Teamwork has been identified as a critical professional skill (Hughes, 2011; Kozlowski & Bell, 2003), and is a key learning outcome in undergraduate education (Biggs & Tang, 2011). Research (e.g. Biggs, 1996; Riebe, Roepen, Santarelli & Marchioro, 2010) suggests that deliberately teaching and assessing teamwork is an effective way to build teamwork skills. This workshop will model the use of concept mapping for a mini-team based activity, as a potential method for students to build a common understanding of teamwork. Participants will use our tested teamwork instrument to assess their own and others teamwork skills as demonstrated in the mini-team based activity. This method has been adopted because assessment of teamwork is often inferred from a myriad of attitudes and behaviors, and is sometimes overlooked in favour of assessing a group-based product. This complicates the student and instructor’s ability to develop and track performance of teamwork as an outcome. Identifying performance criteria and behavioral markers indicative of teamwork skills is highly valuable in building the quality of individual student contributions to a team such that targeted feedback can be provided and outcomes improved. In our research, we psychometrically tested the TeamUp rubric (Hastie, Fahy & Parratt, 2014), developed from criteria in the AAC& U teamwork Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubric. Peers, class facilitators and research assistants undertook measurement of individual teamwork skills. By using this tool peers were able to provide highly reliable assessment of individual teamwork skills. Furthermore, a modified version of the tool was developed based on the results of these analyses. It is assumed that development and mastery of these skills will enhance student success within the professional sector, by preparing them to be effective team members. Following the workshop activities will be a discussion of the possible application, contextual issues, and institutional implications of assessing teamwork as a desired undergraduate outcome.
References:
Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher education, 32(3), 347-364.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university. McGraw-Hill International.
Hastie, C., Fahy, K., & Parratt, J. (2014). The development of a rubric for peer assessment of individual teamwork skills in undergraduate midwifery students. Women and Birth, 27(3), 220-226.
Hughes, R. L., & Jones, S. K. (2011). Developing and assessing college student teamwork skills. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2011, 53-64.
Kozlowski, S. W., & Bell, B. S. (2003). Work groups and teams in organizations. Handbook of psychology.
Riebe, L., Roepen, D., Santarelli, B., & Marchioro, G. (2010). Teamwork: effectively teaching an employability skill. Education and Training, 52(6/7), 528-539.