5.8: Collaborative Activity
- Page ID
- 63734
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)This collaborative activity will consider some simple analyses and experience using a Likert scale. While the activity is a physical activity based on creating a “house” using standard playing cards, the physical abilities of the members of your group will not be judged, but rather members will share their experiences on the difficulty of the physical tasks. The members of the group should not feel the need to achieve the tasks if they do not feel comfortable in doing so.
This activity consists of the members of your group each attempting to build three different “houses” using standard paying cards. The activity of creating structures by stacking playing cards on top of one another has probably been around as long as playing cards have existed. What makes the structures interesting is that they hold together completely by friction. No glues or other types of adhesives are used in their construction. Additionally, the playing cards cannot be physically altered. For example, they may not be bent or have notches cut into them.
For this activity each member of the group will attempt to build three houses of cards. The members do not have to be successful in completing each task. After the three tasks are attempted, each group member will then take a short survey on their experience with the tasks, and the group will discuss how the data could be used to learn about the difficulty of the tasks.
The first task creates a simple house of cards using five cards. To begin building this card house, place one of the five cards on a flat surface with one of the long edges down. While holding this card, lean a second card up against it, also placing one of the long edges on the flat surface. The cards should form a T shape as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) below.
Now, on the end of one of the top parts of the T, carefully form another T shape using a third card as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\) below.
Finally, at the end of this T, form a square by taking a fourth card, forming another T whose edge leans against the first card, as shown below.
Now carefully place a roof on the house by lightly placing a card on top as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\) below.
The second task creates a house of cards also using five cards. To begin take two cards and place them on the flat surface leaning into one another so that the top edges touch as shown below. See Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\).
As shown in the figure, the short edges should be on the flat surface and touching at the top. If the cards are balanced carefully enough, the friction on the flat surface and where the cards touch at the top should hold them in place. Be sure to have the cards vertical enough so that the bottom edges do not slide outward. Now, using two more cards, repeat this process right next to the two cards that have already been placed to that you get a structure that looks like an M (with a space in the middle) as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\) figure below.
To finish the house of cards, very carefully place the fifth card flat on top spanning the two peaks as shown in Figiure \(\PageIndex{7}\) below.
The second type of house of cards is now complete!
The third type of house of cards is an extension of the second type of house of cards using two additional cards for a total of seven cards. For this house of cards, begin by assembling the second type of house of cards. Once that is complete, take the two last cards and add them on top of the top horizontal card by leaning them against each other in the same way that the two pairs of cards were constructed on the bottom, as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\) below.
The third type of house of cards is now complete!
Once each member of your group has attempted to build each of the three types of houses of cards, you will each take the survey below, which is scored on a Lickert scale coded as follows:
Score = 0 if the task was very easy
Score = 1 if the task was easy
Score = 2 if the task was neither easy nor difficult
Score = 3 if the task was difficult
Score = 4 if the task was very difficult
The House of Cards Survey
Score each answer as a whole number between 0 and 4 using the scale shown above.
1. How difficult did you find building the first card house?
2. How difficult did you find building the second card house?
3. How difficult did you find building the third card house?
4. If you could practice building the first card house ten times, and then try again, how difficult do you imagine it would be?
5. If you could practice building the second card house ten times, and then try again, how difficult do you imagine it would be?
6. If you could practice building the third card house ten times, and then try again, how difficult do you imagine it would be?
7. Consider the card house shown in the Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\) below. How difficult do you think it would be to build?
The results from the survey should be recorded in a data table like the one shown below:
|
Group Member |
Question 1 |
Question 2 |
Question 3 |
Question 4 |
Question 5 |
Question 6 |
Question 7 |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
If there are more than five people in your group, additional lines can be added to accommodate their responses.
Questions:
- Consider the data that was observed for building the first card house. Was there agreement between the participants as to how easy it was for them to build or attempt to build the card house? If you were asked to summarize in a single sentence how difficult each group member found building the first card house, what would that sentence be?
- Consider the data that was observed for building the second card house. Was there agreement between the participants as to how easy it was for them to build or attempt to build the card house? If you were asked to summarize in a single sentence how difficult each group member found building the second card house, what would that sentence be?
- Consider the data that was observed for building the third card house. Was there agreement between the participants as to how easy it was for them to build or attempt to build the card house? If you were asked to summarize in a single sentence how difficult each group member found building the first card house, what would that sentence be?
- Compare the responses from building the first card house with the responses from building the second card house. Does it appear that one card house is more difficult to construct? Provide details on how you reached your conclusion.
- Now compare the responses from building the second card house with the responses from building the third card house. Does it appear that one card house is more difficult to construct? Provide details on how you reached your conclusion. Was it easier to reach this conclusion that the one you found in the previous question?
- Consider the answers given to questions 4 through 6 and compare them to the answers given to questions 1 through 3. Do the data indicate that your group members feel that practicing building the card houses will decrease the difficulty level of building the card houses?
- Consider the responses given to question 7. How much agreement is there between your group members on how difficult the pictured card house would be to construct?
- Suppose someone asks you to redesign the survey so that the data collected uses a ratio scale instead of a Likert scale. What type of data could you observe?