W09 - Making groups work: Effective ways to manage students doing project work

Dr Chong Wan Har

Group-based learning takes many forms and includes project work, problem-based learning, group guidance (as in pastoral care), psychoeducational groups, and service learning groups. To date, much focus in group work has been the emphasis on developing critical thinking skills through collaborative efforts and in the delivery of the product or outcome. Students working on a group project are expected to come with the necessary group and personal skills to work harmoniously and be productive. Unfortunately, successful and productive groups do not just happen by randomly placing small groups of students to work together on a specific project.

To maximize the desired learning outcomes, it is important to pay attention to the strategic planning and teaching of prerequisite skills for conflict resolution, decision-making, leadership, cooperation and group processing. Through this interactive, one-day workshop, participants will develop awareness of the psychological processes underlying interactions in groups and the influence of group dynamics in project work. Via a series of hands-on activities grounded in relevant psychological theories, they will also develop the skills necessary to manage students doing project work.

Objectives

  1. Participants learn how to plan and organize for successful group learning in class
  2. Participants learn how to analyze and assess the effectiveness of a project group
  3. Participants learn effective ways of facilitating students who are doing project work
  4. Participants learn how to handle problems arising from student interactions during project work

Contents

  • What constitutes an effective and cooperative group of learners in class
  • How to create the necessary conditions for effective group work in class
  • Understand the psychological dynamics that influence group effectiveness
  • How to facilitate communication between students doing project work
  • How to enhance leadership and decision making processes in project work
  • How to resolve interpersonal conflicts that may arise in student project work
  • Understand the group cycle that students go through when doing project work

Profile of trainer

Dr Chong Wan HarDr Chong Wan Har obtained her BA from the National University of Singapore, her MA from the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and her PhD from the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). Currently, she is working as an Assistant Professor at the Nanyang Technological University, where she teaches courses on counseling and group guidance to both trainee and experienced teachers. She also conducts workshops for schools, as well as self-help and government organizations like the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Health. Dr Chong has a wide variety of research interests related to group psychology, motivation and learning in students, as well as psychological issues in adolescent development. She is a member of the Singapore Association for Social Workers. In addition, she is also the author of the book entitled Personal agency beliefs in self-regulation: The exercise of personal responsibility, choice and control in development.

How to Order Workshop

If you’re interested to order any of these workshops, please contact Dr Ng Aik Kwang, Director, The Idea Resort.

Email:

Hp: 9780 2202 / 9118 3014

Workshop duration

1 Day - 9am to 5pm