This is a great article on using student teams in the classroom. Drs. Barbara Oakley (Oakland University), Richard Felder (North Carolina State University), Rebecca Brent (Education Designs, Inc.) and Imad Elhajj (Oakland University) share tips on how to make the team process more effective. One suggestion I'm going to try myself is:
After 4-6 weeks into the semester (and several assignments), each team member must sign an individual request to stay together as a team (the authors say most students do). However, those electing not to are experiencing a dysfunctional team and are then put into different teams. This accountability means the students are more likely to do their share in the new teams.
There are lots of tips also on how to deal with problem team members and even a handout you could give the students with advice on what they should do to avoid the free rider student.
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