Post-graduate Collaborative Assignment
Terri Grant
Professional Communication Unit
School of Management Studies
BACKGROUND
PG Dip Programme regarded as
mini MBA
 4 major specialisations on offer
 Many non-Commerce
undergraduate degrees
 Disparate group of students in
terms of race, gender, age,
nationality, language (many
ESL students)

PROBLEM FOR PCU
Our course is a 2-credit core course
offered across all 4 specialisations
 Focus is on business communication
and career development
 Seen as ‘soft option’ and ‘extra’ to
the diploma
 Mediocre quality as priorities
shifted to special field deliverables
WHAT TO DO?

THE COLLABORATIVE
ASSIGNMENT - How to:
‘Work smart’
 Build collegiality
We
needed  Align and integrate PCU course
a good  Focus on WAD
idea!
 Simulate the work environment
 Build capacity
 Provide support and
‘scaffolding’ for weaker
students

PCU could act as a pivot:
This would:

Centralise course (& communicative
competence) as a hub for all diploma special
fields, thus foregrounding the importance of
communication in the course & workplace
M
EM
PCU
TM
HR /
SM
Collaborative assignment
topics: how this worked






Mixed groups were established (race, gender,
language, etc.) within 4 specialisation areas
These groups stayed intact across 3 semester core
courses [Business Communication & Career
Development (PCU), Entrepreneurial Strategies
(ES) and Business in Context (BIC)]
PCU negotiated topics with 2 other course
convenors to devise an ‘a’, ‘b’ & ‘c’ for each topic
Topic areas displayed on notice board and online
Groups had to select focus area on first come, first
served basis and put down 1st and 2nd choices
Once finalised, groups were given the go-ahead!
Example: one focus area =
3 topics for 3 courses



3 a. ES: Analyse the extent of economic development from 2 major
recent sporting events (e.g. Olympic Games, Soccer World Cup). What
can we learn from these two cases and how can lessons be applied to
the 2010 SA World Cup. (Report)
3b. PCU: The advent of the World Cup in South Africa brings with it a
myriad of business challenges and opportunities. As a SA entrepreneur,
how could you take advantage of this sports event? Outline your
concept / product / service to the organisers and include how your
proposal will contribute to the success of such an international event.
(Business proposal)
3c. BIC: The World Cup is meant to bring upliftment to the poor in
South Africa while at the same time servicing the needs of wealthy
foreign sports fans. How have major sports events brought poverty
alleviation in the past to other countries, and how have they also failed
in this mission. How can a South African company ethically benefit from
the World Cup? (Paper or essay)
FACILITATON PROCESS

INPUT LECTURES (Guest speakers) leading to…..
WORKSHOPS (PCU staff) resulting in ……
GROUP MEETINGS (on their own or with staff by
arrangement) giving rise to……
REPORT BACKS leading to ……
FEEDBACK and eventual delegation of

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES


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Written projects
Group oral presentation
PCU RESULTS
60
50
40
Percentage
30
obtained
20
oral
written
exam
10
0
2004
2005
2006
Date
Figure1: Lowest marks obtained in 2004 – 2006 with
examination improvement being the most dramatic.
0
20
40
60
80
Box diagram comparison (1)
2004
2005
Oral
Exam
2006
Written
Figure 2: A comparison of mark range from 2004 – 2006 in all three assessment areas
Box diagram comparison (2)
0
40
50
50
20
60
60
40
70
70
60
Written Marks by Year
80
Oral Marks by Year
80
80
Exam Marks by Year
2004
2005
2006
2004
2005
2006
2004
2005
2006
Figure 3: In final examination as well as oral and written year mark, the 2006 mark
range was shorter with no students getting below the cut-off of 40% and no failures.
Course assessments
Over 80% of course assessments were positive with
students using descriptions such as “valuable to
course and career”; “worthwhile”; ”learnt so many
new things”; “realistic”; “powerful, relevant,
supportive course”; “structure was perfect”;
“comfortable” “helpful and inspiring”; “excellent”
program.
Just over 10% had mixed feelings as found approach
quite daunting and about 8% found course more
stressful than helpful. (Most of these had team
problems.)
2006 & beyond
Sport Management replaced HR
as a Diploma (2006).
 Collaboration has grown to
include most core course
convenors who contribute
research areas to me at the
start of semester.
 We separate these into assignment components and manage
the programme and process.

More work
for me at
the outset
but far
better
integration
and
alignment
with core
course
subject
matter.
Suspected and real problems

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Too much of a good thing?
(complacency)
Boredom with same research topics they may “re-hash” topics rather than
“re-engineer” them intelligently
If group conflict / boredom, etc. this
carries over into other courses as
groups remain the same
Although weaker students supported,
can this be construed as “riding on
the coat tails of stronger students”?
Find a balance
 Assignment
type (What
makes up the portfolio?)
 Size of work unit (Is it
individual, buddy or group?)
 Assessment criteria (Who
assesses? How? When?)
Thank you.
Any questions
?