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	3 hours

05.3 Small Group Discussions

Few things strengthen learning more than discussions with colleagues. For this reason, you are expected to discuss your learning to date with a small group of classmates.

Discussion group assignments are posted under the Chat button shortly after the class gets underway. Locate your name under one of the Discussion Groups. (The Chat Room feature is found under the Chat button on the top navigation bar.)You are expected to participate in synchronous (real time) conversations two times during the course. These will take place at your group's discretion. Your group may decide to meet in the Chat Room designated, via web conference,phone conference, face-to-face, etc. Your group must agree on a time and method that works for everyone. You need to meet live for at least one hour. Every group member MUST contribute in order to benefit from this activity. Choosing a time that fits everyone's schedule is the group's responsibility; this is an opportunity to learn from each other and strengthen your learning at the same time.

Where and When to Meet

Should your group decide to meet face-to-face or via video conference and you need to travel to attend, the grant can reimburse reasonable expenses. We can also help you arrange video or tele-conference reservations. Email your instructor for assistance with access. To obtain reimbursement forms, go to IMSA Information Literacy Forms and download the Travel Reimbursement Form. You must have a W-9 and Individual Agreement Form on file with IMSA.

If you have been working faster than others in the class, you may need to wait until the rest of your group is ready. In this case, you may work ahead on other course activities in sequence.

Preparation

Prepare for the meeting by (re)reading each other's Problem Statements (02.3 Forum) and Citation Lists (Week 5 Document Sharing). To help you offer productive feedback in a timely manner, consider the following questions as you explore each other's work:

• Is the problem and/or the need clearly stated? What questions or concerns do you have about the Problem Statement?
• To what extent are the Citations related to the Problem Statement?
• On the basis of the Problem Statement, what else should be included in the search?
• Imagine you intend to implement or deliver this Project--what information or help do you need in addition to what is already provided?

During the discussion concentrate on "constructive" observations and encouraging insights. Share difficulties and triumphs. This is your support group. Take advantage of others' compassion and expertise. As mentioned, this session should last at least 1 hour.

Objectives:

1. Choose a Reporter for your group. This responsibility should be distributed over the two discussion sessions to be held.
2. Critique Projects as they stand now, using the bulleted questions above as a guide. Offer suggestions for developing each others' Projects. Share any helpful ideas you might have for each other's work.
3. Create a learning support system. Share learning experiences openly and without reservation. The only way to fail is not to do it. Constructivist learning requires a leap of faith that your classmates will be kind and understanding (that means you, too).
4. Share tips and tricks you have learned for locating information on the Internet.

The reporter is expected to post the following information, saved as an .rtf file (use the assigned Group # in the document title), to Doc Sharing:

• Reporter: explanation of the learning that took place: What did the group learn, and how did they learn it?

If Someone Really Can Not Attend

As soon as possible, a person who is unable to participate in a group discussion must email the instructor, providing an explanation why he or she missed (or will miss) the group meeting.

If a member is unable to join the group at the agreed upon time, that person's work is critiqued along with everyone else's and reported in the document saved to Doc Sharing. That person must read the group's comments by accessing the document posted in Doc Sharing, write reactions to others' critiques and respond to feedback about his or her project. This is then saved to Doc Sharing with the title "Response to Group <include group #> discussion1.rtf."