You’ve just been through a real life experience of working in a virtual team. What tips or advice* would you give to students who will be taking this course next term to help them have a productive team experience?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Tips for a Productive Experience in a Virtual Team
Having gone through the experience of working in a virtual team, I have gathered valuable insights and strategies that can help students in the upcoming term maximize their productivity and collaboration. Here are some practical tips to ensure a successful virtual team experience:
1. Establish Clear Communication Channels
– Choose the Right Tools: Select reliable communication tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) that everyone is comfortable using. Ensure that all team members have access to these platforms.
– Set Communication Norms: Establish guidelines for how and when to communicate (e.g., response times, preferred channels for different types of messages). This reduces confusion and increases efficiency.
2. Define Roles and Responsibilities
– Clarify Team Roles: Clearly define each member’s role within the team from the outset. This helps avoid overlaps and ensures accountability.
– Utilize Strengths: Leverage individual strengths by assigning tasks that play to each member’s skills and expertise, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation.
3. Schedule Regular Meetings
– Hold Consistent Check-ins: Schedule regular team meetings to discuss progress, address challenges, and plan next steps. Consistent touchpoints help maintain momentum and accountability.
– Be Mindful of Time Zones: If your team is geographically diverse, choose meeting times that accommodate everyone as much as possible. Rotate meeting times if needed to be fair.
4. Foster a Collaborative Environment
– Encourage Participation: Create an inclusive atmosphere where all team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and opinions. Use techniques like round-robin discussions to ensure everyone has a voice.
– Build Relationships: Take time for informal interactions—icebreakers or casual chat sessions can help strengthen relationships and build rapport.
5. Utilize Project Management Tools
– Organize Tasks Efficiently: Use project management software (e.g., Trello, Asana, or Monday.com) to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. This keeps everyone aligned and focused on deliverables.
– Visualize Workflows: Visual aids can help clarify processes and responsibilities, making it easier for team members to follow along.
6. Stay Flexible and Adaptable
– Be Open to Change: Virtual teams often face unexpected challenges, whether technical issues or scheduling conflicts. Be prepared to adapt your plans and workflows as needed.
– Cultivate Patience: Recognize that misunderstandings may occur due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. Approach conflicts with patience and a willingness to resolve issues constructively.
7. Prioritize Time Management
– Set Clear Deadlines: Establish clear deadlines for tasks and milestones to keep the team on track and accountable.
– Encourage Time Blocking: Encourage team members to allocate specific blocks of time for focused work on group projects, minimizing distractions during these periods.
8. Celebrate Achievements
– Acknowledge Contributions: Regularly recognize individual and team achievements, no matter how small. This boosts morale and motivates team members.
– Reflect on Successes and Challenges: After completing a project, hold a debriefing session to discuss what worked well and what could be improved for future collaborations.
Conclusion
In summary, effective communication, clear role definitions, regular meetings, collaboration, organization through project management tools, adaptability, time management, and recognition are essential components of a productive virtual team experience. By implementing these strategies, students can navigate the challenges of remote collaboration more effectively and foster an environment that promotes creativity, engagement, and success in their course projects. Embracing these practices will not only enhance the learning experience but also prepare them for future professional teamwork in an increasingly virtual world.
