Let’s be frank: Individual and team-level predictors of improvement in student teamwork effectiveness following peer-evaluation feedback

Abstract

This paper examines the individual and team-level predictors of improvement in student teamwork effectiveness following peer-evaluation (PE) feedback. The goal of this study is two-fold: first, to understand the differences in students' initial reactions to PE feedback, as well as their subsequent decisions and actions to improve; and second, to identify the team-level processes that contribute to improvements in students' teamwork effectiveness. The mixed-methods study design combines the benefits of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The sample consists of 266 undergraduate students in 51 teams, working together for the duration of one academic semester. Data were collected in multiple waves, using open-ended surveys and interviews, as well as a standardized online PE system. Both the qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed that PE feedback is the most salient factor influencing students' improvement in their teamwork effectiveness. Moreover, students' grade aspirations and prior experience using the PE system are positively related to the level of improvement in teamwork effectiveness. The team-level factors have more complex effects, with different team processes influencing improvement along different dimensions of teamwork effectiveness. These findings have important pedagogical implications for improving students’ teamwork effectiveness.