Using Online Tools to Support Teamwork and Collaborative Writing

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Using Online Tools to Support Teamwork and
Collaborative Writing

• Jim Sibley, Educational Technology Coordinator,
• Centre for Instructional SupportDr. Dhanesh
  Kannangara, Instructor, Department of Chemical
  and Biological Engineering
• Dr. Tatiana Teslenko, Instructor, Technical
  Communication Centre
• Faculty of Applied Science, UBC

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• Provide an overview of two course redevelopment
  projects
• Change in instructional strategies
• Choice of online tools to support group work

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Overview
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Case Study One APSC 201
The course focuses on written and oral
communication in engineering. It covers report
presentation, business correspondence and oral
presentation of technical material.
Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study One APSC 201

• Drivers for redevelopment
• Need to develop collaborative writing skills
• Teamwork one of the course modules
• Instructor marking loads

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study One APSC 201

• Tasks Collaborative Proposal and Report Team
  Presentation
• Group size 3-4, randomly selected
• Peer evaluation two
• Peer evaluation alters final mark (from 3 to
  one letter-grade)
• Peer editing internal (by other team members)
  and
• external (by members of other teams)

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study One APSC 201

• Assessment
• Group topic memo (marked by instructor)
• Group proposal (marked by instructor)
• Oral and written progress reports
• Two peer evaluations (confidential)
• Group final report (marked by instructor)

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study Two CHBE 262
Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
Laboratory integrates concepts and material
presented in the second year curriculum.
Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study Two CHBE 262

• Drivers for redevelopment
• Teamwork--required core competency in
  Engineering
• Instructor marking loads
• Plagiarism issues

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study Two CHBE 262

• Assessment
• 8 Readiness Tests - Pre-lab Quizzes
• 6 Team Lab Reports - Peer Evaluation and Editing
• 2 Individual Reports
• Team Project Presentation - Peer Evaluation
• Final Lab Exam

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Case Study Two CHBE 262

• Task collaborative report
• team presentation
• Group size 3, instructor-selected
• Peer evaluations 7
• Peer evaluation alters the final mark
• Peer editing Yes

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Context
Overview
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• Supporting Group Process
• Creating an appropriate group task
• Providing clear expectations
• Providing group skills training
• Monitoring group process
• Conveying assessment criteria clearly
• Fairly assessing student work

The things that may or may not involve Technology
Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Group Process
Overview
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• What Online Tools can make a difference?

Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Wiki
Planning and Development
File Sharing
Content and Resources
Implementation and Course Delivery
Pre-session Quizzing
Private Discussions
Group File Manager
Peer Evaluation
Tools for Students
Assessment and Evaluation
Peer Editing
Course Feedback
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Wiki
Planning and Development
File Sharing
Content and Resources
Implementation and Course Delivery
Pre-session Quizzing
Private Discussions
Group File Manager
Peer Evaluation
Tools for Students
Assessment and Evaluation
Peer Editing
Course Feedback
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Group Discussion Forum

• Allows for private group conversations
• Provides a record of group activity
• Can be used by instructor to monitor group
  activity

Tools for Students
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Group Discussion Forum
Tools for Students
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Group File Manager

• Private Group File Management
• WebCTs Student Presentation Tool
• File sharing is not perfect, but it does allow
  for easy sharing of files too large for email

Tools for Students
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Group File Manager
Tools for Students
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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Peer Evaluation

• Paper based in 2003-2004
• Online using iPeer in 2004-2005

Over 1100 total evaluations in CHBE 262 (70
students)
Tools for Students
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Student
Overview
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iPeer

• iPeer V1.0 is a new open source web application
  developed at the Faculty of Applied Science, UBC
• iPeer allows instructors to easily develop and
  deliver peer evaluations to their students.
  Instructors can compile evaluation results by
  student or group.
• http//sourceforge.net/projects/ipeer/

Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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• iPeer current functionality
• Assignment creation
• Custom rubric creation
• Webforms for student submissions
• User management system, including bulk import
  of students and groups
• Profile management
• Sending student reminders via email
• Reminder scheduling

iPeer V1.0
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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Peer Editing

• Paper based in 2003-2004
• Supported by guidelines and rubrics
• Surprisingly effective
• Possible use of online tool Turn-it-in

Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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Peer Editing

• Peer Review Tool - www.turnitin.com
• Peer Editing Functionality and
• Assignment Management
• UBC faculty have evaluation access
• until Sept. 21, 2004

Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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http//www.turnitin.com/
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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Wiki

• Wiki incorporated into WebCT so that course
  design teams can quickly and collaboratively
• Build reference lists
• Construct course outlines
• Brainstorm instructional strategies
• Complete course design questionnaires

Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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WIKI
Context
Group Process
Tools for Faculty
Tools for Faculty
Overview
Tools for Students
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• Wiki to support course development
• WebCT to support course delivery
• WebCT to facilitate group work
• iPeer for peer evaluation
• Turn-it-in for peer editing

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Overview
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The Future Campus pilot of WebCT Vista Some
interesting new functionalities that support
group formation, group assignments and group
reporting.
Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Overview
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• Jim Sibley
• jim.sibley_at_ubc.caDr. Dhanesh Kannangara
• Dr. Tatiana Teslenko
• Faculty of Applied Science, UBC

Context
Group Process
Tools for Students
Tools for Faculty
Overview