This document summarizes a presentation by Learning Team C on collaboration and teamwork. It discusses the value of collaborative learning environments, including allowing students to broaden understanding and serving as laboratories for applying new knowledge. It also outlines five conflict resolution styles and learning styles like visual learning. Crucial communication skills for effective teams are listening, empathy, treating people equally, and cohesiveness. Motivational strategies to increase team productivity include setting goals, appreciation, and challenging tasks.
2. The Value of Team Collaboration
• Create collaborative learning environments
• Allow students to broaden and deepen the understanding of
concepts
• Serves as laboratories
• Improve the quality of group projects and assignments
• Adult students make sense of and apply new knowledge
• Provides a sense of community and support
4. Learning Styles
• Visual leaner
o make sure visual presentations are well-organized
o make full use of a variety of technologies
o pay attention to detailing
o able to notice if something is off centered or misspelled
o write things down as a way to remembering
o tune in to similarities and differences
5. Crucial Communication Skills for
an Effective Learning Team
• Team communication skills are critical for ensuring the
success of the team effort. Strong communication skills
can help build relationships, ensure the sharing of new
ideas and practices, and coaching and counseling.
(Smallbusiness.chron.com)
6. Effective Team Skills
Listen to others
• Listening – listening is not only hearing words that are
spoken but how they are being spoken. Pay attention to
the tone and body language. (Skillsyouneed.com,2015)
7. Effective Team Skills
Empathy and Encouragement
• Try to keep an open mind with no judgement
• Push your own emotions away so you can understand the
emotions of others.
• Give your team members support. You never know what your
team members are going through in their personal lives, as
well as, the struggle through their education.
8. Effective Team Skills
Treat people equally
• Communication should be done on a equal basis. Do not
show favoritism while working with learning teams. It
ensures the work is divided evenly and unbiased.
Favoritism is also the cause of negative attention.
(Skillsyouneed.com,2015)
9. Effective Team Skills cont.
• Give positive feedback as well as negative feedback. Do
not take negative feedback from your teammates as
negative. Take it as constructive criticism
10. Effective Team Skills
Cohesiveness.
• Effective teams need to work well together and that team
cohesiveness depends on strong relationships among the
team members.
• Establish ground rules and work to bring the team together so
that the team can cohesively accomplish goals.
(Smallbusiness.chron.com)
11. The Purpose of Using the
Learning Team Charter.
The Learning Team Charter gives us the ways to get information to
communicate with our team. Each team members has each other's
name , phone number, the time availability for each team member, and
email address.
• It sets team ground rules and guidelines.
• Our expectations for time management and involvement.
• Able to set up strategies to ensure that all team members contribute
and collaborate evenly and fairly.
12. Effective Components
Necessary for Team Success
• Clear Goals
• Open and Clear Communication
• Effective Decision Making
• Balanced Participation
• Valued Diversity
13. Effective Components
Necessary for Team Success
cont.
• Managed Conflict
• Positive Atmosphere
• Cooperative Relationships
• Participative Leadership
16. Reference
Biech, Elaine (2001). The Pfieffer Book of Successful Team-Building Tools. Jossey-
Bass/Pfieffer. San Francisco, CA, 13-26
Kostanyan, Anush (2014). 15 Effective Ways to Motivate Your Team.
Huffington Post. Retrieved December 2,2012, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anush-kostanyan/15-
effective-ways-to-motib5854242.html
Leigh, Ricards. Small business.chron.com. Importance of team
communication skills(Assetscan.students.uophx.edu)
17. Reference cont.
Motivation. 12 Strategies for Motivation That Works. Retrieved December2,2012,
fromhttp://sites.allegheny.edu/deanofstudents/wellness-
education/todays-topic/12-strategies-for-motivation-that-work/
Porter, Shelia J.D (2003). Managing Conflict in Learning Teams.
UniversityofPhoenix.http://www.apollolibrary.com/Library/l
tt/download/ManagingConflict.pdf
Skillsyouneed.com,(2015)http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/barriers-
communication.html
Hinweis der Redaktion
There are several challenges such as varies work schedules, different time zones, and the inability to meet in person that the online learning environment faces. Although there are challenges to face, Learning Teams proves great benefits such as create collaborative learning environments in which working adults can share the practical knowledge that comes from their own personal life and work experiences. Allow students to broaden and deepen the understanding of concepts explored in their online classroom. Services as laboratories through which students develop into effective leaders and members of workplace and teams. Improve the quality of group projects and assignments that can be utilized in their profession. Serve as guidelines, by which adult students make sense of and apply new knowledge in their own personal and work experiences. Provides a sense of community and support that is invaluable in helping working adults cope with the challenge of balancing school with other life demands. (Online Campus Learning Team Handbook, 2004, p.1-2) All these functions ensure your understanding of academic success is contingent a pond knowing the value of working effectively in team collaborations.
Avoidance is sometimes necessary in team learning, because emotions can run high with working with different people. Avoidance gives individuals a chance to calm down and revaluate it is best to set aside difference so that the focus remain on the goal and the team can continue. (Porter,2003)
Accommodation is when an individual negotiations for the sake of the group getting along. When an individual makes the decision to accommodate they do not see the issues as importance to jeopardize the group project goals. However when an individual makes the decision to accommodate he or she must be sure the decision is something they will not later regret. (Porter, 2003)
Competition is most appropriate when a member of the team feels strongly about a topic. Therefore if he or she feels strongly about a topic, they need to pursue aggressively to get other team members to view the topic in the same way in hopes of persuading them. Competition can be described as win-lose style of conflict resolution however this approach is necessary when team members has exhausted all other options. (Porter, 2003)
Compromise by definition only partially satisfies each person. However this approach is effective when the team has deadlines to meet verses the amount of time it could take to resolve the issue. Although when you compromise for the sake of the group, sometimes it’s the best solution that fits best under the circumstances. (Porter, 2003)
Collaboration is combination of creative and cooperative efforts. Ideally rather than compromising, disputing individuals would be able to satisfy everyone in the group by effectively collaborating. However collaboration is generally effective when teams have sufficient time to explore all team members needs, perspectives, and preferences to accomplish team goals. (Porter, 2003)
All of theses conflict resolutions can be strategies as well as opportunities for learning while working in a group setting because conflict will surely arise. These are presented at general guidelines to determine which resolution is most effective in certain situations. Since conflict cannot be avoided altogher however if a group strategizes, conflict can be managed.
Every team member learning style is a visual learner. Therefore, the team divided the topics equally amongst one another. In using this method it gives everyone an equal opportunity to learn their own topic. Although the topics where divided, once everyone had covered their topic, all the slides were complied. Each team member will get a draft of the presentation to review for mistakes, errors, comments, etc. Being a visual learner means that you pay a close attention to detail and the ability to catch mistakes and/or errors before the final presentations is submitted. Therefore, by utilizing these strengths our presentation should be a success.
Clear Goals- Having clear goals is necessary for team success. It is important for the team to know and understand the vision and purpose of the team (Biech,2001). This will help the team in understanding where they are headed and what is required of them to get there.
Open and Clear Communication- In working with a team, especially in school, it is important to have open and clear communication. Having effective communication will keep and team informed and focused (Biech,2001). Usually most problems arise in teams do to poor communication, either the communication aspect was absent or the conclusion drawn from a conversation was misconstrued when being processed by the listener.
Effective Decision Making- When it comes to making decision in a team it is best to make a plan that allows each member to included. The decision should not be based off personal feelings, but what is good for the team. In decision making we should keep in mind our goals and that the effective decision we choose should be in support with what we set our goals to be in the beginning.
Balanced Participation- In working in a team it is important that everyone pull his or her own weight. No one person should feel that they should be required to do all of the work. In having balanced participation each team member must put in the effort. Each member must be proactive and understand their role in the team.
Valued Diversity- Each team member is valued and for their unique skills and talents (Biech,2001). Skills and talents such leadership qualities, creative skills, speaking skills and etc. A diverse team is one that is able to generate a create new ideas from team input.
Managed Conflict- In having a plan to manage conflict, a team will be able to effectively handle conflict when it may arise. When a team manages conflict effectively the team will find ways to communicate differences and seek common goals, look at each team members point of view, take into account each team member when reaching a decision, and most importantly use the conflict as a way to learn how to handle and prevent future problems that may occur (Biech,2001).
Positive Atmosphere- Establishing a positive atmosphere in the beginning makes it so people in a team are more open to sharing their ideas, helping assist their teams mates if problems may occur, creativity of the team is not stifled, and a trust is built that everyone will put their best foot forward to make sure we all exceed together.
Cooperative Relationships- Some teams may encounter an individual who feels the need to stand out from the group. This is no way to establish success for the team. This will tear a team apart. In having a cooperative relationship with you team you are combining the skills of numerous people that will produce something that could not be created alone (Biech,2001). The strength of each team member is being utilized. Critiques are not shared individually, but as a team. Success is not shared individually, but as a team.
Participative Leadership- In having participative leadership, leadership is shared among team members at various times (Biech,2001). This is why it is important for team members to know each others weakness and strengths that way each member can be utilized in a leadership role.
Setting Goals- To motivate the team it is beast to set goals that are attainable (Motivation,2012). When the goal is accomplished then a reward needs to be put in place for the team to be able to celebrate. (Rewards may be a kind thought to team members, good grade, or a great evaluation)
Positive Thinking- As a team we need to think positive when working together. We as individualize need to believe in ourselves and our skills and know that they are good enough to contribute to others.
Positive Imagery- As a team see where it is you want your team to be or see the grade in which you want your team to achieve and do whatever it takes to work towards that.
Self Care- Make sure as an individual you take care of yourself. You need to make sure that your life is in order so that whatever you may be going through does not effect other members in your team by lack of participation or etc.
Inspirational Quotes- Having positive message to encourage you team mates are always a great way to motivate. Have inspirational messages that align with the goals you made as a team.
Feeling Appreciated- Making someone feel appreciated motivates them to continue to do a good job or even go above and beyond (Kostanyan,2014). This is a great way to increase productivity amongst the team. Members will feel more inspired to put their best foot forward
Challenging Task- No one want to feel as though they were given the easy task because others feel they are incapable of performing greater tasks. It is good to give people a challenge because it motivates them to do a good job and to prove themselves capable of taking on a challenging work load.
Establish Support- Letting team members know that they have the support of a team motivates them to be more creative and go the extra mile. This benefits not only the individual, but the team as well.
