Overview
As your first task as a team, you will conduct an audit.
An audit is a systematic examination of records or evidence of a particular condition. In business, it is a frequent practice to audit the financial records of a business to insure the accuracy and honesty of the overall condition of the business. There is good reason for conducting financial audits as these numbers are used to judge the quality and soundness of the business. Investors and workers rely on these reports to make decisions about investing and employment. It is safe to say that an investor would not invest in a business that was losing money. It is also safe to say that investors would be wise to have an independent party check the records of businesses so insure that the company is not making false reports.
Like businesses, in our class, we rely on the reporting of our classmates to provide accuracy information on their performance so that we can reward and recognizing outstanding work.
Today, we will be checking the honesty and accuracy of your classmates reporting of personal value.
Purpose
Besides engaging the audit process, this activity is designed for you and your team to efficiently work together.
Goal
You and your team are to audit as many student blogs to check the accuracy of student’s reporting of personal value.
Rules
Your team will earn 60% of total dollar amount of the errors detected. For example, if you discover that students have misreported $5,000 dollars, then your team will earn $3000 dollars.
In addition, teams and students will have to lower their values down to reflect an accurate number. Each group must provide me with a report that identifies any personal value discrepancies.
Each student will have an opportunity to respond the findings of any audit. Successful appeals will earn $500 dollars of personal value. A false audit report will result in a $500 dollar deduction.
Guidance
Because this activity is designed to build teamwork among members, I will not offer step-by-step directions how to complete. Instead, I will offer some advice on how I would go about conducting an audit.
To gain full credit for a blog post, the following standards must be meet.
- at least 100 words
- title must address the main idea
- blog post supports the title
- blog post makes senses — readable with a message
- free of major misconceptions
- avoids plagiarism: copying someone’s text
- demonstrates thoughtfulness
Some Advise
1. I want to do this quickly so I need a plan or method for reviewing student blogs.
2. I would probably use a spreadsheet to record information based on the audit.
3. In the spreadsheet, I would enter all the students names through a copy and paste.
4. I would use the top row to label the number of blogs (ie. blog1, blog2).
5. I would record the quality of the blog reviewed (P,F,E).
6. I would come up with total personal value for each student and the team value.
7. I would divide up the work so that everyone was participating.
Closure
To complete this activity, you and your group are to complete a form in which you submit your spreadsheet as well as report the total amount of inaccurate personal value reported by students. Remember you earn 50% of the total.
Lastly, everyone is to write a blog post in which they reflect on the audit process. You can write about how you went about conducting your audit, you can write about some of the problems you encountered, or you can write about what you learned during this activity. It is your call.
Assessment Outcomes
I can navigate the course website to locate information.
I can read and follow directions to multi-step activity.
I can ask meaningful questions when I/we encounter problems.
I can review and assess previous classroom assignments.
I can work collaboratively to complete an activity in timely manner.
I can devise a systematic process to complete a complex task.
I can use a spreadsheet to collect and report information.
