SPC 3425
Group Tasks
Your primary task (and by
that I mean the one that is most significant) is to become an
effective working group. This
involves discovering or defining for yourselves what that constitutes and
attempting to transform your group to that end. Like many things in life, we can prepare ourselves to allow this
possibility, but there is no technology, no set of steps or tricks or
techniques, that can assure that your group will achieve this goal. Nevertheless, nothing will be more
significant to your group's success and to your own learning in the course than
for each person in each group to commit to striving toward this goal.
Your second task is to
identify and complete a sustained project that is of real and significant
benefit to someone other than yourselves.
The project should be centered in the greater USF area, must involve a
real challenge for your group, and allow all group members to participate. The project must involve at least 2 hours of
work per week on your site for each group member for the months of October and
November (a total of 9 weeks).
By Friday, September 28th, each
group must turn in a one paragraph (typed) description of its proposed project
and its intended benefit, along with a letter from the person who will
supervising your work (written on his or her agency's stationary) indicating
approval for this project. Next week I
will give you a letter of introduction and explanation that you are to show to
whomever you approach about your project (if you need it sooner, let me
know). You are advised to consult with
me all along so that I will be unlikely to decline your proposal. I must approve your project in writing
before you begin on it.
At the conclusion of your project,
each group must submit a brief report (two to three typed pages) that describes
(a) your initial goals, (b) the actual activities you performed, and (c) your
assessment of your accomplishments associated with the project.
Your third task is to give a
brief presentation toward the end of the semester that fulfills two
purposes: (a) it demonstrates honestly
the extent to which you have accomplished the primary task, and (b) it teaches
the class something useful and significant about group communication
processes. That is, you are
simultaneously to demonstrate something about your group and about all
groups. Note that this is not a report
on your work on your project (or second task), although the project might be
mentioned in the presentation. The
format or style of the presentation is determined entirely by the group--I
encourage you to be both creative and professional. You will have about fifteen
minutes to give the presentation.
In addition, sometime during the
semester, your group is (a) to prepare and consume a meal together, and (b)
create a collage that represents creatively your group or something about your
group. Each of you are to write a
journal entry about the meal--it will be labeled "MEAL." Your group is to incorporate the collage in
some way into the brief presentation (third task) described above.
The group will be provided other
activities and exercises each week, which are intended to be useful in
facilitating your learning and in helping the group accomplish its primary
task.