A teacher, Mr. Smith, assigns a group project to four students: Anna, Ben, Claire, and Daniel. Each student is responsible for a different part of the project. Anna is in charge of research, Ben is responsible for writing, Claire handles visuals, and Daniel manages the presentation. Mr. Smith tells them that he will give extra credit to whoever submits their work first. However, he forgets to tell them which method they should use to submit their work (email or hard copy). How do the students decide how to submit their work? What does Mr. Smith think when he receives their submissions?

Provide a short response.
The students could decide how to submit their work by discussing among themselves what they perceive as the quickest and most reliable method. Since they are aware that extra credit is available for swift submission, they may opt for the method that allows the swiftest delivery, which is likely to be email. Email is immediate, doesn't require physical transportation, and provides a time-stamped record of when the work was sent, which is beneficial for proving who submitted first.

The students might also consider previous instructions or habits from Mr. Smith's class. If he usually prefers one method over the other, they might assume that is the expected method of submission unless told otherwise. In the absence of clear direction, they may also reach out to Mr. Smith for clarification or choose the method that is most accessible to all group members.

On receiving the submissions, Mr. Smith might feel surprised or puzzled if the students chose a method he did not expect. If all the students submitted using the same method, Mr. Smith could conclude that they communicated and agreed upon a submission strategy. If he receives the work through different methods, he may realize his oversight in not specifying how to submit their work and interpret their different submission methods as a sign of the students making their own decisions based on their individual preferences or assumptions. Mr. Smith may then reflect on the need to provide clear instructions in future to avoid any confusion.