Student Roles
Some tasks are complex and may benefit from clear roles and responsibilities assigned to each student within a group. Create team roles that are simple, clear, and important. Roles that are frivolous, unclear, or too complex may frustrate one or more team members. Some sample roles are:
Organizer—provides the group with the overall process structure
Recorder—writes down important information (e.g., directions or group work)
Checker—Makes sure that all team members understand the concepts and the team's conclusions.
Questioner—generates questions and involves all students
Assessor—evaluates the progress of each work session
Encourager—models and reinforces appropriate social skills
Summarizer: Restates the team's conclusions or answers.
Spokesperson—represents the group and presents group work to rest of the class
Timekeeper—keeps group on task and on time
Team facilitator—Moderates discussions, keeps the team on schedule, ensures that work is completed by all, and makes sure that all have the opportunity to participate and learn.
Elaborator—Relates the discussion with prior concepts and knowledge.
Research runner—Gets needed materials and is the liaison between teams and between their team and the instructor.
At the start of a course, consider allowing team members to pick their own roles. As students become more comfortable with teamwork, however, it is a good idea to rotate roles within the teams so that students experience a variety of responsibilities.