Extended abstract: What makes teamwork work? Development of an observation protocol rubric for evaluating teamwork

Abstract

The ability to work effectively in teams is an essential skill for engineering professionals. Engineering educators recognize the importance of the skill, but they remain challenged to find effective methods to assess students' teamwork skill in the authentic environment of an actual team meeting. Building on observation protocols created in fields outside of engineering, we have developed a method for observing students as they work in teams. Using recordings of student and faculty teams, evaluators assess teamwork against nine criteria: participation, task identification, follow-up, collective decision making, support, adaptability, roll assignment/fulfillment goal development, and conflict management. During our presentation at IPCC 2014, we will introduce attendees to the Teamwork Observation Protocol and give them a chance to evaluate sample student and faculty team meeting recordings.