Group Work
Meet the Computer Science Final Year Students
| Abdul, 22: | Abdul is an international student from Pakistan and has been living in Northern Ireland for 4 years. Punjabi is his first language and English is his second. |
|---|---|
| Barbara, 22: | Barbara is from London and is very outgoing and likes to speak her mind. |
| Charlie, 23: | Charlie is from Northern Ireland. His classmates consider him to be quite a quiet student. |
| Professor John Taylor: | Professor Taylor is from Northern Ireland. |
Group Assignment
To build a website for a local company.
Your group will be graded on:
Written report
70%
Oral presentation
20%
Self-marking*
10%
Self-marking* - the student's mark each other's contribution to the report.
Background
Abdul, Barbara and Charlie are working on a project to build a website for a local company.
They've completed the build and now need to discuss the tasks of writing the report and preparing for the presentation.
Each time they've met in the past few weeks, they've had problems getting along with one another, and it appears to be getting worse!
They're meeting in a room in the Library to try and get everything finished up.
You’ll meet various characters in this scenario. The characters depicted are fictitious.
The Students Meet Up
Watch the video to see how the team get along. As you watch, keep a close eye on each of the team members to identify any bad behaviour.
What did you spot?
Tips for recognising bad behaviour
- Is the person listening to the speaker? Do you see them looking away and missing opportunities to observe the person's body language and facial expressions?
- Are they using the person's name when they address them?
- Are they interrupting people talking?
- Are they faced away from the speaker?
- Are they folding their arms across their body or slouching?
- Are they valuing what the other person is saying - listening to their opinion and responding by agreeing/presenting a valid counter-argument?
Did you Spot?
Abdul:
- Not listening to and valuing Barbara's contribution to the group.
- Interrupting Barbara.
Barbara:
- Not listening to Abdul.
- Not using Abdul’s correct name.
Charlie:
- Leaving the group without trying to resolve the conflict.
What We’re Really Thinking
The little things we do say a lot about what we're really thinking. They are usually so small or micro that we may not even be aware that we are doing them, and yet they send powerful messages to those around us.
What do you think influences your thinking and behaviour towards other people?
Influences on our Thinking and Behaviour
Some influences on our thinking and behaviour towards other people include:
Charlie Emails the Lecturer
Charlie sends an email to his lecturer.
To: j.taylor1@qub.ac.uk
CC: barbara2.kilshaw@qub.ac.uk;
abdul3.suberwal@qub.ac.uk
From: c.donnelly4@qub.ac.uk
Subject: Potential missed deadline
Dear Professor Taylor,
I'm concerned our project won’t be handed in on time as our group has failed to work together. What should we do?
Thanks, Charlie.
Professor Taylor responds to the group
To: c.donnelly4@qub.ac.uk;
barbara2.kilshaw@qub.ac.uk; abdul3.suberwal@qub.ac.uk
CC:
From: j.taylor1@qub.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Potential missed deadline
Dear Charlie,
Thanks for letting me know. I'd like to see you all in my office tomorrow morning at these times to offer some support:
- Abdul – 9.30.
- Barbara – 10.00.
- Charlie – 10.30.
Thanks, Professor John Taylor
School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS)
e: j.taylor1@qub.ac.uk
Professor Taylor Meets Abdul
Professor Taylor meets with the students one by one to hear more. He starts with Abdul and asks him to describe how yesterday's meeting went with the group.
Select NEXT to hear Abdul's interpretation of how the meeting went.
What do you think might be influencing Abdul's thinking and behaviour?
What do you think might be influencing Abdul's thinking and behaviour?
That's right.
Abdul doesn't appear to value input from women. He asked Barbara to take the notes because he thinks this is the role of women and directs all of his attention to Charlie, the man in the group.
Select CONTINUE to hear Barbara's interpretation of how the meeting went.
What do you think might be influencing Abdul's thinking and behaviour?
That's not right.
No, this isn’t the best response as Abdul is comfortable talking with Charlie.
What do you think might be influencing Abdul's thinking and behaviour?
That's not right.
No, this isn’t the best response as Abdul is comfortable talking with Charlie.
Professor Taylor Meets Barbara
What do you think might be influencing Barbara's thinking and behaviour?
What do you think might be influencing Barbara's thinking and behaviour?
That's not right.
No, this isn't the best response as Barbara has given no indication that she cannot work with the other students because they are men.
What do you think might be influencing Barbara's thinking and behaviour?
That's right.
Barbara has voiced her concerns about Abdul's ability to contribute effectively to the project because he does not speak English as his first language.
Select CONTINUE to hear Charlie's interpretation of how the meeting went.
What do you think might be influencing Barbara's thinking and behaviour?
That's not right.
No, this isn't the best response as Barbara has given no indication she cannot work with Abdul because he is Muslim. In fact, she may not even know what religion he is.
Professor Taylor Meets Charlie
Charlie's situation is different. He didn't say very much and when he did, it was to leave the group when things became difficult. He was noticeably uncomfortable with the situation. This could happen to anybody under these circumstances but might there be something else happening with Charlie?
Asperger's and Hidden Disabilities
Charlie has Asperger syndrome. According to the National Autistic Society, Asperger syndrome is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. People with Asperger syndrome see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, and they are of average or above average intelligence. It is a sub-type of Autism.
It may not be easy to recognise someone with Asperger syndrome, Autism or any hidden disability, but if you treat people with respect and consider their needs, then it will be easier to discover how they would like to be treated and what additional help they may need.
Queen's University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity to Higher Education and strives to ensure that students with a disability or long term condition have equitable access to all aspects of university life. If you require additional support for a disability, please visit the Disability Services section of the Queen's University website.
What Should Professor Taylor Do?
Now that Professor Taylor has heard from all three students, what should he do to support the group?
- Explain the importance of treating everyone fairly and with respect.
- Explain the importance of listening to and valuing the input of everyone.
- Explain the benefits of working alongside people from different backgrounds.
- Report the group to the Head of department.
- With Charlie's consent, explain to Abdul and Barbara what Asperger syndrome is, how it manifests itself and what they can do to support and encourage Charlie to contribute to the project.
- Assign a leader to the group to maintain order.
What Should Professor Taylor Do?
That's right. Professor Taylor should:
- Explain to Abdul and Barbara the importance of treating everyone fairly and with respect, and listening to and valuing the input of everyone, including women and people whose first language is not English. He should explain that their current behaviour is unacceptable whether they were doing it consciously or unconsciously.
- Explain the benefits of working alongside people from different backgrounds to get the best results. For example, they have the potential to learn more and see things from a different perspective, and it'll prepare them for working with people from different backgrounds in the workplace.
- With Charlie's consent, explain to Abdul and Barbara what Asperger syndrome is, how it manifests itself and what they can do to support and encourage Charlie to contribute to the project.
What Should Professor Taylor Do?
That's not correct. Professor Taylor should:
- Explain to Abdul and Barbara the importance of treating everyone fairly and with respect, and listening to and valuing the input of everyone, including women and people whose first language is not English. He should explain that their current behaviour is unacceptable whether they were doing it consciously or unconsciously.
- Explain the benefits of working alongside people from different backgrounds to get the best results. For example, they have the potential to learn more and see things from a different perspective, and it'll prepare them for working with people from different backgrounds in the workplace.
- With Charlie's consent, explain to Abdul and Barbara what Asperger syndrome is, how it manifests itself and what they can do to support and encourage Charlie to contribute to the project.
Following Professor Taylor's Advice
Abdul, Barbara and Charlie decided to spend some time to get to know one another better. They started to get along better and Charlie felt more comfortable in their company and was able to share his views on the project. After a few more meetings and some hard work, they submitted their assignment on time and got a great result!
Key Learning
- Be open to working with people from different backgrounds. Make sure you treat them fairly and with respect.
- Consider that there may be people on your team with hidden disabilities. Find out how you can support and encourage them on your team.
- If you have a disability, get the support you need from the Disability Services section of the Queen's University website.
Activity for Working Differently
You may need a paper and pen to note down your thoughts for this activity.
Think about groups you’ve worked with. It could be in a seminar, tutorial, laboratory or on a project.
How did you get along with the different people in the group?
Did you have a preference for working with any of the members over other members? Why do you think this was?
Might there have been anybody in the group with a hidden disability?
How would you act differently in the group the next time?