THE IMPACT OF PREPARING FACULTY IN THE EFFECTIVE USE OF STUDENT TEAMS.

Companies increasingly rely on teams to improve productivity, and consequently employers expect colleges and universities to prepare graduates to effectively work in teams. To help with this need, instructors must be equipped to prepare students to fully capitalize on the power of teamwork. This study examines the effect of college instructor training in and the practice of methodologies to increase student teamwork knowledge, skills, and abilities. Eleven instructors in 17 courses underwent a yearlong program of instruction in the effective use of teams. Instructors participated in an initial one-day workshop conducted by a nationally recognized expert in teamwork and monthly discussion groups, reviewed current literature, and integrated new teamwork pedagogy into their courses. Results of pre- and post-test scores of 359 students indicated significant improvement in their teamwork knowledge, skills, and abilities. In these classes, females and older students were found to have significantly higher teamwork scores than their counterparts. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]