Major changes coming for Summer 2012--Check back after June 4.

You can access your assigned group by going to the class MyGateway site: select, "Group Areas."  You'll find folders for each group with a list of the students assigned to each group, and your group wiki (Wiki Help and Tips; Here's a link with detailed instructions for using the wiki editor: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide/Text_Editor and for general information: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide .  You can access this link from your group's wiki by clicking on the "Help" link in the upper right-hand corner of the wiki content frame. See also, the tutorials for working in a wiki in the "Wiki Help" folder on the "Group Areas" page of the class MyGateway site.

Read the set-up and three parts of the project (you'll find links just below) to understand what you will be expected to do. Be sure to document all your discussions on your group communication pagein your group wiki (this will have to be one of the first pages you create in your wiki--see these instructions and the tutorials for working in a wiki in the "Wiki Help" folder on the "Group Areas" page of the class MyGateway site).

Project Objectives:

• This project entails an investigation the social reality of poverty in an urban community. Check out this NPR report: "Eating Nutritiously A Struggle When Money Is Scarce" by Pam Fessler (2010). See also, the 2010 Department of Agriculture report on "Household Food Security."(see also, and a local copy)
• You might also wish to play the "Poverty Game" to get an idea of what being poor is like in the USA.
• To become familiar with core concepts, methods, and theories of sociology, and develop a sociological analysis of poverty in the USA.
• To develop critical thinking skills and produce an informed critique of explanations of poverty in a post-modern, consumer society.
• To learn accepted social scientific writing styles and become familiar with (and critically evaluate) online information resources.
• Interaction and collaboration (we'll use wiki stats, comments you leave on other's pages, and what you document on your "group comunication page" to assess your collaboration).
• To develop a competency in online communication and the use of wiki technology for engaging in collaborative projects.

1. Project Set-up due Thursday, February 2, end of day (11:59 PM).
2. Part 1 is due Tuesday, February 21 (end of day).
3. Part 2 is due Thursday, March 22 (end of day).
4. Part 3 (final project) is due Thursday, April 26 (end of day).

Be sure to complete the "Email Feedback Consent." You can find the email feedback consent "test" in the Group Areas section of MyGateway. Until you give consent, you will have to visit Prof. Keel or a TA to receive full feedback on the group project.

Hopefully, your participation and collaboration in these groups will be an important source of learning and support throughout the semester. Your group provides a forum for participation, discussion, and collaboration with other group members on class topics and the group project.

A few points:

• Each student is responsible for completing all parts of the project--you should strive to work together as a group.
• Your work, individual or group, should be presented in your group wiki as a series of inter-linked web pages. The wiki allows members of the group to share information and collaborate on the development of a “website.”
• There should be one report on the wiki for each part the project. This synthesis of group research and discussion can and should be supported with a set of inter-linked wiki pages documenting your group’s research on the individual components of each part of the project and your group's discussion.
• If you work as a group, group members must document their individual contributions for group each part of the project in the group communication page of your wiki (all individual contributions to the wiki must be completed at 2 days before the activity's due date to allow the group time to finalize the wiki site, and add final comments and suggestions--personal wiki pages are due 48 hours prior to the group set-up due date). To be eligible for credit, group members must complete their individual assignments by the due date and participate in the group portion of each part of the project. Students will be evaluated for the work they contribute to each part of the project. In effect, you will be building a web site that focuses on the details of the project.
• All group members are responsible for the final presentation of each part of the project. If you are working as as a group, and a group member is unable to complete an activity, another member of the group must be contacted so that the activity can be completed. For this reason, it is wise for groups to designate back-ups for each activity. Group members can earn up to 5 additional points per activity for the extra work they take on.
• Review the sample wiki from previous semesters in the course MyGateway site, Project section (there is no requirement for you to designate editors, webmasters, coordinators, etc. Everyone simply needs to follow the "Group Member Responsibilities" listed below).
• Interaction and collaboration (we'll use wiki stats, comments you leave on other's pages, and what you document on your "group communication page" to assess your collaboration).
• Rely on reputable studies, articles, and books. Websites that meet the criteria for reputable work (or here ) can also be used.
• Be sure to correctly cite all information used from research resources (in-text citations and a list of references for each page) using the ASA manuscript submission guide (local copy with web citation guidelines or a full version of the ASA Style Guide). Additional assistance with referencing online resources can be found here. Also, remember we are undertaking an academic activity, so please refrain from using opinion, unreliable or invalid resources, sensationalism, and other non-academic practices. See academic integrity statement and Turnitin information.
• Grading: Each part of the activity is graded according to:
  • Individual Contributions: This refers to each individual group member's work in the wiki for each part of the project.  Individual contributions are graded according to the quality and quantity of work as well as the presentation of their work.
  • Group Presentation: This refers to the final wiki presentation (style, spelling, grammar, images, links to other resources, and overall quality of the presentation) and the content of your presentation (use of course materials, demonstration of sociological imaginations, and application of course concepts, theories, and other relevant materials). If you are working alone, you must also complete assigned elements of the group presentation. We expect about 250-375 words (1-1.5 pages of double-spaced, typewritten work) per person on this group component. If you are working on your own, you'll also need to provide the same--closer to 1.5 pages, and provide the breadth, if not the depth, expected for the group portion.
  • Interaction and collaboration (we'll use wiki stats, comments you leave on other's pages, and what you document on your "group communication page").

Group member responsibilities:

1. Collaborate on the overall group contribution throughout the group process.
2. Actively communicate with other group members on a weekly basis via differing modes of communication (e.g., student email, wiki comments).
3. Submit individual and group work in a timely manner to fellow group members and in accord with course requirements.
4. Complete and submit all parts of the group project.
5. Utilize a variety of wiki features throughout varying stages of the group project (see course TAs for assistance using wiki).
6. Maintain an atmosphere of civility and maturity throughout group member dialogue.
7. Include your name and the class you are taking within your message when you contact the instructor or TAs via email or by phone.
8. Adhere to all other expectations and requirements outlined in the course syllabus and group project page.
9. Interaction and collaboration (we'll use wiki stats, comments you leave on other's pages, and what you document on your "group communication page" to assess your collaboration).
   

Here are some guidelines for using the wikis:

Here's a link with detailed instructions for using the wiki editor: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide/Text_Editor and for general information: http://community.learningobjects.com/Groups/Documentation/Campus_Pack_4.4_User_Guide .  You can access this link from your group's wiki by clicking on the "Help" link in the upper right-hand corner of the wiki content frame. See also, the tutorials for working in a wiki in the "Wiki Help" folder on the "Group Areas" page of the class MyGateway site.

Basic tips:

• For help creating a personal wiki page, see Prof. Keel's Panopto tutorial, "Working in a Wiki" in the Wiki Help folder of the class MyGateway site--Group Areas page.
• The first page you come to when you open your wiki is the "home page." Don't use this page for a personal page of anything other than the wiki's "home."
• Do not edit any other student's page without discussing such edits in advance.  Wikis are collaborative tools, but use them to collaborate, not dominate. Pay attention to "where" you are when you do your editing.
• Avoid attaching Word documents and the like--do your work on the wiki page, use the wiki to display your ideas and your research work--write your essays as wiki pages.
• Always insure you link together the pages you and your group create--use your "home page" to provide access to sub-pages for the various parts of the project as well as to group member personal pages and a group communication page. Use the sub-pages for the parts to provide links to the various elements and individual essays for each part.
• Create and use a "group communication page" to document discussions you have and the work/additions/edits you do in the wiki. Preface each entry on this page with your name and the date/time.

To Create (or edit) a page:

• From any page in the wiki, click on "New" (or "Edit" if you have already created it and are returning to edit).
• Give your page a name.  Format: Your last name, Your first name: short page title.
• You'll see a variety of "tools" to help you edit your page--you can choose different fonts, and font sizes, format your text, and add tables. You can also add images and links to other web pages (internal to this wiki, as well as to outside web pages). Click the Image or Link buttons, and follow the simple instructions).
• There's no spell check in the wiki, so I recommend typing your essay in MS Word and saving it.  Then, copy the text.  Once you've copied text from a Word, come back to your wiki page (make sure you are in the "edit" frame), click to place your mouse cursor in the page, and then use the "Paste from Word" button.   
• If you know html, you'll find a button that allows you to edit the source code.
• Be sure to click the "Save" button when you are done!
• You'll be evaluated for content, style, and presentation.
• One member is responsible for editing the 'home' page (first page you access when you enter the wiki), and to go through and link all of the other pages together.

Rely on reputable studies, articles, and books. Websites that meet the criteria for reputable work (or here ) can also be used.

Be sure to correctly cite all information used from research resources (in-text citations and a list of references for each page) using the ASA manuscript submission guide (local copy with web citation guidelines or a full version of the ASA Style Guide).  Additional assistance with referencing online resources can be found here. Also, remember we are undertaking an academic activity, so please refrain from using opinion, unreliable or invalid resources, sensationalism, and other non-academic practices. See academic integrity statement and Turnitin information.

Contact the class TA or Mr. Keel if you have any questions.

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URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/GroupActivities/ga.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel: rok@umsl.edu
Last Updated: Sunday, May 13, 2012 12:06 PM

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