An Interpretation of Collaborative Groups as Innovative and Entrepreneurial Enterprises
Anthony Joseph, Pace University, and
Mabel Payne, New York City Department of Education
This undergraduate computer organization course modeled as a business
enterprise in its 2003-2004 school year implementations utilized out-of-class
collaborative student groups to complete course assignments and to participate
in in-class group activities. Each group was viewed as a branch office of a
corporation with its product being the group's average grade. Students were
introduced to entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, and leadership concepts
and strategies for successful group performance based upon the assumption
that today's students are more likely to work for or become entrepreneurs after
graduation. Students were graded individually, but 35% of their course grade
was directly attributable to group work with the level of group collaboration
determined by statistical tests, (e.g., correlation and percentage error) as well
as student remarks. The analyses revealed that 22.5% of the groups were high
functioning. Group members who collaborated more gained relatively higher
social and organizational skills and knowledge that are beneficial for the work
place.
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