This “short course” is offered as part of the Course Development Institute and uses a combination of self-paced learning and synchronous experiences. We are in the process of developing this new format and invite you to join us and let us know what you think!

What comes to mind for you when you think of group projects? Students working together, sharing ideas, learning from one another, establishing relationships and developing important collaborative skills? Or does a different, less rosy scenario come to mind? We all have had different experiences when comes to assigning or participating in group projects. This short course will cover the potential rewards of taking on this challenge even if your past experience with such an endeavor hasn't been the best. We’ll work to steer you clear of potential pitfalls, share strategies you can incorporate in different settings and provide you with practical ideas for effective and rewarding course group work.

We are excited to share that we will be using a combination approach for this short course--self-paced learning, synchronous meetings for sharing ideas with peers and the opportunity for one-on-one consultations. You decide what works best for you! Between October 10th and October 21st you will have access to a guided, self-paced training in Canvas that you complete at a time of your choosing during the two-week period. It takes about one hour to work through the materials--complete it all at once or over a couple of sessions. Additionally, once you have completed the self-paced learning experience, you will have the option to attend a scheduled sharing session in which you hear from your peers and/or a one-on-one consultation with one of the facilitators to share, discuss and refine your ideas for group work in your course.

This short course takes place largely in Canvas and was developed with an assumption of a general baseline of Canvas knowledge. If you are new to Canvas we recommend first familiarizing yourself by signing up for a Canvas training or visiting the Canvas Instructor Guides. When you register you will receive a confirmation email with information explaining how to self-enroll in this short course in Canvas.

Please note that our training sessions are geared specifically toward faculty and instructional staff.

Photo by Startup Stock Photos

Designing for Collaboration: Group Projects in the Classroom and Online