Strengthening the bonds

This week, our team worked to put together our Group Contract. In doing so, I got to learn more about each person's style of working, and how we are going to work together. Some strengths and roles are starting to emerge. Each of us put up a few ideas about what we would include. My other team mates had specific ideas that they wanted to include. My contribution was a lot more theoretical at the beginning, wanting to make a structure of everything that we should address in the contract. Then, to move forward with getting the details together for each idea. After the first draft was put up, we then had a web conference that included a white space area that also allowed the group to view web pages, for which we could all manipulate. It was my first experience with this technology. While we came up with some great ideas towards moving forward with the contract and the project, the real benefit was getting to learn more about each other. Even though much of the conversation was regarding the tool and the work, I learned so much about them that I wouldn't be able to get from a message board or picture. Just putting a "voice" to a name was helpful in learning more about their personality, learning style, and collaboration style. There was a small technical difficulty, that we quickly resolved. However, I could see that this may be one thing that could interfere with the learning process for our students. Someone on either end could get frustrated and decided not to participate. Also, being exposed to this tool was an eye-opening experience. Just like doing this blog for the first time, the way that you think of a social software tool pre-and post- using is so different. Even if it is an exact match with your understanding of the concept, the tool involved. Using it, and especially in a collaborative context, makes all the difference. Every time I mention any of the tools I will use in my course, not having used it myself seems so disingenuous. I really don't have an understanding of the power that it has, and how to ultilize it appropriately. I am going to have to dig in more and more and take every opportunity that I can get inside and outside this course to use them. At the end of this week, I feel like it has been productive and feel much more of a bond with my teammates.