Big+Hairy+Goals

 Now focus on answering the question,
 * Setting overarching goals **


 * "What do I want my students to be able to //do// when they are done with my course?"**

If this question is answered thoughtfully and realistically, the goals that you have set for your students will provide a road map for developing a course that helps students achieve those goals.

Assessment, sometimes viewed as a real bugbear, falls out naturally from the desire to determine whether students have met the goals. Assessment methods are devised before class-based activities, not as is usually done – tacked on as an afterthought!   You are going to set goals that meet very specific criteria. Below, you will find a list of overarching goals for courses, some of which meet the criteria and some of which don't. For each of the goals listed below, answer the questions:   ·  Is the goal student-focused, rather than teacher-focused?  ·  Does the goal focus on higher order thinking skills?  ·  Could you design an activity/assignment that would allow you to determine whether students have met the goal or not (does the goal have "measurable outcomes")?  ·  Is the goal concrete, rather than vague and abstract? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Practice in critical evaluation of overarching goals (Whole Group Activity) **<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">2. I want students to appreciate the awesome power of Nature. ====

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">3. I want students to understand the scientific method. ====

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> · Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">4. I want students to be able to apply geologic knowledge to municipal planning and land use decisions. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">5. I want students to be able to describe the seven major disasters covered in the course and explain the geologic processes involved in the disasters. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">6. I want students to be able to understand why geologic catastrophes happen in some places but not in others. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">7. I want students to be able to identify rocks and minerals. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">8. I want students to be able to analyze historical and geologic records in an area and predict the likelihood of future natural disaster events. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">9. I want students to be able to go up to an unfamiliar outcrop, ask appropriate questions, make observations and collect data, analyze their observations and data, make interpretations, and make decisions about where to proceed next in the field. ==== <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? ===== ====<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">10. I want students to be able to evaluate old hypotheses in light of new data. ====

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Student-focused? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Higher order thinking skills? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Measurable outcomes? <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Concrete, rather than vague and abstract? =====

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<span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Set one to three overarching goals for your course. <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">What do you want your students to be able to //do// when they are done with your course? Several months down the road? Next year? Five years from now? As you write your goals, keep the following in mind: <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> =====
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Factor in context. **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> Who are your students, and what do they need? Remember what you wrote on course context for the tasks in Part 1 of this activity
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Set student-focused goals. **
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Phrase your goals as **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> //"Students will be able to…"// or "//I want students to be able to…"//.
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Avoid phrases such as **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> //"I want to expose students to…"// or //"I want to show students that…"//. Don't fall into the trap of writing a goal that says //"I want students to be able to be exposed to…."!//
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Set goals involving higher order thinking skills. **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Use verbs that signal higher order thinking skills **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">, such as //derive, predict, analyze, design, interpret, synthesize, formulate, plan, correlate, evaluate, create, critique// and //adapt//.
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Avoid verbs that signal lower order thinking skills **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">, such as //list, explain, calculate, know about, identify, describe, recognize, summarize, discuss, define, recall, paraphrase//, and //locate//.
 * **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Set goals that are concrete, have measurable outcomes, and provide clear direction for course design. **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Avoid verbs such as //understand, appreciate, value//.
 * <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Remember that there is no one right set of overarching goals for a course. Different instructors with different students will likely have different goals or phrase goals differently even if the course is on the same topic. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

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<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">|| Group 1...... || Group 2...... || Group 3...... || Group 4...... || =====