Successful Collaboration

Power and Leadership

Leadership had an interesting trend.  When there would be a team evaluation at the end, leadership was usually shared.  When there was no known team evaluation, one person (usually the most concerned about grades) would take the leading position.  Naturally, the situation itself is very unique but for the most part, a successful team would share leadership with one declared mediator/"task setter". 

Dealing with Feelings

I have been lucky, and yet to encounter a group where feelings interrupted the progress and success of the group.

Involvement of Group Members

To be honest, there are times when some group members really aren't a positive edition to the group.  They are usually lazy, or their efforts just don't seem to benefit the group at all.  In these situations, I would just carefully try to find a way to add in their work to the whole project, in a way that didn't embarrass them or devalue the entire project. 

Understanding the Rhetorical Situation

This is a very important point to successful group collaboration results.  By connecting the project to current events and tailoring it to audience expectations, we usually got really great project response and results.

Collaboration on Revisions

When revisions were suggested for larger group projects, they were always discussed.  When we didn't agree with something a teacher/professor said, we would try to understand why she/he saw it as unfitting.  If the connection wasn't made, we immediately went and sought clarification.  Successful groups do not just blindly follow revisions.

Attitude Toward Supervisors' Comments

Like mentioned before, it is never a good idea to just follow revisions blindly no matter who it may come from.  In successful groups, we would always take comments and try to learn from it.  Naturally, if a group implements and understands a supervisors' comments, the group will have a higher chance of success. 

Attitude Toward Revision

While nobody likes being told that something they labored over isn't perfect, being told to revise something is always a learning avenue.  For example, a group of mine were putting together a presentation on a mock crisis situation.  We had rehearsed hours, and the written portion seemed perfect.  After an ungraded rehearsal to the professor, he said that we were lacking certain necessary elements in the presentation and that the written part wasn't directed to the correct audience.  Initial responses amongst the group were negative.  However, we all took a step back and realized that he (the professor) was right.  Needless to say, after revision, our presentation flowed smoother.

"The Concept of Authorship" - Ede & Lunsford [Accompanying Illustration Suggestions]

1. "Inspiration of St. Matthew" - Caravaggio

I chose this image to accompany page 80, where it mentions God or a muse, as inspiration for writers.  As this is an older picture itself, I believe it portrays the idea to the reader that this concept of "inspiration from God" is not unique to just the Middle Ages.

2. Pen + Paper

This picture should be used on page 82, midway down.  The passage mentions the personal privilege the writer of a book had, compared to a printer.  I chose this image because of the writing.  We can tell that the writing style itself has been a labor to produce a "pretty" manuscript.  This shows the hardships, and therefore personal connection the writer has with his/her work.

3. Lone Tree

This image should be on page 85.  The 

text mentions the unique connection between the writer and the text, as well as the eventual necessity to become solitary and isolated.  This simple image of a tree in the desert does a good job representing this.  The tree, the author, is a solitary figure in a vast surrounding.  The author is simultaneously so alone, yet so exposed. 

 

Paper Toy - Assessment

The activity we were assigned, was the Paper Toy. 

My wonderful partner was Melanie, and I believe we made a smooth team. 

Initially, Melanie provided excellent directions into how to make a paper fortune teller.

On my part, I just added a few clarifying details and focused on revising it to suit an audience of 4-7 year olds.

Melanie sent me a second revision with some changes, and the overall result is (dare I say) flawless. 

Communication was smooth throughout, even considering the difficulties of a lack of face-to-face connection, as well as a difficult assignment on top of that. (Written directions on a task that can be easily misguided if not careful)

The assignment was a "simple challenge" that really introduced me to the overall concept of the course. 

- Heidi 

Introduction

Hello fellow summer course takers.  Aren't we quite the brave bunch? : ) 

My name is Heidi, and this was my freshman year at UHa. It was a superb year, but I am anxious to get out into the "real world" and payback my accumulated debts.  I am on track towards a double major in Marketing and Management.

I am back home all the way in sunny San Jose, California. Three hours behind Hartford.

(Yes, the weather is fantastic!!!)

I am hoping to spend this summer outside as much as possible, to remove the ghostly pale glow that UHa most graciously gifted me.  Also, I have a hearty pile of excellent books that I want to tackle. (Child 44, Catcher in the Rye, etc.)

Raised in the heart of the Silicon Valley, blogs are "old technology".  I believe I've held perhaps .. twelve different blog-type journals over the past few years?  I'm not a technological genius, but if anybody has any questions about little gizmos and whatnot, feel free to chat me up and I'll see what I can find out! :D

In response to the reading by Mary Beth Debs, I believe it was a good introduction to collaborative writing in general.  Unless I am mistaken, the article was written in 1991, therefore new studies and advancements in the industry must be considered.  Debs approaches the topic of CW (collaborative writing) like something that should be compartmentalized and labeled according to origin.  While the studies towards CW and proper credibility are important, we must be careful and avoid over-thinking the entire process.  

To clarify, I just simply think that the field of CW is so vast and infinite that to attempt to "understand it all" would be too difficult and perhaps even impossible.  Instead, CW should be studied in the light of innovative improvement, more than in the attempts to categorize its' social implications .. or something along those lines.

I do wish that Debs would have described all five kinds of CW that she listed, just to avoid interpretive confusion.  (Note, she does mention the importance of written clarification in order serve a vast audience.)  

1. Interactive Writing - To me, this must be when two or more people work on one document by sharing sections.  In high school, a group of friends and I thought it would be an excellent idea to write a story.  We took this Interactive Writing approach, and each decided to write a section of the story.  While the plot and overall details were laid down, we were unable to counter the incredibly different writing styles that we each presented.  For example, Terrance (not real name) wrote in a very descriptive and ranting-like manner.  Kennedy meanwhile enjoyed short and to the point explications and sarcastic humor. 

2.  Primary Collaboration - The brainstorming prior to actual team writing?  In classes, we did a lot of this.  The teacher would declare a writing assignment, and to foster creative thinking, she/he would go up to the board and encourage the class to share ideas.  This of course successfully brought new ideas and views to the table.

3.  Hierarchical & Dialogic Models of Collaboration - I do not think that I have ever engaged in this type of specific writing technique.  Similar modes of collaboration were used in various group projects.

4. Peer Collaboration - Is this similar to Primary Collaboration?

5. Integrated Teams - I'm assuming this style of CW deals with various groups with different tasks, all working together towards a broader goal.  Again, I have no specific writing practice in this style but similar attributes can be found in group projects done.

Apologies for the length.  Wordiness is a negative writing pattern of mine. 

Wishing you happiness and good health, 

Heidi