Group Roles

Each class will have group activities. Teams should rotate the following roles weekly so that each member gains experience in each role.

Team Captain

• Performs the Spokesperson/Planner role in a 3 person team.
• Keeps the group on task and makes sure everyone is having fun;
• Ensures that the group accomplishes the task within the allotted time;
• Encourages full participation by each group member;
• Ensures that all team members can articulate what has been learned;
• Ensures that the other group members perform within their roles;
• Represents the group in all interactions with the instructor.

Recorder

• Records group roles and instructions at beginning of activity;
• Takes notes of important points which come up during the activity;
• Ensures her words accurately reflect group consensus. Checks wording with the group when necessary;
• Prepares a written report of the group's decisions and discoveries during each activity.

Reflector

• Watches group process: what is going well, what is needs improvement, what can be done to improve the process (use constructive criticism);
• Writes down and reports orally her observations to the group when needed (at least once every 20 minutes) to help make the work go forward and help the group to function better. The report should contain: (1) the group's most important strength since the last report; (2) what skill the group most needs to improve on and how this can be done; and (3) an insight about group learning. These reports should be time stamped;
• Prepares the Reflector's Report from the Journal and checks it out with the group during the end-of-class assessment period. This will include the greatest strength of the team as a whole and why it is a strength, two areas most in need of improvement and how to accomplish the improvements, and two quality insights about the team's performance;
• Reminds the team leader of her duties if necessary.

Spokesperson/Technology Specialist/Planner

• Comes up with a plan for accomplishing the group task.
• Retrieves information from various sources (computer, text, manuals...).
• Encourages risk-taking and critical thinking.
• Synthesizes other members' directions and reports results.
• Gives the group report orally at the end of the activity.

  Note that all group members must fully participate in the learning exercise while performing their roles. All must really want the team to succeed.

  Hand In: At the end of each class, each team must hand in:

  1. A cover page giving the names and roles of the team members, the three top discoveries made by the group during the class, and a team grade on a scale of 1 - 5 based on how well it performed during the period. The grade should be consistent with the reflector's assessment.
  2. A Table of Contents for the report (may be on the cover page).
  3. The work products of the team - usually the reflector's and recorder's reports, including the quiz if any.

  Team Grade:

  I will double the grade your team assigned itself if I feel that it was assigned accurately. Otherwise, I will use the grade your team assigned as the grade for the class.

  PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR GROUP ROLES

  Team Captain

  1. Keep the process enjoyable and rewarding;
  2. Keep all team members performing within roles;
  3. Keep the team focused;
  4. Keep all team members involved in the problem-solving process;
  5. Ensure that all team members can articulate what has been learned;
  6. Handle time management;
  7. Handle stress management;
  8. Be an active learner and contributor;
  9. Ensure overall team performance;
  10. Plan time for various tasks;
  11. Set up meeting times and places, meeting length, deadlines;
  12. Act as the objective internal mediator when interpersonal conflicts arise;

  Recorder

  1. Record names and group roles at beginning of class;
  2. Record instructions at beginning of task;
  3. Quality of listening and recording skills;
  4. Legibly document the process, group decisions, and discoveries in the Reporter's Journal;
  5. Active learner and contributor;
  6. Ability to control information flow;
  7. Ability to rearticulate concepts in alternative forms;
  8. Ability to integrate and synthesize multiple ideas;
  9. Ability to diagram and draw pictures;
  10. Create and communicate algorithms;
  11. Prepare the report for handing in at end of class;

  Reflector

  1. Ability to rephrase or reframe evaluations into constructive criticism;
  2. Observation skills;
  3. Reports strength, area for improvement, and insight in the Reflector's Journal every 20 minutes;
  4. Provide information about group interactions and process;
  5. Active learner and contributor;
  6. Intervene with observations about the process and strategies for change;
  7. Remind team leader of duties;
  8. Acquires sufficient evidence of behaviors and documentation to permit fair judgements to be made in the event of mediation and conflict resolution.

  Spokesperson/Technology Specialist/Planner

  1. Listening and communication skills;
  2. Critical thinking;
  3. Observation skills;
  4. Collaborating;
  5. Experimental skills;
  6. Synthesizing;
  7. Retrieving information from various sources;
  8. Risk taking;
  9. Active learner and contributor;
  10. Computer skills;
  11. Planning and management skills;
  12. Giving oral reports;

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  Group Roles - revised 6/26/98