and be of interest to the class.
7. not be addressed by another group.
8. be approved by the instructor.
EVALUATION AREAS:
(Total points possible: 350)
1. Workshop Presentation (150 points)
a. relevance of content to critical decision making in small groups
b. creativity of presentation
c. organization of presentation
d. effectiveness of presentation (accomplishment of objectives)
e. delivery of presentation (extemporaneous and fairly equal participation by team members)
f. involvement of audience in activity/activities and discussion
g. use of questions in discussion
2. Group Required Materials (150 points)
a. Agendas and Minutes (participation points)
b. Group Action Plan (50 points)
c. Workshop Packet (100 points)
d. Group Final Evaluation (participation points)
3. Individual Evaluations of Group Members (50 points)
REQUIREMENTS:
1. AGENDAS AND MINUTES
Typed agendas and minutes of meetings are due several times throughout the semester (see Course Guide). Follow the format detailed in this course packet. You must turn in a total of three Agendas and three Minutes, one of each from meetings noted on the Course Guide. Only group members present at the meeting for which an Agenda and Minutes are handed in will receive participation points for those assignments.
2. ACTION PLAN: This is your plan for completing your project. You must include dates, activities, and resources needed to complete your project. See the example in this course packet.
3. WORKSHOP PACKET: These packets MUST include the following:
A. List of Objectives: A list of what you plan to accomplish in your workshop. These should be written as specific behavioral objectives (i.e., students should be able to . . . by the end of the workshop).
B. Detailed Content Outline of Workshop: A chronologically sequenced outline of your workshop identifying the series of events (discussion, exercises, etc.) included in your presentation. For each main section of your presentation (i.e., each main point of your outline), state the main ideas you want to get across to the audience in that particular part of the workshop (i.e., What ideas will the lecture or activity illustrate? These are your subpoints.). In addition, indicate which group member(s) is responsible for that part of the workshop.
C. Description of Activity: A detailed description of the activity you have developed. Your description must include the following information [provide students with an example from an activity that you've conducted in class]:
a. title of activity
b. overview or summary of the activity (what is the purpose of the activity? small group communication topic area it is designed to address?)
c. chapter(s) in text related to activity
d. key terms illustrated by this activity
e. objectives ("after successfully completing this activity, audience members should be able to . . . ")
f. time needed for activity
g. time needed for processing/discussion
h. materials needed
i. environmental requirements
j. comments (any comments which would be useful for those conducting the activity)
k. directions for conducting the activity
l. processing (discussion questions)
m. closure statement
n. any handouts or information needed in order to conduct the activity
E. Annotated Bibliography: A summary of sources used by the group for the workshop. Include a 4-5 sentence description of each source identifying the specific information you gained from each source relevant to your workshop. Your bibliography must include at least five (5) sources, none of which may be the text for this class.
F. Appendices: Attach any handouts, copies of overhead transparencies, and other information related to conducting your workshop.
4. GROUP FINAL EVALUATION: After your workshop presentation, you will meet in your group to discuss how your group worked together.
5. GROUP MEMBER EVALUATION FORMS: Each group member will be required to "grade" other members on their participation in and contribution to the group's workshop.
FORMAT FOR AGENDAS AND MINUTES
The following are the formats to follow when writing your agendas and minutes.
|
AGENDA |
|
|
Group: #2 (list names) |
Meeting Date: (date of meeting) |
|
Purpose of Meeting: (state reason group is meeting) Items to be Discussed: a. b. c. d. |
|
|
MINUTES |
|
|
Group: #2 (list names) |
Meeting Date: (date of meeting) |
|
Members Present: Members Absent: Items Discussed: a. b. c. d. Decisions Made: Actions Taken: Plans Made: Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: |
|
ACTIVITIES
1. Goal setting. This activity demonstrates one way students can integrate individual goals with group goals.
Setting Goals in Small Group Work
One of the most important competencies necessary for effective small group work is the ability of group members to set goals for themselves. It is these goals which then guide the group's interaction in a meaningful way and contribute to building cohesiveness in a small group.
Today, I would like you to set communication goals for yourself. First identify for yourself three goals you would like to accomplish with respect to your communication skills in small group work. In other words, identify three difficulties/problems you have when communicating in small groups and write goals specific to those areas of small group communication you want to work on.
1.
2.
3.
Second, working in a small group, compile a list of the different communication skills identified in each member's individual goal list and rank order these in terms of their importance to small group communication.
As a group, write two group goals relevant to the two most important small group communication skills you identified above.
1.
2.
2. Group evaluation. In addition to the Final Evaluation, it is useful for students to evaluate how their groups are working during the project. An example discussion sheet is below.
Mid-Term Group Evaluation
Generally, individuals participating in small groups talk very little about how the group members are interacting and how the group is functioning. Today, I would like you to discuss each of the following issues within your project group. Be as concrete as possible in your discussions, citing specific examples to support your evaluations.
I. Teamwork
A. Review the characteristics of effective teamwork. To what degree does your group reflect those characteristics?
B. To what degree does your group NOT reflect those characteristics?
II. Group Meetings and Discussion
A. How effective are group meetings? What contributes to productive group meetings?
B. What contributes to unproductive group meetings?
C. How well do we document group meetings?
D. How effective are we in leading discussion?
III. Research
A. How do we conduct research as a group? Individually?
B. What information have we collected? How useful is it?
C. What information do we still need to complete our project?
IV. Planning and Implementing
A. How systematic have we been in problem solving and decision making?
B. To what degree have we followed our project plan?
V. Assessment
A. What are your group's areas of strength in group work?
C. What areas of weakness can you identify?
D. What changes, if any, does the group need to make in order to function more effectively? How will those changes be accomplished?
Copyright ©2000 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
For further information about this site contact communications@mcgraw-hill.com.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
