The purpose of this activity is to familiarize you with the case study approach to solving complex problems, and get familiar with the technology tools.  Remember, like any muscle, our brains work better when they get to do some training before the big event. You will be analyzing a short case study focusing on "why some students are vegetarians."  Below you will find a step-by-step process that will guide you through the case. 

• Identify the issues.
• Identify the perspectives
• Telecollaboration: Issues & Perspectives
• Increase our knowledge
• Create an action plan
• Analyze the consequences
• Telecollaboration: Actions & Consequences

ISSUES

The ability to get past a personal opinion, and identify the core questions is often overlooked when solving a complex problem.  What are the Big Questions? Are there some areas where different people could or would take different or opposite views?  Taking the time to get down to the key issues will ultimately result in a solution that will be meaningful to each person with a stake in the final decision.

Individually read "Meating of the Minds." After reading the case, identify three key issues involved in the scenario. Don't worry about fixing the problem at this stage; just identify the key questions.

Get into your work group and share the issues that each person has identified. Create a group list of the three most important issues identified by the group.  Print a copy of your issues and   place it in your group portfolio.  You may want to look at a sample grading rubric for identifying issues.

PERSPECTIVES

Each character in the case brings their own perspective to the issues involved. Now it’s time to see if you can learn anything by looking at the issues from these different perspectives. This means you will make up or identify the roles of the people who are involved in this situation. Of course you will consider the girls in the story, but don’t forget the outside factors whose values influence the situation.

As a group, list both the characters in the scenario, and any outside stakeholders. Write a description of their perspective on the case. Print a copy of your perspectives and place it in your group portfolio. You may want to look at a sample grading rubric for identifying perspectives.

TELECOLLABORATION: ISSUES & PERSPECTIVES

How do others view the case? What can you learn from their discussion about the issues and perspectives? It is time to collaborate with your peers in another class.

1. Your class will Logon to the online discussion board and your teacher will guide you through posting a refined class list of issues and perspectives.
2. It's time to meet your partners, and learn more about your telecollaboration group.  You will be working with these students for several days, and they are many miles away, so you need to start building a solid working relationship. While you are videoconferencing with your group, there are a few questions you must find out about each distant partner.

• Name
• Grade level
• Favorite lunch food
• Number of brothers and sisters
• What do you do for fun?
• In addition, write down two additional   questions that you would like to ask.  For example:  favorite breakfast cereal or the last time they went bowling.

  Write these questions and answers for each distant partner, and place this information in your group portfolio.

Constructing KNOWLEDGE

During this phase, you will use the perspectives you identified to gather more information. Your job is to find out as much as you can that will help explain why the perspective you’re representing believes as it does. This is your chance to get into the minds, bodies, and hearts of the various viewpoints involved in the issues.

Each member of your group will select a different perspective in the story.  At least one person in the group must select an outside stakeholder.  Write one question from the viewpoint your selected perspective, and use the internet resources in the constructing knowledge section to locate the artifact that supports answering the question.  Your question must include one word from the word list below, and you must fill in the reference evaluation form for the Internet artifact.  Place copy of your question, answer, artifact and evaluation form in your individual (not group) project portfolio. 

ACTIONS

Now comes the time to create the best "happy ending" for the story. Do this by getting together as a group and sharing the best solution from each perspective. Then you will have to discuss, debate, and support the issues and values using the knowledge you've learned along the way. Remember, evidence is more persuasive than volume or tantrums. Specifically, consider the main issues raised by the situation, what each person on your team learned by looking and learning from a certain perspective, and how things to be worked out so that no one's values get ignored.

It's time for your group to finish the story.  Be specific but be careful not to identify any consequences associated with your solution.  Before you start creating your masterpiece, please study this possible grading rubric. Print a copy of your story and place it in your group portfolio.

CONSEQUENCES

Based on your ending, what will be the impact of your decision? This is an educated guess, not an outright guess, because of all you learned about the values that lie at the foundation of each perspective. If you've thought it out fully, you should be able to suggest a likely outcome. These will vary of course because each group used different brains and Web sites to create their understanding.

Write a statement that identifies the repercussion of your group's solution on three of the characters in the story. Print a copy of your consequence and place it in your group portfolio.

TELECOLLABORATION: ACTIONS & PERSPECTIVES

How did another group perceive a "happy ending?"
Once again, it is time to collaborate with your peers in another class.

Logon to the on-line discussion board and locate your assigned collaboration group. Post your story ending and consequences. You can cut & paste your list directly from your group’s word-processing document.

After your corresponding collaboration group has posted their actions and consequences print a copy of their work and place it in your group portfolio.

Now that you have honed your case study skills, it is time to tackle a larger issue.  To clone or not to clone...You get the idea.  Good luck!