Student Group Presentations of Work-Family Issues

Activity Description:

Format:

Presentation time: 30 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions

Objective:

Groups of four to six students will be responsible for leading a 30-minute class discussion on one of the work-family themes outlined below. This involves choosing a topic, preparing an annotated bibliography of additional articles on the topic, providing a one-page summary of the research on the topic, preparing discussion questions, and leading or facilitating the discussion.

Topics for Group Presentations:

  • Issues and options regarding paid maternity and parental leave
  • Social support for eldercare
  • Childcare – issues and options
  • The overworked family
  • Public policy and work-family initiatives
  • Work-family issues and the trade union movement
  • How work-family issues are portrayed in the media

Evaluation Criteria:

Please note that marks for the presentation will be allocated equally to all members of your group. Presentations will be assessed on the following criteria:

  1. Relevance: To what extent was the presentation relevant to the assignment topic?
  2. Clarity: To what extent did this presentation assist your understanding of the content of the material/arguments/analysis presented?
  3. Intellectual Extension: To what extent did this presentation encourage you to think in new ways about the situation/theme presented? To what extent did the presentation build on readings and seminars in this and/or other subjects, and enlarge your appreciation of the material presented?
  4. Group Synergy: To what extent did the presentation combine and go beyond the individual efforts of group members i.e., to what extent did it come together as a group rather than as an individual effort?
  5. Memorability: To what extent will the presentation help you to remember the material presented?
  6. Facilitation of Group Discussion: To what extent did the structure of the presentation facilitate and encourage group discussion and sharing of ideas?
  7. Quality of Annotated Bibliography: Quality of the selection of references to the presentation theme and value of the summary of the main insights and points made for these references
  8. Summary handout: Similar to an executive summary and should include the main findings and conclusions in relation to the theme

Activity Source:

Adapted by Jane Case from Bardoel, A. (2003). “Work, Family and Life” Syllabus.