\n\nKey\u00a0Competency:<\/h2>\nRespect and learn from differing perspectives and new ideas; apply collaboration, project completion time management, and negotiation skills (Influencers)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\nMetaphorical Equivalency:<\/h2>\nDon’t try to go it alone: use a buddy system to make your workouts more enjoyable and beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n[\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” background_color=”#003030″ inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” module_id=”positive”][et_pb_fullwidth_header admin_label=”Fullwidth Header – positive” title=”Converting a Negative Into a Positive” subhead=”In this early course, I learned that scaffolding only works when the MKO shares knowledge.” background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″] [\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” background_color=”#edefe6″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” text_font_size=”14″]<\/p>\n Turning a Negative into a Positive<\/h1>\nThe\u00a0Negative<\/strong><\/p>\nIn one of my earlier classes, I had the challenging experience of working in a group in which a key member was reluctant to share knowledge about the theme that had been chosen (by that member) for our group WordPress site. This resulted in the marginalization of other group members because only that one more knowledgeable individual knew how to use some specific and hidden “theme options” to edit the all-important front page of the site. Furthermore, when three group members requested that a\u00a0major\u00a0change be made to the front page, their requests were ignored. Sadly, the final phase of the project devolved into confusion, frustration, and a fundamentally flawed WordPress site that cannot be used as an artifact for this e-Portfolio.<\/p>\n The Positive<\/strong><\/p>\nThis\u00a0 difficult experience challenged me to\u00a0carefully\u00a0reflect\u00a0and consider\u00a0if there might be some way to avoid such difficulty in future group work. According to Palloff and Pratt, group conflicts and crises are not uncommon <\/span>, but they usually occur much earlier than in the final phase of a project. \u00a0Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I needed to take a proactive approach and\u00a0develop effective strategies and methods that would prevent the marginalization of any group members in future collaborative MET assignments.<\/p>\nNow that I have completed most of the MET Program, including courses that deal extensively with constructivism and higher education,\u00a0 I can confirm that the solution I came up with is supported by Vygotskian theories about the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and\u00a0more knowledgeable others<\/em>\u00a0(MKOs) <\/span>;\u00a0<\/span> as well as Bates and Sangr\u00e0\u2019s contention that, in higher education, it is essential that all stakeholders (faculty or group members) be included as equal partners in the planning and implementation of e-learning initiatives <\/span>.<\/p>\nThe following video demonstrates what I learned from that unforgettable group experience in which one MKO group\u00a0member withheld essential information from everyone else.<\/p>\n | |