So I finally called in the expert on the evil file and it is safely converted and ready for uploading and editing (which I'm sure will bring its own horrors). But yes, the world is safe from me going Hulk...for now.
In other news, Mangini suggested - nay, encouraged - that we question the teacher's approach to this project and attack questions of authorship, work labor, credit, and organization.
>.>
Yes, he went there.
So, as long as it's on the table, I suppose I do have a few things to say about group projects in general and this teacher's approach to it in particular. (Please be advised, I have general, overarching bad feelings toward group projects stemming from some undesirable events in elementary, junior high, and high school. Should I slip into rant-mode, it is likely in response to some past, scarring event that has nothing to do with either of my 2 current research projects. That is all. ^^)
I suppose my biggest issue is with how credit is distributed in group projects. Not that I prefer those instances when group members are expected to, for all intents and purposes, tattle on each other, but the typical "everyone gets 1 grade approach" doesn't work any better for me. In fact, I often feel that using it expresses a certain sense of naivety in the professor behind the assignment.
Groups, assigned or chosen by the students themselves (which sometimes isn't as open and full of choices as it sounds), will have different people. Wow. Shocker, I know. But seriously, when you get stuck with or pick a group, you don't necessarily know how the members differ in work ethic, effort, competence, or any of a number of other factors. For instance, I've had groups before where team members have said, right off the bat, that they don't care about the project/class/life, which tells me the amount of dedication and effort they'll bring to the project is lacking. This, unfortunately, puts those who either want/need the grade or know they can and will do better work in the position of needing to compensate for other team members.
And at the end of the day, they all get the same grade, regardless of the fact that 1-3 people did the work of 6. Groups work it out between themselves and everyone pulls his or her own weight? Sometimes, and I really enjoy group projects when that's true, but that's the exception. More often than not, someone winds up overworking and someone else
In other news, Mangini suggested - nay, encouraged - that we question the teacher's approach to this project and attack questions of authorship, work labor, credit, and organization.
>.>
Yes, he went there.
So, as long as it's on the table, I suppose I do have a few things to say about group projects in general and this teacher's approach to it in particular. (Please be advised, I have general, overarching bad feelings toward group projects stemming from some undesirable events in elementary, junior high, and high school. Should I slip into rant-mode, it is likely in response to some past, scarring event that has nothing to do with either of my 2 current research projects. That is all. ^^)
I suppose my biggest issue is with how credit is distributed in group projects. Not that I prefer those instances when group members are expected to, for all intents and purposes, tattle on each other, but the typical "everyone gets 1 grade approach" doesn't work any better for me. In fact, I often feel that using it expresses a certain sense of naivety in the professor behind the assignment.
Groups, assigned or chosen by the students themselves (which sometimes isn't as open and full of choices as it sounds), will have different people. Wow. Shocker, I know. But seriously, when you get stuck with or pick a group, you don't necessarily know how the members differ in work ethic, effort, competence, or any of a number of other factors. For instance, I've had groups before where team members have said, right off the bat, that they don't care about the project/class/life, which tells me the amount of dedication and effort they'll bring to the project is lacking. This, unfortunately, puts those who either want/need the grade or know they can and will do better work in the position of needing to compensate for other team members.
And at the end of the day, they all get the same grade, regardless of the fact that 1-3 people did the work of 6. Groups work it out between themselves and everyone pulls his or her own weight? Sometimes, and I really enjoy group projects when that's true, but that's the exception. More often than not, someone winds up overworking and someone else
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