[nabs-l] group projects issues
Carly Mihalakis
carlymih at comcast.net
Sat Feb 16 21:27:21 UTC 2013
Good afternoon, Ashley,
True 'dat!
Usually, I myself need to be put in some group by
instructor. I know all about that, and I see, so do you!
Car At 02:44 PM 2/15/2013, Ashley Bramlett wrote:
>Hey Carley, Thanks. I guess we have to ask for
>the instructor's help sometimes if people gather
>and fill up their groups too quickly to include
>us. But that is also what an instructor is
>there for; to ensure everyone has a group to
>work with if they need it. Ashley -----Original
>Message----- From: Carly Mihalakis Sent: Monday,
>February 04, 2013 7:37 AM To: National
>Association of Blind Students mailing list ;
>National Association of Blind Students mailing
>list Subject: Re: [nabs-l] group projects issues
>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 it’s
>a >bit frustrstratrating. 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, >it’s a crowded rooroom >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
>it’™s 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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