Recommended Group Work Procedures 2012

I do not mean to come off as a dictator. However given the necessity of group work in the field of Nursing, and the current importance of the group work we are about to embark upon I would like to recommend some basic ground rules to help things run smoothly.

1) Please do not take anything that happens during the process of group work personally. It is best to be as emotionally detached as possible and to focus on the syllabus and what needs to get done during each meeting. 2) Do not talk about anything not pertaining to the task at hand. Group meetings are for the sake of working on a project. Please gossip and mingle on your own time. 3) We should arrange meetings for set times. Keeping this in mind I would like to start by knowing what everyones schedule looks like for the duration of the assignment from the start date up until a week of the assignment due date according to the syllabus. For example: Group work starts February, 1. 2012 and lasts until March, 21. 2012. Bring your schedule from Feb. 1st -March 14th. When the dates of the meeting are set, they will not be subject to change unless the entire group decides to rearrange the meeting times and dates. 4) We will set goals to be completed for each meeting. I would prefer if our meetings lasted 1-2 hours, or as long as it takes to complete the goals set for each meeting. 5) Meetings should be no more than 3-5 days apart from one another until the project is complete. This depends on the duration of the project and how long it takes to complete the project in a timely manner. 6) No already completed planning should be drastically changed or altered after 3 meetings or more unless changes were instructed by the instructor for the course. Ex: Gloria suggests that we change this, this, and this in the teaching plan or project. 7) Any and all costs associated with the project will be split evenly amongst all members of the group. We may need a variety of items ranging from cardboard, markers, paints, paint brushes, lettering, stencils, food, balloons, etc. I recommend we gather as a group and determine what materials are needed for our project. We should then write a list of the items we need. At which point this list will be given to all group members. Anything that needs to be bought will be researched price wise and written down on a list. The

overall cost of new materials will be evenly distributed amongst everyone in the group by a certain date. 8) I would prefer to complete the entire assignment a full week or at least 6 days before the final due date. I refuse to continue working on a project within 5 days or less of the final due date. Keep this in mind. 9) Having completed the final project a full week before the due date any other necessary arrangements such as travel and project set up can now be arranged without rushing things. Back up plans for travel and set up should be made in case the first plan doesnt work out.

Some of these suggestions may or may not seem outlandish. However I have given the topic of group work much thought based on previous experiences regarding overall past group processes, project quality, and efficiency. Please take these suggestions into serious consideration and feel free to discuss whatever you think needs changing within one week. For the first meeting I expect everyone to bring their schedule so that we can determine how many meetings should take place, how long they should last, and what needs to be completed by the end of each meeting. If you do not bring a schedule for the duration of the group assignment, I will automatically assume you have kept your schedule free. Please keep this in mind.

Teaching plan: Recommended list of things to do in order

1. Look over teaching recommendations for age group given. This is very important! **The majority of the mark will be based upon how age appropriate the Health Fair project was for the students. 2. Research and print off information pertaining to the topic given for the health fair. 3. Given the information pertaining to our age group and research topic we will devise a teaching plan together. Keep in mind how to implement the final project whilst creating the teaching plan. Ex: final size (how big does it need to be?), materials needed, project implementation, type of information given, how the information is given, resources needed etc. **A rough sketch of the final project will be included with the teaching plan. 4. Show the teacher our teaching plan and ask for advice. 5. Edit the teaching plan according to the advice given and ask again if it is suitable. 6. Start creating the final Health Fair project. THE SOONER THE BETTER. From past experience this part takes the most work of all. Keep in mind the size of the final project and transportation methods needed. a. Do we have all the items needed? b. Where will we build the project? c. Where will we keep the project? d. When the project is finished, how will it be transported to its final destination? e. What do we need for set up? Any special props needed? **How eye catching and interesting the project is also determines the final grade of the project.

I did this project last year. From experience and advice given I think this is the best course of action in terms of project implementation for the health fair. This is not a light or easy project by any means and the planning stages are a crucial element of the overall project outcome. The faster that steps 1-5 can be achieved, the better. Creating the physical aspect of the project is the hardest, most time consuming step of all. I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep in mind the creation and implementation of the final project. The rough draft of the final project appearance and implementation needs to be followed as closely as possible. Do not make grand plans if they cannot be physically or realistically reproduced off paper.