Democratic Process

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Democratic Process

Required Readings

nothing specific

Standards

1.1C Interacts with learning community to access, communicate, and interpret intellectual content
3.3B Recognizes the role of other educational professionals and professional associations

Discussion Points

committee work
leadership
negotiation
conflict resolution

The most important idea here is that you must involve members of your learning community in:

policy decisions
major selection decisions
an advisory capacity
discussing any significant problem or issue

Democratic representation is important, so that all parts of the learning community are represented.

This important principle underlies media program management. It also protects you, as the individual media specialist, in many ways.

Group projects are good preparation for school committee work. Teamwork is a skill - and a necessary component of the modern workplace.

Group Process
Cohort 8 touched this 10-25-08
Ideas taken from project reflections, translated into strategic questions.
Process/Negotiation questions to help groups function well:

Has each team member studied the basics of the project (assignment, background literature, etc.) so that everyone is starting on the same page?
Are tasks clearly delegated?
Is the workload equitable? (Heavy burdens are typically born by a). the school liaison team member; and b). the "compiler", and c). the "whip"/team leader/project manager. Distribute these tasks if possible, and/or give them weight when distributing tasks.)
Does the team have a unified vision?
Is the team efficient in using time?
Is there active compromising?
Do team members help each other? (Especially in light of life challenges?)
Is everyone diligent in completing their portion, according to consensus deadlines? Do we trust each others' level of commitment?
Is there consensus about standards of excellence (perfect? excellent? well enough to get by?)
Does the team have a system for long-distance collaborative work? (Some teams have been able to avoid extra meetings through extensive use of telecommunications and online tools, including synchronous online work and conference calling.)
Does the team have a communication system that consistently reaches everyone?
Does everyone recognize that class f2f group time (while necessary) is insufficient to accomplish the task?
Is everyone on the team committed to reviewing the entire project to make sure it fits together logically, AND to ensure that each team member gains the KSA* involved in the project?
Does everyone acknowledge that what is possible for some may not be possible for all? For example: some team members may not have access to online tools 24/7 (perhaps due to job restrictions).
Is the team willing to "try again?" A team may have difficulty on the first try and evolve into smoother function in subsequent projects.

Reflect on past team experiences from time to time. Do you tend to experience the same kinds of problems in different teams? Does history "repeat" itself? For example, I have trouble "speaking up" and experience anxiety about deadlines; I tend to work well (and feel most comfortable) with people who work exactly like me. However, life does not always provide similar working personalities to accomplish projects. Compensating for individual differences in group settings (without judgment) is a crucial life skill.

*KSA: knowledge, skills, and attitudes

References

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Page history: refreshed 1-28-09