2003-2004 MIL Fellows: Dr. William Farrar's Project

2003-2004 MIL Fellows: Dr. William Farrar's Project
the maricopa institute for learning

In our society, active participation in a group can often be necessary for individual success. In particular, students' ability to successfully navigate their academic career is often enhanced when students have a sense of solidarity and responsibility to a group of peers. In distance-learning environments, students do not always meet face to face with their peers and are at risk for losing the advantages of group support. In my project, I will attempt to address this problem by exploring techniques for facilitating peer interactions in a hybrid-learning environment. Specifically, I will be implementing a number of collaborative techniques to enhance peer-focused learning at a distance in an Abnormal Psychology class that includes a substantial internet component. During this course, I will be measuring students' achievement as they participate in a variety of group activities. At the course's completion, I will examine the effectiveness of the group activities by looking at student retention, student evaluation of the class experience, peer evaluations and student performance on a standardized assessment tool. I hypothesize that the emphasis on building group relationships within the class structure will enhance student's learning and confidence. I am also hoping that students become more appreciative of the advantages of working together collaboratively.

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