Effects of Education and Team Projects on Student Attitudes toward Team Work.

Abstract

This study compared the effects of team projects alone with team projects coupled with team-work education on college students' attitudes toward team work. The study modified a 30-item survey originally developed to study team work in professional research and development teams. The survey was administered to 250 students at the beginning and end of eight classes at California Polytechnic State University. In four classes (one psychology and three engineering classes) students worked together on a team project as part of their class grade. In the other four classes (three psychology and one business class), the students worked on a team project and also attended multiple lectures and participated in class activities that involved team work and group dynamics. The study found that: (1) the team projects improved students' overall attitudes about team work; (2) the positive impacts of working on team projects were more powerful when students also had class instruction about teams and group dynamics; and (3) the experience of working on teams did not impact beliefs about the serious problems which students had making their teams function well. These problems concerned finding time to meet with team members and each team member doing his/her fair share. (Contains 18 references.) (DB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Effects of Education and Team Projects on Student Attitudes toward Team Work Daniel Levi, Lawrence Rinzel, David Cadiz, and Maria Cacapit* U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Psychology and Human Development Department Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA Introductioti 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY