Phil 205 H S19: Group Work Instructions

Phil 205 Honors Spring 2019 Group Work Instructions 

Instructions: Your group is responsible for presenting one of the Bioethics issues in the textbook to the class, and leading a discussion on that topic. In addition, you will select one of the articles at the end of your assigned chapter and present the arguments in that article to the class. You should plan for your presentation to take approximately one and a half to two hours of class time.

A good presentation should do the following:

  1. Clearly articulate the issue, including the latest scientific research that informs that issue, and potential moral dilemmas that arise from your issue.
  2. Discuss how the major ethical theories we studied would analyze that issue.
  3. Select an article on that topic from the textbook and discuss the major arguments in that article.
  4. Involve the class in a discussion of that topic. Don’t just lecture for the whole class period. Involve your peers in the conversation. For example, have them break into groups and assign them a case study to analyze. Or, have them write and discuss a short reflection piece on that topic. Or, create an interactive quiz. Be creative!
  5. Try to bring in additional material from outside the textbook such as videos, handouts, etc.
  6. Everyone in your group should be involved in some aspect of the group presentation.

When your group is finished with its presentation, every member of your group will write a self-reflection and self-evaluation on their participation in the group. This will be due the following class period. The material in this reflection/evaluation will be partly used to determine your grade on this assignment.

Grading: This assignment is worth 100 points and each member of your group will be given an individual grade. The points for this assignment will be allocated as follows:

  1. Quality and clarity of the presentation: 40 points
  2. Your efforts to involve your peers and facilitate discussion: 15 points
  3. Creativity: 15 points
  4. Your work and involvement with your group (this will be evaluated based on the self-evaluations of your other group members). 20 points
  5. Your self-reflection/self-evaluation. 10 points

Self Evaluation/Self-Reflection. Answer the following questions about your experience working in your group. Your total answer should be 2-3 pages in length, typed, double-spaced in 12-point legible font, and is due the week following your presentation.  

  1. How well do you think your group worked together? Where there any significant problems or challenges you encountered
  2. How much do you think you personally contributed to the work of the group. Do you believe that you did your fair share of the work? Explain.
  3. How much do you think that other members of your group contributed to the work of your group? Is there anyone in your group who you feel went above and beyond? Is there anyone in your group whom you feel did not do their fair share of work? Explain.
  4. In general, how did you find this group activity? Did you find it worthwhile or would you have preferred to do something else? 
Comments