Earlier in the semester in Dr. McCoy’s class, we looked at different Geneseo documents provided to students and were going to have to work on a collaborative writing assignment eventually. I hadn’t realized how significant these documents and this assignment were until recently, as I was reflecting on the year. The collaborative writing assignment in Dr. McCoy’s class has allowed those of us in class, to learn and work together. Geneseo’s Globe (Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education) addresses leadership and collaboration. More specifically saying: “To engage others in developing collaborative solutions; to experiment, take risks and learn from mistakes; to enable, encourage, and recognize contributions to collaborative efforts by all group members; to manage and share work fairly and respectfully; to envision, promote, consider, and respond to diverse viewpoints.” The Globe statement is significant for Geneseo student because they will develop practical skills that are applicable throughout our future and promotes students to engage with one another and make mistakes and learn from them.
When we first started the assignment it was difficult and many of us didn’t know how to attack the assignment. The challenge for many of us students came with finding the courage to speak up and share our ideas with the groups created. We began in small groups for the collaborative writing and the group got bigger and switch up throughout the length of the assignment. This allowed us to work with many different people in the class and change things up. As we progressed we started to get comfortable and share our ideas. With group assignments, it can be hard because some people contribute more than others and people can disagree. On the other hand, we are bouncing ideas off of each other, this allows us to think and we may acquire new ideas. I believe group work can be very beneficial and have recognized the benefits to students in the class. Dr. McCoy’s limited involvement in the collaborative writing has allowed us to work together to complete the various tasks, such as revising an academic probation letter and then combining the letters. Through this, we are learning more about writing by working in groups and can apply what we’ve learned from each other to our own writing. The assignment is being used to allow us to develop skills needed because working with other is always going to be relevant in any direction we take in life. The collaborative writing taught the importance of each of my classmate because without their thoughts and opinions I would have never engaged in such significant conversations that would affect what I have learned. I have gained an understanding of parts of the Globe in INTD 105 and realize that all the assignment we are given in college have some relevance to our lives as a whole and are shaping us for the future.