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Beginning a team journey of discovery.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory action research investigation of team units in an educational leadership course. The instructor and action researcher presents her qualitative journey with seventeen graduate students who were registered in an educational leadership program. Students were teachers and aspiring principals. Results illustrated that students gained self-awareness and learned about the strengths and weaknesses of working in teams. Team members provided multiple perspectives about their teams, which enabled the instructor to increase her understanding regarding team units. The instructor was able to redesign her team instructional model or "action plan" concerning utilizing teams in the classroom.

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Background

Today, teams are popular in classrooms and at worksites. Adults are asked to work in teams to change and adapt to new developments and technological advances. Theorists posit that individuals will change more quickly working in teams (rather than working alone) because multiple team members can influence an individual to change and adapt (Bolman & Deal, 1997; Senge, 1990; Senge, Kliner, Roberts, Ross, Roth, & Smith, 1999; Senge, Cambron-McCabe, Lucas, Smith, Dutton, & Kleiner, 2000). Furthermore, when teams are utilized in the classroom, the assumption is that what is learned will transfer to the workplace. The cooperative group model works well in schools (Johnson & Johnson, 1999; Slavin, 1999), but as adults transfer to the worksite, they formulate assumptions that affect their behavior and how they interact in teams. Because of this, adults may experience tension when they participate on a team (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993; Lipnack & Stamps, 1997; Pacanowsky, 1995; Thompson, 2000). How each individual reconciles this tension seems to determine whether the adult learns from the team experience.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to conduct an exploratory action research investigation of four teams over a sixteen week period in an educational leadership course. Three teams had four members, while one team had five members. The instructor was not a member of the teams; but she was the primary action researcher and the facilitator to the teams. Students were also action researchers, as they investigated, discussed, reflected and added to their understanding about teams and the interaction of team members.

Participants

According to Thompson (2000), teams enhance creativity and problem solving because of the diversity of team members. The participants were seventeen teachers and aspiring principals in an educational leadership program. Multiple perspectives were presented as diverse team members interacted. Fifteen of the participants were female and two were male. Nine of the participants were coded as culturally and/or racially diverse. These diverse individuals were balanced across the teams. Both males were coded as culturally and/or racially diverse. Two of the teams were heterogeneous as one male was placed on Team 1...

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