Thinking about the content from the previous sections, consider the following questions:
- Why would you want to use groups in your online course?
- What are some potential challenges to online group work?
- What considerations would you make in developing learner groups?
- What learning activities are most appropriate for group work in your course?
- How would you assess group work?
Next, you will plan a small group activity for your context by answering the following questions:
- What do I want my learners to be able to do (i.e., not just “know”)?
- What evidence or documentation do I require to demonstrate my learners’ achievement of these desired results? Individually? As a group?
- What group learning activity will produce this evidence or documentation?
- What materials and resources are best suited to assist learners in accomplishing these goals?
- What communication tools will they use?
- How will you facilitate interactions?
- How much time will they need to get to know each other, develop a charter, accomplish the tasks, etc.?
- Will you provide a sample product?