The ultimate problem addressed in this presentation addresses the difficulty in forming online or blended teams and creating assignments and an environment where the students feel a sense of cohesion. Without this sense of cohesion or affiliation, students may falter in their effort and performance. For classes where teams are a significant pedagogical tool used to achieve learning outcomes, this lack of team cohesion can be problematic. This will be a fast-paced presentation. First, past research will briefly be described focusing on factors affecting face-to-face and online team cohesion as well as salient work-motivation theories. These research issues will be framed for the specific issue of helping a teacher identify the barriers to cohesive teams and then create an introductory and ongoing approach promoting cohesion. Getting to the heart of the presentation, we will move to two approaches that will give the workshop audience practical applications that they can take home: - The presenter will describe numerous mistakes made in attempting to create effective teams in both blended and purely online classes. The evolution of numerous strategies will be shared which were increasingly helpful in boosting student involvement with his/her team. - Small groups of audience members will be given focused questions to discuss. The resulting answers will be shared in the large group which will create another set of tactics and techniques to boost team cohesion within their own blended or online situations. The goals and objectives of the session: 1. Briefly share overview of research on team cohesion as well as theory-based diagnostic model of work motivation that simplifies issues affecting desire, effort, performance, and satisfaction 2. The presenter will explain his numerous mistakes in creating effective teams and his approaches in setting up teams and boosting initial relationships as well as establishing an ongoing effort to maintain cohesion. 3. Create a group-based, interactive forum where participants: Identify numerous common barriers that keep students from ‘bonding' with their assigned teammates. Understand why various past efforts to gain student involvement have been ineffective Share their own techniques that worked—and understand why 4. Construct a simple, yet wide-ranging map of suggestions participants can easily apply to boost their students' interest and effort toward team interaction. Theoretical framework and/or relevant constructs; This workshop focuses on four widely respected theories (and one lesser known) that each contribute to understanding human motivation. These theories include: • Expectancy theory - Mitchell, T. R. (1983). Expectancy-value models in organizational psychology. In N. Feather (Ed.), Expectancy, incentive, and action (pp. 293-314). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. • Self-efficacy theory - Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman • Equity theory - Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 267-299). New York: Academic Press. • Goal Setting theory - Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting and task performance. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. • Resource Allocation theory - Kanfer, R., & Ackerman, P. L. (1989). Dynamics of skill acquisition: Building a bridge between abilities and motivation. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Advances in the psychology of human intelligence. Volume V (pp. 99-134) Supporting materials The handout will be an incomplete flow chart in which participants will complete as various theories are explained. This handout will also include a section to list the numerous suggestions from both the presenter as well as fellow audience members. An area will also exist where they can write out their near-term action plan (Monday Morning To-Do List)
