| Problem | Roles define a greater part of a participant’s activities in the group. The assignment of a particular role thus limits a participant’s range of activities and his ability to create a particular contribution. If there is no or little agreement between the background of a participant and his/her role, it can have a strongly negative impact on the participant’s experience in the course. |
|---|---|
| Framework | Anwendung eines Rollenkonzepts im Rahmen eines VCL-Projekts, insbesondere bei einem heterogenen Hintergrund der Teilnehmer |
| Solution | As a part of the project preparation, the group of target participants should be analysed. This is especially necessary if several partners cooperate in one project (see pattern Adapting the VCL project to the institutional needs of the partners). The expected background of the participants can be taken ino account when planning the project, for example when choosing roles. Especially in heterogeneous groups, it is a good idea to connect a particular role to a particular background (see pattern Organisational issues of the role assignment. Several criteria can be used for this purpose: Role assignment in agreement with the individual background If a role needs a special background for its fulfilment, then participants with this background should be given priority when assigning the roles. This approach is suitable if all groups need to have a similar expertise background. For example in a project concerned with IT management in a company, roles with responsibility for corporate processes should be assigned to participants with background in Business Administration and IT-related roles to participants with background in Computer Science. Role assignment based on individual characteristics and experience Some role can have a key influence on the success of the entire project. It is then advisable that these are assigned to participants who posses necessary characteristics or experience. For example a role which is connected to prototype development should be assigned to participants with developer experience, if it is impossible for inexperienced participants to acquire necessary skills as a part of the project. Role assignment against the individual experience/skills It can be a part of the course aims to motivate participants to acquire new skills. In this case, it can be of advantage to assign roles with a deliberate dissent with this participants’ background. E.g. students with little technical experience can be lead to deal with online tools based on the role assignment. Such measures should be clearly communicated to avoid frustration. Assignment based on self-evaluation Some roles require a high level of intrinsic motivation and responsibility. It is of advantage to assign such roles to participants who consider themselves suitable for such roles, based on an individual self-evaluation. E.g. the project manager role, which is a key role in each group, can be assigned to participants who believe that they can lead a team. |
| References | Adapting the VCL project to the institutional needs of the partners Selection of roles Organisational issues of the role assignment |