Abstract
Purpose. This study evaluated how teamwork training for 9th-grade course/content teams affects team behaviors, group participation, and team member satisfaction. This study will help determine whether teaching team-building strategies can improve the function of course teams used throughout schools statewide. Methodology. The study looked at the significant differences between two groups of 9th-grade content teams in which one received team-building training. The experimental and control groups were selected from different school sites. However, the schools were similar in demographics and academic achievement. The teams consisted of teachers who ranged in age and experience but who all taught freshmen high school students. Findings. The results from this analysis suggested that that experimental group benefited significantly from the team training sessions on the 7 targeted team behaviors. In addition, the results indicated that team members within the experimental group participated at a significantly higher rate as a result of these team training sessions. However, the results were mixed in the area of satisfaction. The experimental group and control group reported an increase in their level of satisfaction when working in teams, but in both cases the growth was statistically insignificant in all but one category. Nevertheless, the experimental group did have higher mean scores on all aspects surveyed on team satisfaction at the conclusion of this study. Conclusions. After extensive analysis of the data, the results from this study indicate that teachers who are trained on 7 target characteristics of highly effective teams are more likely to exhibit effective team behaviors and participate more actively as a group and are more likely to enjoy the team experience. These key findings suggest that teaching teamwork skills is a worthwhile investment for schools and school districts alike. Recommendations. The initial thought is that this study should be duplicated but on a larger scale, perhaps looking at an entire staff or several grade levels, and extend beyond the 4-month/semester time period to perhaps a yearlong trial. The results indicate that team building is a meaningful endeavor, and further inquiry into this topic is necessary and beneficial.