[nabs-l] group projects issues
Carly Mihalakis
carlymih at comcast.net
Mon Feb 4 12:37:28 UTC 2013
Good morning,
Good morning, Ashley,
Getting into groups most definitely is easier
said than done and, usually instructor needs to
intervene for us and i am definitely not trying
to suggest it being somehow easier in my case. It
still sucks when everyone else scatters,
gravitating toward each other's gazes is it,
right over your head? So please don't think I
have any answers or that I'm trying to say I have
it better. Have a good day, Ash!
for today, Car :01 PM 2/3/2013, Ashley Bramlett wrote:
>Carely, Gee, I guess personality comes across
>different in email. I really don't see me as you
>said. Further, you did not give specifics as to
>what educate means so its not exactly helpful.
>As I said before, I asked around and everyone I
>asked was in a group. People did not come to me
>Carley, that is the problem. In class it happens
>so fast; if you look around before you know it
>people are already grouped and you are looking
>for one while they are chattering about the
>assignment. In other classes, I found simply
>talking to neighbors worked as some of you
>mentioned. They don't group themselves as this
>class does, but simply work with those around
>them. Keep in mind that you have classes with
>people and rarely see them again. So its not
>like they can see you in class A and remember
>that you were a cheerful contributing person,
>and then see you in class B and ask you be a
>member. Now, educating is a great thing. But
>what I'm asking about is how you can socialize
>better and form groups without being the odd one
>out. Finally, if I am being a good student as I
>am by listening and contributing to class by
>either questions or answering professor directed
>questions, I am being part of the class and
>including myself. I hope I am so called
>educating by being in class and saying things to
>contribute. But you can only do so much. Ashley
>-----Original Message----- From: Carly Mihalakis
>Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2013 10:42 AM To:
>National Association of Blind Students mailing
>list Subject: Re: [nabs-l] group projects issues
>Good morning, Ashley, Best way I found to
>"educate" is to demonstrate just what we are
>capable of, through sheer doing, and attitude.
>Sounds to me like you got a bit of a chip on
>your shoulder and, I imagine that's why building
>bridges linking you, and your peers doesn't seem
>to come naturally. What do you think? A
>suggestion would be to just act naturally,
>letting them come to you, asking to be grouped
>with you. It is true it doesn't happen
>immediately, like everything, it does take some
>doing. Don't be afraid of that doing. Car, you
>wrote: >Ari, Thanks; great points. at work we
>will know each other and be a >cohesive team,
>not strangers put together for a 16 week term to
>learn a >subject. I talk to students around me;
>sometimes it helps, but sometimes it >doesn't
>help me get included in a group discussion. I
>will have to ask the >professor to assist me in
>finding a group to work with. Additionally,
>she >has group discussions most class periods
>and then asks each group leader to >speak to the
>class as to what they answered. Often I enjoy
>group >discussions; but this time it̢۪s a bit
>frustrstrating. Why? Because, I have >to find a
>group and ask neighbors. I am put in the
>position to ask, Amy, >Susie, can I join your
>group? This means I have to usually interrupt
>them >since they're already looking at each
>other and/or getting started. Also, >it̢۪s a
>crowded room om and I find the noise level too
>much. I cannot get a >sense of who said what in
>the group or even what question we're on.
>I'll >explain what we do. The professor gives us
>like four or five questions. She >says get in
>groups of about five people. One student is the
>scribe. He/she >is responsible for writing down
>the answers to questions. He/she also
>will >place everyone's name on the paper so we
>all get class participation >credit. Finally,
>after we discuss as a class, the scribe hands in
>the >completed copy to the professor. One
>student is the spokesperson for each >small
>group. So when we discuss as a class, there are
>five or six people >speaking and she goes around
>the room systematically. Sometimes she asks >for
>volunteers as well; so then a group member calls
>out and shares their >stuff. For the group
>project, I am not looking forward to it. It is
>an >assignment where we have to make a skit for
>a mock tv program illustrating >sociological
>concepts. Well, I have no clue where to even
>begin. I do not >watch much tv; and certainly
>not reality tv shows! As to the
>other >suggestions, I did those. Kaiti, I do ask
>students around me, but as I said >before, they
>are already paired in groups for the project.
>Brandon, asking >students around you does not
>always work if they already know who they
>want >to work with. They might even recognize
>people from another class, in this >case
>sociology 201. I don't know who is sitting by me
>all the time; it >changes from time to time. I
>cannot link voices to names as I do not
>hear >them often! I don't have the benefit of
>recognizing people by face. As for >educating
>and interacting with people outside class, um
>forget it! People >don't interact much outside
>classes. I'm there as continuing
>education >while I look for work. These
>additional courses such as business
>writing, >intro to business and technical
>editing will boost my resume as a way
>to >demonstrate I studied writing. It also shows
>I'm a good writer from writing >samples and
>professor recommendations. I know it̢۪s a
>commuter community >college; no no sense of
>community. I tried and tried to form study
>groups to >no avail;; only in one class did I
>get a study partner and that was cause I >asked
>him. we chatted before class and he seemed
>mature and friendly. >Frankly, I go to school to
>study and learn, not to be a ambassador for
>the >legally blind community. If I wanted to
>educate my whole life, I'd work for >a blindness
>agency doing outreach work or something of that
>nature. I will >answer questions about blindness
>or braille or whatever if they ask. But I >want
>to be myself and talk about lots of other things
>besides visual >impairment. I have a lot of
>other opinions and things to share about
>me >than the characteristic of partial vision.
>So, I do not buy this line that >if we go out
>and educate people that they will accept us. If
>people get to >know me, they will accept me for
>who I am including my personality, values, >and
>me being legally blind. I don't make a big deal
>about being almost >blind. Besides students
>simply study there and leave for home; very
>little >time to interact outside class unless
>you are in a club. Thanks for the >thoughts and
>I'll work on getting a group to be in next
>class. >Ashley -----Original Message----- From:
>Ari Damoulakis Sent: Wednesday, >January 30,
>2013 1:17 AM To: National Association of Blind
>Students mailing >list Subject: Re: [nabs-l]
>group projects issues Hi Ashley I couldn't
>agree >with you more on group projects and the
>issues people have with them. There >are many
>blindness-type related issues. Like you, when it
>comes to being an >individual and participating
>in class, I do participate and
>get >complemented, but their are many blind
>issues with group projects that I >can think of.
>The first issue is when group projects are
>announced. Lecture >rooms are so huge and so
>many people are in the classes that the
>first >problem is finding the people you know
>from that class. What normally >happens with me
>is that because obviously you can't look and
>find your >friends in class, you generally have
>to wait after class to SMS them to see >if they
>have a group and whether their group has room
>etc. If it is a class >where you don't really
>know anyone, I think your idea is right, just
>find >people nearer to you and try ask if you
>can join. The next problem you then >have is if
>you actually do do that, because most of the
>time, even though >they know you might be smart
>in the real class, somehow many people
>when >having to try actually talk to and
>interact with a blind person somehow has >a
>problem. When your group members are discussing
>what tasks everyone >should be doing you have to
>ask one of them "what would you like me to
>do?" >or say "I can do x or y." If you don't you
>stand the risk that they just >ignore you. It is
>interesting to see that your group members
>interact >virtually. Mostly whenever I've done
>these things we meet somewhere to >discuss. You
>are right that most times people don't do things
>and so on, >but to be really honest with you
>when it comes to group work at university >I
>wouldn't really be too worried because this is
>probably not how things >will work in later
>life. I'm not talking about the people doing
>nothing >etc, I'm rather talking about when you
>get a job. If you get a job and have >to work
>together as a group you probably won't have to
>worry too much >because you'd be working with
>people you would work with everyday, and
>they >would over time become used to seeing you
>as being a capable person, >therefore if you
>have group projects in the work place they'd
>help you >more. With university you probably
>just meet people and work with them >once-off,
>so don't be too worried. Lecturers probably can
>also see who >worked in the group and who
>didn't, but I also don't think they take
>group >assignments as seriously as individual
>ones, because intelligent lecturers >are not
>blind to the problems that university group
>assignments entail, I'm >not talking about
>specifically blind here, but sighted people in
>the group >have many of these problems as well,
>such as others not doing work etc. For >group
>the advice I can try give you is don't
>overstress yourself, just >relax and do the best
>you can, because luckily in the real world
>the >university form of a group assignment where
>noone knows anyone else will >probably not be
>bothering you much.
>Ari >____________________________________________
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