Classroom Assessment Techniques: “Group” presentations Social and Legal Environment of Business.

Classroom Assessment Classroom Assessment Techniques: “Group” Techniques: “Group”

presentationspresentationsSocial and Legal Environment of Social and Legal Environment of

BusinessBusiness

The CourseThe Course::

Juniors, Core Course; 35-40 Juniors, Core Course; 35-40 studentsstudents

Subject matter: Subject matter: Legal System, Legal System, relationship of business, social relationship of business, social environment, law and public environment, law and public policypolicy

Several Subject Areas: Several Subject Areas: Requires lots of new vocabulary, Requires lots of new vocabulary, foundation material; foundation material;

The Goals:The Goals:

Basic understanding of structure and Basic understanding of structure and mechanics of legal systemmechanics of legal system

Recognize connections: business, Recognize connections: business, stakeholders, legal systemstakeholders, legal system

Develop skills:Develop skills: Finding and Integrating sourcesFinding and Integrating sources Written organization and expressionWritten organization and expression Verbal organization and expressionVerbal organization and expression Group workGroup work

The Challenges:The Challenges:

Getting beyond the basicsGetting beyond the basics Time needed to lay foundation Time needed to lay foundation

before moving on to “higher before moving on to “higher level” taskslevel” tasks

Class SizeClass Size Class time taken by Class time taken by

presentations; faculty time presentations; faculty time required for structuring, required for structuring, guiding, and evaluating student guiding, and evaluating student group and individual workgroup and individual work

Group PresentationsGroup Presentations

GROUP PRESENTATION GROUP PRESENTATION BASICS:BASICS: I considered the following to be critical I considered the following to be critical

to ensuring that presentations were relevant and to ensuring that presentations were relevant and informativeinformative

TOPIC SPECIFIED; KEY ISSUES TOPIC SPECIFIED; KEY ISSUES GENERALLY IDENTIFIEDGENERALLY IDENTIFIED

PRIOR INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN PRIOR INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN RESEARCH REQUIREDRESEARCH REQUIRED Individual research paper or outline reviewed and Individual research paper or outline reviewed and

discussed in advance of presentationdiscussed in advance of presentation

CHECKPOINTS TO DETERMINE CHECKPOINTS TO DETERMINE PROGRESSPROGRESS (Some class time devoted to checking (Some class time devoted to checking

progress; drafts required)progress; drafts required)

GROUP PRESENTATION GROUP PRESENTATION CHALLENGESCHALLENGES1) CONTENT QUALITY:1) CONTENT QUALITY: Informative and AccurateInformative and Accurate Well OrganizedWell Organized Relevant Issues AddressedRelevant Issues Addressed

2) 2) STYLE:STYLE: Colorful, Interesting, ClearColorful, Interesting, Clear

3) WORTHWHILE FOR AUDIENCE3) WORTHWHILE FOR AUDIENCE

4) Group Dynamics4) Group Dynamics

Initial Changes: Initial Changes: (To better focus the (To better focus the research, and to make the presentations more research, and to make the presentations more interesting and helpful to the audience)interesting and helpful to the audience)

SOURCES PROVIDED ON SOURCES PROVIDED ON BLACKBOARDBLACKBOARD Students required to add 3-4 of their ownStudents required to add 3-4 of their own

MORE EMPHASIS ON STYLE MORE EMPHASIS ON STYLE Examples of prior presentations were shown to Examples of prior presentations were shown to

classclass

Results Were MixedResults Were Mixed

Content decent Content decent overalloverall

Style improved Style improved somewhatsomewhat

Took up MUCH Took up MUCH too much timetoo much time

Group dynamics Group dynamics a continuing a continuing problemproblem

GOALS FOR BRIDGE GOALS FOR BRIDGE PROJECTPROJECT Better Integrate Presentations Better Integrate Presentations

with Lecture Material with Lecture Material Time Pressure a huge problemTime Pressure a huge problem

Make research/group Make research/group presentation less burdensomepresentation less burdensome

Engage audience to greater Engage audience to greater degree degree

BRIDGE REVISIONSBRIDGE REVISIONS

1)MORE STRUCTURE1)MORE STRUCTUREMORE SPECIFIC ISSUE IDENTIFICATIONMORE SPECIFIC ISSUE IDENTIFICATION

2)REDUCED PRESENTATION TIME 2)REDUCED PRESENTATION TIME Approximately 5 minutes per person instead of 15 Approximately 5 minutes per person instead of 15 minutesminutes

3)MODIFIED OR ELIMINATED OTHER 3)MODIFIED OR ELIMINATED OTHER ASSIGNMENTS WHICH WERE NOT RELATED ASSIGNMENTS WHICH WERE NOT RELATED TO THE PRESENTATIONTO THE PRESENTATION Homework assignments and exam essay Homework assignments and exam essay questions were focused on the presentation topics. questions were focused on the presentation topics. Homework assignments required summaries of Homework assignments required summaries of research sources and outlines of progress on the research sources and outlines of progress on the paper.paper.

BRIDGE REVISIONS (CONT’D)BRIDGE REVISIONS (CONT’D)

““Group” Presentation With Group” Presentation With Individual GradesIndividual Grades Seven-eight general “group” Seven-eight general “group”

topics identifiedtopics identified Each topic had up to six Each topic had up to six

separate issuesseparate issues Students “select” general topic Students “select” general topic

within first two weeks of within first two weeks of semester– no more than 6 semester– no more than 6 students per “group”students per “group”

Class meeting time still providedClass meeting time still provided

““Group” PresentationGroup” Presentation

Students may choose to present Students may choose to present as individuals or with the groupas individuals or with the group

Groups may use one powerpoint Groups may use one powerpoint or individual powerpointsor individual powerpoints

Each Individual is responsible Each Individual is responsible for his/her issue, but must for his/her issue, but must also coordinate with the also coordinate with the group to make sure there is group to make sure there is no overlap. no overlap.

RESULTS RESULTS (MY IMPRESSION)(MY IMPRESSION)

CONTENT AND QUALITY OF CONTENT AND QUALITY OF PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE SAMESAME

SLACKER PROBLEMS VANISHED!SLACKER PROBLEMS VANISHED! GROUP ACTIVITY: Despite the GROUP ACTIVITY: Despite the

option of working individually, most option of working individually, most students chose to work together. students chose to work together. Several presented a completely Several presented a completely coordinated group presentation. coordinated group presentation.

PLANS FOR FUTUREPLANS FOR FUTURE

STRUCTURE IS CRITICALSTRUCTURE IS CRITICAL Identify AND ORGANIZE issues, provide foundation Identify AND ORGANIZE issues, provide foundation

research research

POWERPOINTS HELPFUL:POWERPOINTS HELPFUL: Will require for allWill require for all

TOUGHER TIME RESTRICTIONS, TOUGHER TIME RESTRICTIONS, GREATER GREATER EMPHASIS ON STYLE EMPHASIS ON STYLE

MORE EXPLICIT DISCUSSION OF DIFFERENCE MORE EXPLICIT DISCUSSION OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITTEN RESEARCH AND BETWEEN WRITTEN RESEARCH AND PRESENTATIONPRESENTATION

Next Challenge to Work Next Challenge to Work on….on…. Engaging the audience– Engaging the audience–

questions and critical thinking…questions and critical thinking…