Under the chapter Understanding Small Group Communication theory Please answer first 3 questions
CASE STUDY 9 How Do You Keep a Group on Task? You have been appointed to a task force whose pur- pose Is to recommend ways to better Integrate stu- dents who take mostly online courses with students who commute to the campus as well as resident students. The dean of students is concemed with the drop-out rate and Is hopeful that your gmup will offer positive suggestions that will enhance the college experience for all students. \"the committee is composed mostly of juniors and seniors. 'lhe dean thinks they have been around long enough to \"know the ropes." A majority of group members are traditional undergraduates who live In residence halls. One is a single mother who takes her classes onllne. As president-elect of next year's soph- omore class, you are the youngest of the six commit- tee members. You are also one of the few commuter students on the committee. The chairperson is a grad- uating senior and an assistant in the residence halls. You arrive at the rst meeting ready to work. You are excited about being a part of a decision-making process that will have a real effect. To your dismay, the other members of the group seem to disregard their assignment and spend the meeting discussing the prospects for the basketball team, hardly mention- Ing the task at hand. You leave the meeting confused but hopeful that the next meeting Will be more fruitful. You resolve to take a more active role and to try to steer the meeting rrrore toward the committee's task. At the second meeting, you suggest that the committee discuss the assloned problem. Members concur at first, but then make jokes about the futility of retention programs and how the administration Is always looking for ways to collect more tuitlon from students. When the chairperson makes no effort to keep the group on track, you feel overwhelmed and bewildered. You know that the dean expects a report Within a month. ltituest'rons for Analysis 1 . Begin by analyzing the situation. What are the important components? Differences of status among group members? Other differences? Tlme constraints? The group's task? What else? How many can you identify? Which of these do you think will help you explain the situation, make predictions, and choose the most effective course of action? 2. Use the variables you Identied to write a one- paragraph explanation of the situation. 3. Fieview the section in this chapter on social ex- change theory. What costs and rewards {real or potential] can you identify in this situation that might Inuence participants' behaviors? 4. Consider this group as a system: How would a change in one part of the system affect the other components? For instance, If the dean gives the group three additional months to complete the work, what Is likely to happen? 5. if you were really in this situation, what would you do
