MOVING FROM STORMING TO PERFORMING TEAM BASED LEARNING: MOVING FROM STORMING TO PERFORMING Diana McIntyre, Student Success Coordinator Doug LaPorte, Instructor, Building Industry Practices Robert Malowany, Counsellor

Coming Together is a Beginning… Keeping Together is Progress… TEAM BASED LEARNING Coming Together is a Beginning… Keeping Together is Progress… Working Together is SUCCESS. Henry Ford

AGENDA Welcome How we arrived here! The conception and development of Team Based Learning Team Competition and Team Reflection Module Breakdown Perspectives of a Faculty Member Team Based Learning Outcomes Next Steps Students’ Perspectives Questions/Answers

TEAM COMPETITION 4 Minutes INSTRUCTIONS Find the coloured paper that was on your chair. Find group members with the same coloured paper and form your group. Please introduce yourself to your team. Choose which hand you are going to use for this exercise; place your other hand behind your back. With your team members (and keeping your one hand behind your back), create a paper airplane with the paper provided (1 sheet). Once complete, aim to hit the bulls eye with your plane. 4 Minutes

REFLECTIONS What was it like being given a task to work with people you didn’t know? Did you recognize skills and/or abilities of others? What were they? Would you have preferred to do this exercise on your own instead of with a group? Is there anything you would change if you had to do it over again?

THE PROCESS… Student Success/Counselling delivered 3 Modules (6 hours of class time) Students were required to submit individual and group assignments on group process (20% of final mark) Student Success/Counselling available to teams for group process consultation as needed Encouraged purchase of reference textbook: Successful Teamwork, by Peter Levin (McGraw-Hill, 2005)

Module 1 1. Formation of Groups How: Alphabetically by section Why: To efficiently work with large groups of students; also represents reality, that you rarely (if ever) get to choose your co-worker Outcomes: Grumbling Students; uncertainty; student feedback (after semester) that they were glad they didn’t work with friends

Module 1 2. Group Relationship Building How: Introductions in groups, sharing of goals, backgrounds and similarities, sharing of past group experiences, and why they chose this program Why: Key to begin building relationship/cohesion to facilitate comfort in group; to be aware of skills each member was bringing to group; a fun opportunity to see how each other worked Outcomes: “It was helpful to spend some time with my group members before I actually worked with them.”

Module 1 3. Team Competition How: Egg Drop/Tower Building Exercise/ Nursing Fashion Show Why: A fun group activity to help build relationships and to discover strengths/ personalities of group members Outcomes: Student feedback stated that this was a good way to “break the ice” and develop relationships

Module 1 4. Reflection on Benefits of Team How: Large class debriefing and discussion of competing in a group scenario Why: To identify benefits/challenges from competition experience group members may have to face in upcoming project Outcomes: Majority of students voiced opinions that it is advantageous to work in groups to determine plan of action and for everything to get done in time

Module 1 5. Team Evaluation of Competition Performance How: Paper evaluation based on “Elements of Effective Teamwork”; all group members had to agree on scores Why: To begin to identify strengths in the group and areas that may need some attention Outcomes: Some unrealistic scores (i.e.: all 5/5); some became more attentive of areas which they may need to pay extra attention

Module 2 1. Employers’ Expectations How: Watched video of an employer that focused on interview questions asked pertaining to team work Why: To facilitate understanding of why team work is important to employers and what they are looking for in new recruits Outcomes: Students became aware and better prepared and could use this experience as a concrete example when talking about team work

Module 2 2. Introduction of “Elements of Effective Teamwork” How: Individuals reflected on best/worst group experiences, and identified why they worked/did not work Why: To begin to identify key aspects of successful teams as well as important skills required for an effective team; to understand differences between “Team” and “Group” Outcomes: Students began to understand how to approach working in a “team” situation as opposed to “group”

Module 2 2. “Elements of Effective Teamwork” LEADERSHIP PREPARATION COMMUNICATION GIVE AND TAKE ORGANIZATION PROGRESS and ASSESSMENT COMMITMENT PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE CAPABILITY

Module 2 3. Identifying Personality Styles/Preferences How: Introduced personality styles/preferences*; students identified their preferences and then discussed common and potential conflicts because of personality differences Why: To equip students with understanding of personality differences that occur in groups Outcomes: Students were better prepared to deal with differences/conflicts with group members *As identified by Karl Jung and developed by Myers/Briggs

Module 2 4. Stages of Group Process How: Presented and discussed stages through which groups commonly progress Why: To proactively identify potential challenges and necessary stages for typical successful groups Outcomes: Group members became more open to challenges of various stages and began to recognize the importance of stages

STAGES OF GROUP PROCESS Module 2 STAGES OF GROUP PROCESS

Module 2 5. Conflict Management Styles How: 1. Facilitated discussion on defining conflict and introduced Conflict Management Styles (Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) 2002) 2. Case Scenarios (Group) 3. Factors Contributing to Conflict 4. Principles of Conflict Resolution Why: To have students understand that conflict is a natural part of team process, and providing them with tools to work through it Outcomes: Students were able to identify the source of the conflict, their response to conflict and effective strategies to resolve conflict.

Five Conflict-Handling Modes / Styles Collaborating Attempts to work with other person to find a solution that fully satisfies concerns of both Assertive Competing Pursues own concerns @ others expense Compromising Objective is to find an expedient, mutually acceptable solution that satisfies concerns of all Assertiveness Avoiding Does not immediately pursue her/his concerns or those of others Accommodating Neglects his or her own concerns to satisfy concerns of the other person Competing Assertive & uncooperative Power-oriented mode Uses whatever power seems appropriate to win his or her position……..ability to argue, rank, economic sanctions , etc. Might mean standing up for your rights, defending a position you believe is correct, or simply trying to win Accommodating Unassertive and cooperative Opposite of competing Element of “self-sacrifice” in this mode Take the form of “selfless generosity”, or charity, obeying another person’s order when you would not prefer to, or yielding to another’s point of view Avoiding Unassertive & uncooperative Does not address the conflict Might take form of diplomatically side-stepping an issue, postponing an issue until a better tiem, or simply withdrawing from a threatening situation Collaborating Assertive and cooperative Involves digging into an issue to identify underlying concerns of the two individual and to find an alternative that meets both sets of concerns Might take form of: exploring a disagreement to learn from each other’s insights, resolving some condition that would otherwise have them competing for resources Confronting & trying to find a creative solution to an interpersonal problem Compromising Intermediate in both assertiveness and cooperativeness Falls on middle ground gives up more than competing but less than accommodating Addresses anissue more directly than avoiding, but doesn’t explore it in as much depth as collaborating Might mean splitting the difference, exchanging concessions, or seeking a quick middle-ground position Unassertive Cooperative Uncooperative Cooperativeness Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) 2002

Module 2 5. Conflict Management Styles Introduction/discussion of Conflict Management Styles (Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) 2002) Case Scenarios (Group) Factors Contributing to Conflict Principles of Conflict Resolution

Module 2 6. Team Contract How: Introduction of format which group was to use in setting up group procedures Why: To assist groups in coming to an agreement in how they will operate as a team by having it in writing and signed Outcomes: Group members were able to refer back to contract when conflicts did arrive, and then take appropriate action (i.e.: firing group member, amendment of SOP, etc.)

Module 2 – Team Contract

Module 3 1. Process Reflection How: Reflect on team process to discuss valuable learnings and/or areas that might have been done differently, and then share with large group Why: To debrief team experience and identify successes/shortcomings as strategic experience for next group challenge Outcomes: Became a clarification of what worked and what did not work

Module 3 2. Employer Presentation on Team Based Organizations How: Utilized an employer as guest speaker to talk about importance of working in team Why: To reinforce importance of learning skills of team work and development Outcomes: By hearing from their potential employers, students recognized the importance of team work skills and the need to continually develop them

Module 3 3. Behavioural Interview Question How: Review typical industry interview question and discuss in group how to answer with new group experience Why: To capture new learning of group experience and prepare students for such an interview question Outcomes: Students now have class experience in groups and can use this exercise to prepare them for job search

Module 3 4. Team/Peer Evaluation How: Have individuals evaluate their team and members according to “Elements of Effective Teamwork” Why: A chance to identify what worked/didn’t work, so as to go away with insight for next group project; to verify if difficulties mentioned in evaluation were identified in reflection forms Outcomes: A clearer understanding of interactions, difficulties and successes through actual experience

Module 3 5. Process Feedback How: Facilitation of feedback on pilot project in class as well as with focus group Why: To gain perspective and evaluation of pilot project from student participants Outcomes: Adjustments were made to contents of modules, reflection process/schedule, and roles of Peer Team Advisors were implemented

Perspectives from Faculty Members TEAM BASED LEARNING Perspectives from Faculty Members “I'm still glowing with the excitement and happiness you all brought to my classes this week.  How many times do you see students literally dance out of class.............what a great introduction to team work in the collaborative program!!” “My class loved your workshops.  I had a couple of students attend that I had never seen before...I think the word got out from the other sections that the class would be fun (and perhaps important) and thus they decided to attend.  I'm sure that team learning will help them.”

RESULTS – Group Assignment Semester # Students % who received A’s % who Failed 2006 Winter 144 40% 33% 2007 Fall 311 82% 7% 2007 Winter 138 85% 9% 2008 Fall 364 88% 2008 Winter 137 78% 10%

TBL Today… Research Linked Course Growth across College Customization Peer Team Advisors First Alert

MOVING FROM STORMING TO PERFORMING TEAM BASED LEARNING: MOVING FROM STORMING TO PERFORMING Diana McIntyre, Student Success Coordinator Doug LaPorte, Instructor, Building Industry Practices Robert Malowany, Counsellor