We found 608 results that contain "group projects"
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
Facilitating Independent Group Projects
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Issue #1: Students Don’t See the Value of Independent Projects
Tips
Emphasize the real-world skills that students gain. This can be particularly valuable for students who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject matter but can see the benefits they gain in other areas, such as problem solving and managing a team.
Explain how each component of the independent project emulates a real practice in the discipline. This communicates to your students that you are putting them through this experience to help them develop their competencies, not to waste their time.
Treat every pitfall as a lesson, not as an opportunity to point out deficiencies. If something goes wrong, help the students figure out a way to move forward. Then, ask the students what they learned from the experience (e.g., how to better communicate, the value of a contingency plan, time management) and how they might strategize differently if confronted with a similar situation.
Issue #2: Designing and Conducting Independent Projects is Overwhelming
Tips
Break down the project into manageable goals. Create a guide for students that details out the specific steps that lead to the end product, which includes due dates for smaller components of the project. This will help students feel competent as they achieve each small task and to better manage their time.
Provide iterative feedback. If the only evaluation students receive on their work is their final project grade, they don’t have the opportunity to improve and learn along the way. Checking in with students as they reach each small goal allows both students and instructor to keep track of progress and to make adjustments if a group has gotten off-course.
Take time in class to praise students for their progress. Students may have trouble perceiving their accomplishments, so bringing them up will help to increase student confidence moving forward with the project.
Help groups work through challenges in a structured manner. Ask groups to bring up challenges they have encountered lately, and run a brainstorming session with the entire class to overcome these challenges. Often, other groups will have encountered similar challenges, so working through them together helps students feel more competent and build a sense of community among classmates.
Issue #3: Group Members do not Contribute Equally
Tips
Have students create a team contract. Provide students with a general template for a group contract with space to detail procedures for written communication among teammates, goals for the project, and consequences for group members who don’t pull their weight. All students should contribute to the creation of the contract and sign it. If an issue arises at any point during the project, the group has a clear path forward to correct the issue.
Build in opportunities for every member to contribute. The threat of being held individually accountable is often enough motivation for students to pull their weight. Take time in class to consult with each group individually or run brainstorming sessions with the entire class, asking individual students to share their experience or discuss project results.
Issue #4: Group Members Have Disparate Goals
Tips
Form groups based on mutual interests. Ask students to sit in different sections of the classroom based on potential project topics, then organize the students into groups based on their “interest zone.” An added bonus to this approach is that student groups will automatically have something in common, which can help them form social bonds and increase the enjoyment of working together.
Make time at the start of the project for students to discuss goals. Talking about how the project might relate to their goals for the course, their undergraduate education, and/or their career helps students understand the motivations of their teammates. When group members understand each other’s motivations, they can adjust their expectations and support the achievement of a variety of goals.
While your students may not enjoy the long hours, issues with teammates, and frustrations that accompany the independent group project, they may come to appreciate the lessons learned from their experiences. An example of working through a road block on their project could become a scenario they describe in a job interview. Dealing with an uncooperative group member could inform their approach to team management in their career. Engaging in inquiry could become the foundation for a student’s decision to pursue graduate school. Keep these outcomes in mind, and make every effort to put a positive spin on student progress.
Issue #1: Students Don’t See the Value of Independent Projects
Tips
Emphasize the real-world skills that students gain. This can be particularly valuable for students who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject matter but can see the benefits they gain in other areas, such as problem solving and managing a team.
Explain how each component of the independent project emulates a real practice in the discipline. This communicates to your students that you are putting them through this experience to help them develop their competencies, not to waste their time.
Treat every pitfall as a lesson, not as an opportunity to point out deficiencies. If something goes wrong, help the students figure out a way to move forward. Then, ask the students what they learned from the experience (e.g., how to better communicate, the value of a contingency plan, time management) and how they might strategize differently if confronted with a similar situation.
Issue #2: Designing and Conducting Independent Projects is Overwhelming
Tips
Break down the project into manageable goals. Create a guide for students that details out the specific steps that lead to the end product, which includes due dates for smaller components of the project. This will help students feel competent as they achieve each small task and to better manage their time.
Provide iterative feedback. If the only evaluation students receive on their work is their final project grade, they don’t have the opportunity to improve and learn along the way. Checking in with students as they reach each small goal allows both students and instructor to keep track of progress and to make adjustments if a group has gotten off-course.
Take time in class to praise students for their progress. Students may have trouble perceiving their accomplishments, so bringing them up will help to increase student confidence moving forward with the project.
Help groups work through challenges in a structured manner. Ask groups to bring up challenges they have encountered lately, and run a brainstorming session with the entire class to overcome these challenges. Often, other groups will have encountered similar challenges, so working through them together helps students feel more competent and build a sense of community among classmates.
Issue #3: Group Members do not Contribute Equally
Tips
Have students create a team contract. Provide students with a general template for a group contract with space to detail procedures for written communication among teammates, goals for the project, and consequences for group members who don’t pull their weight. All students should contribute to the creation of the contract and sign it. If an issue arises at any point during the project, the group has a clear path forward to correct the issue.
Build in opportunities for every member to contribute. The threat of being held individually accountable is often enough motivation for students to pull their weight. Take time in class to consult with each group individually or run brainstorming sessions with the entire class, asking individual students to share their experience or discuss project results.
Issue #4: Group Members Have Disparate Goals
Tips
Form groups based on mutual interests. Ask students to sit in different sections of the classroom based on potential project topics, then organize the students into groups based on their “interest zone.” An added bonus to this approach is that student groups will automatically have something in common, which can help them form social bonds and increase the enjoyment of working together.
Make time at the start of the project for students to discuss goals. Talking about how the project might relate to their goals for the course, their undergraduate education, and/or their career helps students understand the motivations of their teammates. When group members understand each other’s motivations, they can adjust their expectations and support the achievement of a variety of goals.
While your students may not enjoy the long hours, issues with teammates, and frustrations that accompany the independent group project, they may come to appreciate the lessons learned from their experiences. An example of working through a road block on their project could become a scenario they describe in a job interview. Dealing with an uncooperative group member could inform their approach to team management in their career. Engaging in inquiry could become the foundation for a student’s decision to pursue graduate school. Keep these outcomes in mind, and make every effort to put a positive spin on student progress.
Authored by: Kateri Salk
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
"Inner Leader" Group 2015-2016
This group developed a unique approach to personal leadership development by breaking down the Four Pillars Model and each taking a pillar (personal, relational, functional, or contextual leadership) to apply to their own personal leadership development. This project was impactful on the Institute since these members demonstrated the value of vulnerability in leadership by applying these principles to their professional and personal lives. Further, this project represents an insightful and successful application of the Four Pillars Model, a leadership framework developed by the Leadership Institute.
Resources:
Developing our "inner leader" presentation
Resources:
Developing our "inner leader" presentation
Authored by: Grace Chee, Robert Logan, Maggie Louks, Tayo Moss, Krystin Stiefel, and Breanne Washington
Navigating Context
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Humanities Ph.D Project
This website from the University of Michigan's Rackham Graduate School provides resources for humanities grad students at various stages of their schooling for professional development and career exploration.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: PREP Matrix
The PhD Thesis - A Crash Course In Project Management
This blog post explores the ways in which writing a dissertation is like managing a major project, and gives graduate students concrete steps to take in order to figure out a plan to get their dissertation written.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Finding support resources doesn't need to be another research project
Starting graduate school is an exciting moment in life, it can also be a stressful one. Facing new roles and responsibilities, maybe moving to a new city and a new university, having to adjust to a new work environment and collegial relationships, and figuring out how to balance different work/ research/ study requirements with your private life. Phew! Now, add on top of that being an international student also adjusting to a new language, culture, country and university system. It can all be a little overwhelming.
Thankfully, MSU has many great resources available to support graduate students during this transition and throughout their program, some tailored specifically to international students, many available to all graduate students. Orientation programs are provided through the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS), the Graduate School, and the individual departments. Most information is conveyed through the departmental welcome events since there are a lot of department-specific requirements and resources. This means though that there is a wide variety in university-wide information, resources and services covered, resulting in an uneven awareness of those among graduate students.
As an international student myself, I attended all the orientation events I was aware of. They gave a good introduction to some aspects of graduate school. However, I realized throughout the following months that there are many more useful resources that could have eased my transition into graduate school and my early life as a graduate student significantly. The other side of the coin is that the orientation programs cover A LOT of ground in a short amount of time, making it difficult to remember it all. In my opinion, easily accessible (i.e. easy to find even though you might not be aware of what you are looking for) information could significantly support graduate students as they transition into and move through their degree program.
This experience inspired my work as one of the Leadership Fellows in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Of course, I first had to find out whether I was alone with my experience or if it was shared by others. Over my first year at MSU, I spoke to many of my fellow graduate students, sometimes mentioning workshops or resources I had come across. I was often met with astonishment that those were available to us. This reaffirmed to me that many of the great resources available were not necessarily easily accessible or publicized. During my Fellowship year, I focused on the international student perspective because there were a lot of things of the American university system (and beyond) that I found to be quite confusing. There are also always those things presumed to be known but very confusing and unknown to someone who didn’t grow up here.
After reflecting on my experience and brainstorming topics for which I would have benefitted from better access, I conducted a short survey in cooperation with the Graduate School’s Curriculum Development Director. We received a surprising response of 100 international graduate students within 2 weeks (and just before winter break!). The survey asked both for how much information students had received on specific topics/ issues as well as collecting open-ended feedback on information they wished they had received when first coming here. We also asked what went well during orientation and further comments they had to improve the onboarding experience.
In response to whether students had received enough information on selected topics, the item with the most “Yes” responses was “Health Care Information and Services at MSU”. However, even for this item only 49% felt they had received sufficient information. The items with the least number of “Yes” responses broadly fall under ‘daily life services’ (such as hair and beauty salons) as well as family and child care support services. Without going into more detail here, the survey confirmed the need for my Fellowship project – creating one place from which students are easily directed towards resources they may need during their graduate school stay at MSU. So that is what I set out to do.
My goal is to create a playlist for incoming international graduate students here on the #iteachmsu website that brings together many of the available resources in one place. Picture a Spotify playlist but instead of music genre and songs, it will have topical categories like “Health” and “Money” under which one can find a collection of resources fitting within that category. The information will be introduced and “translated” into an easily digestible format. I will not reinvent the wheel here but rather showcase WHY these resources are useful and important to know about from the perspective of a graduate student (me). Accessing support resources should not turn into another research project but be a straightforward process. This playlist aims to do just that.
While the playlist is not yet up and running, it will be available for the Fall 2020 incoming students. I am currently bringing together the resources I wish to start with and writing the articles for the playlist. It will be a living resource in that I encourage feedback and additions.
Through the connections I have made during the Fellowship, a new cooperation in CANR has emerged to work on a similar project, catering to both international and domestic students.
My hope is that the playlist will be useful in publicizing the great resources MSU has to offer and in some way ease graduate students’ experience at the beginning of and throughout their program. The playlist can easily be expanded to cater to domestic students as there is a lot of overlap. And since it is one playlist, one package, it could easily be shared at orientation events within CANR and beyond, making the same information available to all.
Thankfully, MSU has many great resources available to support graduate students during this transition and throughout their program, some tailored specifically to international students, many available to all graduate students. Orientation programs are provided through the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS), the Graduate School, and the individual departments. Most information is conveyed through the departmental welcome events since there are a lot of department-specific requirements and resources. This means though that there is a wide variety in university-wide information, resources and services covered, resulting in an uneven awareness of those among graduate students.
As an international student myself, I attended all the orientation events I was aware of. They gave a good introduction to some aspects of graduate school. However, I realized throughout the following months that there are many more useful resources that could have eased my transition into graduate school and my early life as a graduate student significantly. The other side of the coin is that the orientation programs cover A LOT of ground in a short amount of time, making it difficult to remember it all. In my opinion, easily accessible (i.e. easy to find even though you might not be aware of what you are looking for) information could significantly support graduate students as they transition into and move through their degree program.
This experience inspired my work as one of the Leadership Fellows in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Of course, I first had to find out whether I was alone with my experience or if it was shared by others. Over my first year at MSU, I spoke to many of my fellow graduate students, sometimes mentioning workshops or resources I had come across. I was often met with astonishment that those were available to us. This reaffirmed to me that many of the great resources available were not necessarily easily accessible or publicized. During my Fellowship year, I focused on the international student perspective because there were a lot of things of the American university system (and beyond) that I found to be quite confusing. There are also always those things presumed to be known but very confusing and unknown to someone who didn’t grow up here.
After reflecting on my experience and brainstorming topics for which I would have benefitted from better access, I conducted a short survey in cooperation with the Graduate School’s Curriculum Development Director. We received a surprising response of 100 international graduate students within 2 weeks (and just before winter break!). The survey asked both for how much information students had received on specific topics/ issues as well as collecting open-ended feedback on information they wished they had received when first coming here. We also asked what went well during orientation and further comments they had to improve the onboarding experience.
In response to whether students had received enough information on selected topics, the item with the most “Yes” responses was “Health Care Information and Services at MSU”. However, even for this item only 49% felt they had received sufficient information. The items with the least number of “Yes” responses broadly fall under ‘daily life services’ (such as hair and beauty salons) as well as family and child care support services. Without going into more detail here, the survey confirmed the need for my Fellowship project – creating one place from which students are easily directed towards resources they may need during their graduate school stay at MSU. So that is what I set out to do.
My goal is to create a playlist for incoming international graduate students here on the #iteachmsu website that brings together many of the available resources in one place. Picture a Spotify playlist but instead of music genre and songs, it will have topical categories like “Health” and “Money” under which one can find a collection of resources fitting within that category. The information will be introduced and “translated” into an easily digestible format. I will not reinvent the wheel here but rather showcase WHY these resources are useful and important to know about from the perspective of a graduate student (me). Accessing support resources should not turn into another research project but be a straightforward process. This playlist aims to do just that.
While the playlist is not yet up and running, it will be available for the Fall 2020 incoming students. I am currently bringing together the resources I wish to start with and writing the articles for the playlist. It will be a living resource in that I encourage feedback and additions.
Through the connections I have made during the Fellowship, a new cooperation in CANR has emerged to work on a similar project, catering to both international and domestic students.
My hope is that the playlist will be useful in publicizing the great resources MSU has to offer and in some way ease graduate students’ experience at the beginning of and throughout their program. The playlist can easily be expanded to cater to domestic students as there is a lot of overlap. And since it is one playlist, one package, it could easily be shared at orientation events within CANR and beyond, making the same information available to all.
Posted by: Clara Graucob
Navigating Context
Posted on: The MSU Graduate Le...
Creative Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Group
Final Report: https://iteach.msu.edu/posts/preview_attachments?post_id=1497
Authored by: Hazel Moyo, Gloria Nzeka, Rodrigo Souza, Ayo Thomas
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Group Survey for Fairytale Oral Exam
This group survey document corresponds to the Fairytale Oral Exam document.
Authored by: Nicola Imbracsio
Assessing Learning
Posted on: The MSU Graduate Le...
Labor & Employee Relations Association Group
"As president of the MSU Chapter of LERA (Labor and Employee Relations Association), I would like to develop a stronger presence and solidify our niche for adding value to our program. LERA is the newest and most under-represented GSO in our program. By identifying unique ways to leverage our resources, we should be able to establish LERA as a quality organization that enhances the quality of our program." -Jason Kerschke
Presentation: https://iteach.msu.edu/posts/preview_attachments?post_id=1485
Presentation: https://iteach.msu.edu/posts/preview_attachments?post_id=1485
Authored by: Jason Kerschke
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
CATME Smarter Teamwork is a program for creating student teams and having peers evaluate their team members. This link is to the program itself ( https://catme.org/login/index ). For more information, see their information webpage and view MSU's recorded STEM Teaching Essentials talk by Kendra Spence Cheruvelil.
Posted by: Dave Goodrich
Assessing Learning
Posted on: #iteachmsu
In a project that has been in the works for a long time, with an aim to be a platform for positive change at such a large institution, there is a lot of pressure to get it just right. That being said, we hope that in the true nature of prototyping and design iterations, users to the new space approach it with an open mind and a recognition that it's not perfect (but we're committed to making it the best it can be in our current phase).
Has anyone else experienced this tension between a "perfect" end product and launching a new project?
Has anyone else experienced this tension between a "perfect" end product and launching a new project?
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Making learning fun...
Welcome to the Group
Posted by: Rashad Muhammad
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Did you know that when MSU went remote due to the Covid19 pandemic, past face-to-face Teaching Toolkit Tailgate (TTT) “tools” (AKA content) were shared in a #iteachmsu group? You can access all the TTT resources by joining the Teaching Toolkit Tailgate group! https://iteach.msu.edu/groups/teaching-toolkit-tailgate/articles
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Erica Venton is a Marketing Manager for the Office of the Provost Communication Team. Their team works to develop and deliver daily content and communication strategies for the units we work with under the Provost Office umbrella. They collaborate university-wide, including with University Communication, on various large scale planning and projects. While our objective is to collaborate, strategize, and consult, we are committed to execution and implementation.
Erica and I have a network of relationships and resources across the university. Though our experiences and skill sets vary, we both find enjoyment in helping and encouraging people. Whether you are struggling, striving, or just searching for a great group to plug into, we can help you along the way. And hey, I’m sure you have a few ideas and bits of information to share with us too. Please feel free to add your own tips for us or others to utilize.
Erica and I have a network of relationships and resources across the university. Though our experiences and skill sets vary, we both find enjoyment in helping and encouraging people. Whether you are struggling, striving, or just searching for a great group to plug into, we can help you along the way. And hey, I’m sure you have a few ideas and bits of information to share with us too. Please feel free to add your own tips for us or others to utilize.
Posted by: Summer Issawi
Navigating Context
Posted on: Equitable Pedagogy ...
Hey everyone, we have a CEIG grant to develop resources and training around helping trainers be aware and educated of best practiced related to creating and facilitating educational materials and programs. I'd love to get ideas from anyone in this group on what has been successful, what are pain points, etc. This was inspired by this document, which is a sort of starting place of this project. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/dei-in-action-developing-planning-and-facilitating-educational-programs-and-events
Posted by: Anne Marie Baker
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
A belated Happy 2022 everyone! Stumbled across a bunch of interesting ideas for (end of semester) digital project ideas for our students at ditchthattextbook.com this morning. Lots of cool stuff here that will motivate and engage students in their learning throughout the semester not just at the very end things. Here is the direct link: https://ditchthattextbook.com/10-ideas-for-digital-end-of-semester-final-projects/
Posted by: Stokes Schwartz
Pedagogical Design
Host: MSU Libraries
Third Thursday Crafting at the Makerspace
Join us for our Third Thursday Crafting Meet-Ups, a fun free event series where creativity and community come together! Every third Thursday of the month we gather and make together, share ideas, meet new people, and enjoy a relaxing evening to unwind, and create something. Feel free to bring along your current project or try out some new crafts — it’s all about having fun and connecting!
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Sew What? Getting Started with a Sewing Machine
Discover the joy of sewing! This beginner-friendly session will guide you through the essentials of how a sewing machine works, using a mechanical sewing machine. Learn valuable skills while creating a project to take home. Perfect for anyone eager to learn the basics, this workshop is designed to boost your confidence and spark creativity!
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Research Data Management: Best Practices for organizing and managing your data
Why is research data management so important? This workshop will help you plan for organizing and managing your data from the outset of your project.
We will look at some basic best practices for:
organizing your data
cleaning/prepping/working with your data
working with multiple data files
storage solutions
long-term archiving and making your data accessible to other researchers
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Zotero Workshop (Online)
An introduction to the free open source citation management program Zotero. In this workshop, participants will learn how to:
Download references from MSU's article databases and websites
Format citations and bibliographies in a Word document
Create groups and share references with other users
Registration for this event is required.
You will receive a link to join a Zoom meeting before the workshop. Please install the Zotero software and Zotero browser connector on your computer before the session begins. More information is available from https://libguides.lib.msu.edu/zotero/setup.
Questions or need more information? Contact the MSU Libraries Zotero training team at lib.dl.zotero@msu.edu.
To schedule a separate session for your class or research group, please contact the Zotero team at lib.dl.zotero@msu.edu.
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
Educators as Researchers: The SoTL Approach to Innovative Teaching
Curious about conducting research in your classroom as a means to improve student outcomes? Join us for an informative workshop that introduces the fundamentals of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), which involves the systematic study of teaching and learning in higher education to improve student success. In this session, you'll discover how SoTL can transform your teaching and contribute to your professional growth. We'll guide you through the key steps of a SoTL inquiry, from formulating research questions to sharing your findings. Plus, you'll explore examples of impactful SoTL projects and learn about resources available to help you get started. Whether you're new to SoTL or looking to refine your approach, this session offers valuable insights into the research-based approach to improving student learning.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
define SoTL and describe its core principles
explain the importance of SoTL in enhancing student learning and improving teaching practices
identify differences between SOTL and traditional research in higher education
describe how SoTL can contribute to professional development, tenure, and promotion in higher education
outline the key steps involved in a SoTL inquiry, from formulating a question to dissemination
explore examples of SoTL projects in various disciplines
identify institutional and external resources available for faculty interested in SoTL (funding, mentorship, workshops)
describe ethical considerations when conducting SoTL research, including the use of student data, informed consent, IRB, etc.
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
UFOs at MSU: A University Archives & Special Collections Pop-up
People were obsessed with UFOs after World War II, and the MSU community was no exception. Learn about the Olin physician who joined "the Seekers," a group that believed UFOs would rescue them from devastating floods. We'll feature MSU documents related to the group and books on UFOs along with the predictions of the Seekers. Make first contact with University Archives and Stephen O. Murray & Keelung Hong Special Collections at this event!
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Digital Scholarship Lab Project Incubator 2025-2026 Informational Session
The Digital Scholarship Lab is excited to open the Call for Proposals for the 2025-2026 Incubator Program. Proposals will be accepted through Tuesday, September 9th, 2025.
Please see the Call for Proposals here.
We will host an info session on Tuesday September 2nd at 3pm in the DSL Room J or you can join us virtually via this Zoom:
https://msu.zoom.us/j/97758020577
Meeting ID: 977 5802 0577 (MSU NetID required)
Navigating Context
EXPIRED