Team Leader of Distribution and Warehousing
Monitoring the Progress and Effectiveness of Student Teams http://www.foundationcoalition.org/teams Definition
A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.1 Although student teams may not satisfy all the requirements of the definition, the degree to which they do often determines their effectiveness.
Rationale
“Students do not come to school with all the social skills they need to collaborate effectively with others. Therefore, teachers need to teach the appropriate communication, leadership, trust, decision making, and conflict management skills to students and provide the motivation to use these skills in order for groups to function effectively.”2 Faculty must take responsibility to help students develop their skills to participate on and lead teams.
Introduction
One element of helping students develop the ability to learn and work in teams is monitoring their progress on team activities, exercises, or assignments and furnishing suitable feedback to them on their progress. To support faculty members who may be new to using students teams, this document addresses the following questions:
•
Why is monitoring the progress of student teams important?
•
What are possible strategies and tools for monitoring the progress of student teams?
•
What are issues for instructors to consider as they monitor student teams?
•
What are issues to consider if instructors ask teams to assess their progress (that is, self monitor)?
•
How have specific instructors monitored team progress in their classes?
Addressing these questions is intended to help faculty members improve their ability to use student teams in their classes.
Why is monitoring the progress of student teams important?
When using teams for extended periods, monitoring their effectiveness occasionally is critical. Checking or
A team is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.1 Although student teams may not satisfy all the requirements of the definition, the degree to which they do often determines their effectiveness.
Rationale
“Students do not come to school with all the social skills they need to collaborate effectively with others. Therefore, teachers need to teach the appropriate communication, leadership, trust, decision making, and conflict management skills to students and provide the motivation to use these skills in order for groups to function effectively.”2 Faculty must take responsibility to help students develop their skills to participate on and lead teams.
Introduction
One element of helping students develop the ability to learn and work in teams is monitoring their progress on team activities, exercises, or assignments and furnishing suitable feedback to them on their progress. To support faculty members who may be new to using students teams, this document addresses the following questions:
•
Why is monitoring the progress of student teams important?
•
What are possible strategies and tools for monitoring the progress of student teams?
•
What are issues for instructors to consider as they monitor student teams?
•
What are issues to consider if instructors ask teams to assess their progress (that is, self monitor)?
•
How have specific instructors monitored team progress in their classes?
Addressing these questions is intended to help faculty members improve their ability to use student teams in their classes.
Why is monitoring the progress of student teams important?
When using teams for extended periods, monitoring their effectiveness occasionally is critical. Checking or
References: Katzenbach, J.R., and Smith, D.K., 1992. Wisdom of Teams: Boston (Harvard Business School Press). Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., and Holubec, E.J., 1986. Michaelsen, L.K., Fink, A.D., and Knight, A., 1997. Designing effective group activities Felder, R.M., and Brent, R.. 1994. Cooperative learning in technical courses Felder, R.M., and Brent, R., 1996. Navigating the bumpy road to student-centered instruction Foundation Coalition, 2002. Constructing a code of cooperation Smith, K.A., 2000. Project Management and Teamwork: New York (McGraw-Hill BEST series). Foundation Coalition, 2002. Getting student engineering teams off to a good start