The authors pursue three aims in this article. The first is to underscore critical praxis as an especially valuable approach to understanding and enabling teamwork. The second is to offer four dimensions of teamwork--vision, roles, processes, and relationships--as salient areas to interrogate using critical praxis. The third aim is to consider the…

While many studies have sought to understand challenge courses and their benefits, less emphasis has been focused on understanding participants' perceptions of these programmes. In this study, 16 adults working at a dental office attended a one-day challenge course programme designed to teach lessons about co-operation. Data were collected via "in…

Three agency teams at an ARC sheltered workshop providing comprehensive services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families were surveyed about the dynamics of the team process and then received inservice training on the team process and on evaluating teams. The inservice training included lecture, discussion, role play, and…

Research shows that well-managed conflicts can enrich a group, if good (cognitive) conflict is encouraged and bad (affective) conflict is discouraged. A model developed to understand how disabled people are treated at work suggests that there is a need to change beliefs about, as well as behavior towards, disabled people. Implications for camp are…

The collaborative five-phase process of an action research team's two-year project in a New Hampshire junior high school is described. This qualitative study sheds light on team experiences, developmental phases, interpersonal tasks/issues, group processes, outcomes, and staff-development experiences. Team meetings/projects create an outlet for…

While working and playing together at camp, staff often work through most, if not all, of the stages of group formation, commonly referred to as forming, storming, norming, performing, and finally, transforming. Ten adventure-based games and activities are presented to help camp directors train staff and help them progress through these stages.…

At their worst, meetings can waste time, lack focus, foster a combative spirit, or be just plain boring. At their best, meetings can be a positive, dynamic experience that nurtures individual strengths while inspiring teamwork to successfully accomplish an established task. The fate of a meeting lies in the skill of the facilitator, and this…

This practicum developed and implemented an organization development plan to improve agency and team effectiveness and staff satisfaction at a private agency that provides educational and treatment services to children with emotional, mental, or behavioral disorders. An extensive literature review on organizational development was conducted and…

Focuses on recognizing key indicators for developing teamwork and collaboration among child care staff. Addresses communicating clearly, interacting respectfully, demonstrating trust, negotiating different perspectives, building on each other's strengths, and promoting reliability and responsibility. Identifies strategies to cultivate growth in…

Nine papers aim to help staff members in England's colleges of further (or adult) education to improve their interpersonal skills. The first paper outlines basic social interaction skills. The second paper covers current methods of analyzing group interaction, including observation of role behavior and of interaction flow and frequency. The third…

This paper addresses the need for group-based or team-based techniques to facilitate organizational learning. It identifies two process-oriented strategies: the role analysis technique (RAT) and the diagnostic window technique. These techniques can be used in meetings to model the intellectual tasks that need to occur in today's learning…

The theory of object relations is applied to the group dynamics of the Open University's course development and instruction teams and to several other situations, including the relationship between the Open University and the BBC, staff support in summer schools, manpower planning, and staff development. (MSE)

This report describes how knowledge and skills learned in the Tavistock "Observation" course were applied to psychodynamic focused consultancy in England's Open University. Questions raised include the therapeutic and educational impact institutions may have on staff. The report explains how the Observational Course was important in…

This paper presents examples from 10 internal consultancies provided by the author within the Open University (United Kingdom) that reveal how teams develop and are integrated into the systems of a complex institution. These consultancies included: providing consulting services to a course team; counseling with a course team chair; serving as a…

This book aims to assist facilitators and trainers of human resource development in the use of outdoor games as a vehicle for learning. The games address such work-related areas as communication, decision making, problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and goal setting. The introduction offers a commentary on how and why the use of experiential…