After he opened the floor to us, we were all just standing there, and some were shouting out ideas but there was nobody taking notes. So after I saw Julian stand up, I stood up to take notes. People started shouting out suggestions, and we built ideas from the suggestions, and if we didn't like them, we started from a fresh suggestion. I would say the best way to label our behavior in the decision making process from the slides would be the compromise. We all tried to get something in the short amount of time we had. For the grading part, we decided on a extra credit assignment and a curve AND to drop the lowest grade of the two tests. We had a problem with that because not everybody understood the benefits of this package. I labeled it the "Happy Meal" Package because I thought this would make everybody happy. After some explaining, I think we were all on the same page and we moved on to the Exam 2 outline. This was also a compromise between the two groups. One group wanted to keep the same outline the other wanted to change the multiple-multiple and no true or false, it got pretty hectic and they kind of lose me there. But we finally ended up with the same outline and the essay would be extra credit.
At the end we voted and the package passed. What we could have done different was ask for more points for the extra credit assignment. After all we were the ones in charge.
I think you and Julian did a great job of leading the group. It definitely would have been much harder if we didn't have people taking notes and it would have been total chaos. I think it was a good compromise because it seemed like everyone was happy for the most part and I think our deal turned out to be a god one in the end.
ReplyDeleteYour role as leader I thought was interesting because I agree - both of you were not "competing" but were "compromising".
ReplyDeleteI think it proves the point when the leader and the group have equal power the leader becomes a facilitator.
Abe you did a good job man. I agree with you, throughout this process it got kind of hectic, but we managed to pass through it as a whole. It's very hard to decide on the same thing when you have 35 students, that want different things. The extra credit was our failure, we could have probably got 25 points for it, even though like the prof explained it would have been more to do. So in a way it's good and bad.
ReplyDeleteWe received a good bargain. We get an extra credit essay on the next exam, an extra credit assignment, AND a curve. Some people are still saying that we should have asked for twenty points for the extra credit. If you ask me, that's getting a little ridiculous. Anyway good job for taking the initiative to lead the class in the decision making process!
ReplyDeleteWell, thank you for being a moderator of the discussion. I can only imagine how hard that was to stand in front of thirty people who were throwing ideas, which sometimes compromised each other...I think that overall you did a great job in organizing people, appointing speakers and putting ideas down...what seemed to be a little out of control, is...hmm..explanation of the ideas..right? do you remember the moment when we had second and third option to vote for, which turned out to be identical? it showed that brainstorming process went well, but what we failed to do was to analyze the final options and explain them well to everyone...anyway, even this little problem was overcame and we got what we wanted.
ReplyDeletethank you for your participation!
First, I want to say that you did a great job as a class manager. You handled the task of being a mediator very well even though it was very hectic at some points. Making 35 students to agree on the one thing is very challenging, yet we succeed.
ReplyDelete