Team Building that Prepares Students for Teamwork Competence

Abstract

[EN] This paper describes an innovative two-step team building pedagogy applied in multiple management classes. We assessed whether such step-by-step engagement in two active and experiential learning exercises in consecutive class sessions can help students progress toward working competently in teams without instructor directives and advice. In the first step, we assigned students to classroom teams and engaged them in an escape room exercise (ERE) for 45 minutes. In the second step, we provided an agenda through which students worked collaboratively to form their Team Charter (TC) aimed at planning both process and project outcomes. At the end of each activity, students wrote individual reflection reports through which they expressed their learning about effective teamwork, need for change in behavior, and motivation to incorporate and further improve their teamwork competence. Qualitative analysis of students’ reports revealed that: (a) the ERE serves to produce cognitive and emotional learning which motivates students to act more competently in teams, and (b) the TC activity provides opportunities to act on their learning, practice new behaviors and incorporate new behavioral intents when working on their team project. This research answers the call for team building through active learning techniques which can be implemented by college professors seeking to help their students’ improve teamwork competence in a timely and time efficient manner.