Dates: February 27-29

Time: 2nd Period

Facilitator: Len Gold

Committee Members Assisting: Suzanne Fuentes, Terry Kirkland

The purpose of the formative evaluation was to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of workshop activites in producing gains in student learning outcomes. The pilot workshop was presented over a three day period, one hour per day.

Part 1 Personality Profiles and Teamwork Evaluation

The 28 students in Len's Gold's class were divided into five groups of 5 and 6 students each. All teams satisfactorily resolved the problem-solving tasks which included completing 3 stations:

Crossing the Alligator River

Knots

Crossing the Desert

Each student could name 3 characteristics of his personal color personality style and 89% could name three characteristics of at least two other styles.

Part 2 Conflict Resolution

All students participated in role playing activities both as mediator and disputants. 78% of the students could list all the steps in conflict resolution process.

Part 3 Guest Speaker

This section of the workshop was not presented during the pilot due to time limitations. In addition, these students will also attend the formal workshop in March and will hear this presentation at that time.

Part 4 Overall Workshop Assessment

Results from Student Evaluation Form:

A Likert Scale was used with ratings from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 4 (Strongly Agree) The average rating for each question is given below:

(Note: Student responses are reproduced in their own language and spelling.)

1. Please comment on the different sections of the Workshop. Which part of the Workshop did you like the best and why?

A majority of students (51%) selected the Group problem-solving activities as the one they liked best. Almost all students said that they enjoyed these activities. Comments:

"Way cool"

"Let's do this all of the time"

"The alligater river was fun and the dessert"

"This is gooffy, but ok"

"I wish all of my classes could be like yours, Mr. Gold"

"I liked it and I learned how to problem solve."

Another 37% cited the Personality Profiles as most important. 95% of students thought the activity worthwhile. Comments

"Good job, Gold"

"I learned alot about my personality and Jason's."

"It was ok"

"Good"

"Had a good time"

"Hey dude, I'm gold too--can I be the teacher?

"Dum"

The Conflict Resolution portion of the workshop was seen as valuable by a majority (83%) of the students with 5.6% listing it as the most important. Comments:

"I need to medate with Calvin and Veronica so they will leave me alone"

"Its ok. Maybe we can help stops the fights"

"The conflict stuff was for babys. People will fight anyway"

"Good"

"Dummer"

"We need to know how to get along better"

2. Do you have suggestions for improving the workshop?

Comments were largely positive suggesting that most students felt that the workshop was all right the way it was. Comments:

" It was good. No changes."

"No"

"I couldn't see the stuff about the desetrt on the screen very well"

"Let's have the workshop during my business accounting class"

"Have food"

1. Redo the overheads giving the results of the Survival in the Desert. Use larger type. Use fewer lines per page.

2. Change the order of the activities in the Problem solving section. Put the Survival in the Desert activity between the Alligator River and Knots (the two out of seat activities)

Click here to return to the "The Trials of Terry Kirkland" case.