F REE R IDING IN P ROJECTS Recognize it today, Deal with it tomorrow, Prevent it in the next project Toine Andernach Focus Centre of Expertise on Education, DUT

22 H AVE YOU BEEN A FREE RIDER YOURSELF ? H OW HAVE YOU BEEN SEDUCED TO BECOME ONE ?

A SSIGNMENT R ECOGNIZE F REE R IDING How do you recognize free riding in the student projects your are involved in? Discuss with your neighbor

W AT JULLIE HEBBEN GEZEGD … … maar dat was voor Pietje, en Pietje is ziek, dus nu kunnen we dat niet presenteren… … een groepsproces is alleen een groepsproces als je dingen delegeert… … ze zeggen ‘t niet tegen elkaar… (alleen als ‘t extreem wordt) … ik zeg maar niks want dit gaat onder m’n pet… … als je een afspraak maakt en hij wordt niet nagekomen, wat doe je dan? … ik heb maar 1 keer echt plaggiaat (copy-paste) meegemaakt

Hoe ze op elkaar reageren: 1 iemand voortouw waar de rest niks mee kan Bij herhaling niet mee doen, afspraken niet nakomen: uitkijken met culturele verschillen Iemand die nadrukkelijk laat weten dat ie ‘t allemaal wel weet Als anderen gaan klagen (tegen elkaar en tegen de coach) De groep kan iemand bewust laten meeliften Hoe doet ie ‘t bij een ander vak? Bij andere docenten navragen Irritatie in de groep

R ECOGNIZE FREE RIDING Keep track of the design and group process (check log books and working plans (who, what, when)) Join group meetings on a regular basis Monitor individual behaviour in a group (silence, passive) but: Beware of cultural differences! Talk with individual members on a regular basis

D EAL WITH FREE RIDING Coaching: 1. Consider coping with free riding to be a learning objective itself 2. Discuss free riding behaviour as a topic in a group meeting 3. Make students aware of both their individual and group responsibility 4. Involve free riders and divide the workload Assessment: 1. Assess individual behaviour and results 2. Identify individual contributions to the group result 3. Involve log book information in the assessment procedure

D ISCUSS FREE RIDING IN A MEETING WITH THE GROUP 1. Introduce the problem in a neutral way 2. Give each group member the opportunity to formulate their version of the problem 3. Make a list of possible solutions by group members 4. Make agreements Be aware that : 1. You don’t make it your problem 2. Students tend to play down the problem 3. Students do not openly accuse other students of free riding 4. Students can often easily do the work with one team member less

I F STUDENTS DO NOT CONSIDER FREE RIDING TO BE A PROBLEM, WHY WOULD YOU ?

A SSIGNMENT D EAL WITH FREE RIDING Practice to follow the steps below in a simulated project meeting about the free riding problem: 1. Introduce the problem in a neutral way 2. Give everyone the opportunity to formulate their version of the problem 3. Make a list of possible solutions by group members 4. Make appointments

P REVENT FREE RIDING Develop an inspirational project assignment, suitable for group work Create small groups (more social control) Clarify initial roles, tasks, expectations, responsibilities and project structure Change roles and tasks during the project Introduce a peer review system Implement the principles of co-operative learning

P RINCIPLES OF CO - OPERATIVE LEARNING 1. Individual responsibility : is each student responsible for part of the assignment? 2. Positive (inter)dependency : do the students need each other to reach a good result? 3. Simultaneous activity : are as many students as possible at work at the same time? 4. Equality in workload : does each student have to carry an equal share of the workload?

A SSIGNMENT : PREVENT FREE RIDING In small groups : answer the questions below for the project assignment(s) in which you are involved. If yes: how? If no: how to arrange that? 1. Is each student responsible for part of the assignment? 2. Do the students need each other to reach a good result? 3. Are as many students as possible at work at the same time? 4. Does each student have to carry an equal share of the workload?