I assign group projects during class time to establish those relationships. I work at a commuter school, so out of class team programs often fall short of expectation due to time constraints. Projects vary, though I often assign topics for a group to research and answer questions together,or go on a scavenger hunt on campus in search of pop culture references in signage.
Theresa,
Keep working on those teams and that mentality. Don't let the time availability be a hinderance, use it as examples of what happens in the world of work. Reality is, coworkers do not live together, so time on task is extremely important. Use every task as an experience. Good Job!
Philip Campbell
In teaching teamwork, I used several "survival" experiences. Students are making decisions and use problem solving techniques cooperatively. Since the exercises have specific group success rates, students are eager to work together to get the best score.
The courses I teach all center around group projects. In a recording studio, students must work together to capture the sound the Producer is striving for. This involves many steps, completed by a team of 6 or so people that result in a fantastic end product. When the team does not come together, the project tends to fall apart.
In my classroom we play a game called 'solve that problem'. I throw out a question, break the room into teams of three or four, and give everyone a complex problem. The first to solve the problem, shouts SOLVED THAT PROBLEM! The team then explains how they worked together. it is fun!
This is a powerful statement that is the absolute truth and I will be forever mindful of this.
In the work place you may not know everyone, so it is a good way to meet people and it helps make the workload easier if everyone partakes in the task at hand.
Norma,
Thank you for that. First impressions are important and memorable.
Philip Campbell
Every term my students have to complete a research project for class. I usually do this as a group assignment. They pick the leader, they assign specific roles based on strengths, and they must communicate with each other, as well as myself, if there is an issue with the group. I have never really had huge issues, because most of the groups figure out how to work with each other, which is a huge benefit to team work.
Donna,
Great activities keep the entire class involved.
Philip Campbell
I work with a group of dental residents with the "genY' ? attitude and I am of the pre-war baby generation attitude. We are in a clinical classroom. My goal has been using soft skills in communication to create a team approach in all of our projects from patient care to practice management. They have not experienced the "real world" yet and my major goal is to prepare them for it.
They come from five different backgrounds and different dental schools so creating a team of similar purpose is important. I may be the one that learns the most under this circumstance.
They are listening and coming together as a team in most of our activities over the past few months. July 2015, they will enter the real world.
What more could I start with to increase success?
it is the instructors job to overcome the concerns of the students and get all of them to participate, it creates a much better experience for all involved.
Communication: One speaks the other listens but all have the opportunity for input.
Homework involving projects: Assign several to one group and as a team they each contribute to the outcome of the project. They plan meeting times to discuss issues and how to handle them. Then the team presents the project to the class each participating together.
Commitment by the instructor to the class and then the class to the instructor. It will be "WE" not "I"...it is not my class it is our class. Together we help each other in study, reviews, and understanding.
Lab: The lab classes are divided into Team Leaders then the teams...each has certain responsibilities to perform and the Team leader answers to the instructor for the outcome. Each has an opportunity to work in the Team Leaders position. This teaches and shows how to accept and give criticism, how to motivate and how to deal with those that are difficult and do it with an empathetic approach.
