Role of Teamwork and Assessment in Student Learning

Presenter Information

Heather Gulgin, Grand Valley State UniversityFollow

Session Location

Eberhard Center 612

Session Start Date and Time

24-8-2011 1:15 PM

Session End Date and Time

24-8-2011 2:15 PM

Session Abstract

Teamwork and communication are valued in the workplace, but often we teach and require students to do individual work. As a result of participating in the Honor’s Institute last August, I saw the benefits of teamwork during the learning process. Students take on a role within the group and become accountable for their work. Assessment of their performance also provides individuals feedback allowing them to grow. In this interactive session I will place participants into teams and facilitate an exercise.

Session Description

As the University aims to incorporate team work into the Gen Ed curriculum, this session could benefit other faculty who are looking to try team work or learning communities in their courses. Last August I participated in the Honor’s Institute, where I facilitated a session, and also mentored a group of 4 students during the week. The team approach was used the entire week to facilitate the learning process. This inspired me to begin to use this approach in all of my courses during the Fall of 2010, and I have seen many benefits to the students. They are learning more than just content knowledge, they are learning how to communicate and work within a team, taking risks, and gaining confidence in their contribution to the learning community.