Survey responses from 156 middle managers in an organization identified the skills needed for the job and their skill level in personal communication, conflict resolution, leadership, consulting, and facilitating. The study identified strengths and weaknesses of the needs assessment process and resulted in recommendations for a…

Evaluation of the use of team-based and group-based learning sets supported by electronic mail in business education raised issues about group work in higher education. Confusion between the two models paralleled their blurring in workplace practice. Greater clarity about the role and purpose of group work is needed. (SK)

Studied the preconditions and obstacles to building network contacts for two teams of five Finnish elementary school teachers each. Results show that breaking traditional patterns of teacher work, especially the tradition of single- handed lesson planning and implementation, results from team work in building a shared object. Results show the…

This article on professional roles in early intervention introduces the concept of expanding roles to include collaborative reflective inquiry within communities of practice as one way to reform professional practices. It suggests that reflection within communities of practice extends the understanding of individual professionals but also holds…

Discusses ways to create partnerships between volunteers and child care programs. Focuses on recruitment and screening, empowering volunteers, and creating a positive climate by facilitating a team spirit. (KB)

Discusses the need for teamwork for organizational success and productivity and provides two native Chinese performance technologists' perspectives on barriers to team performance in Chinese culture. Topics include class distinction and bias; being noncommittal and avoiding involvement; professional relationship versus friendship; and lack of…

Describes 360-degree feedback that provides performance data from multiple points of reference. Topics include reasons for performance improvement; what needs improvement; how to improve; choosing a reliable 360-degree instrument; and applications of 360-degree feedback, including personal development, team development, change, and needs…

Discussion of instructional design in large organizations highlights a project management approach. Topics addressed include the role of the instructional designer; project team selection; role of the team members; role of the project manager; focusing on what employees need to know; types of project teams; and monitoring time and responsibility.…

Project Education for Effective Collaborative Training (Project EFECT) involved graduate student professionals such as school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and nurses in providing counseling, parent education, home visits, and other services to school-aged children and their families. Nurse interns valued the opportunity to…

A case study of the impact of video technology on surgical work identified technological foundations of two structures in decentralized work units. Unilateral control by a dominant actor in a team works best with segmented tasks and face-to-face context. Teams with group-based coordination work best when team actions involve complex…

An Italian university's capstone business administration course is designed around andragogical principles. Students spend 90% of their time in independent teamwork on multidisciplinary problems. The course uses information technology in the form of databases and networked computers. (SK)

Discusses how service courses in technical writing and their user departments, motivated by calls from industry for students with problem-solving abilities, have incorporated higher-level thinking modes into their assignments. Considers how teachers are changing their pedagogical methods from simple transference of information from teacher to…

Examines varied studies on teamwork in and outside of education, drawing comparisons with collaborative partnerships among musicians. These studies highlight fundamentals of collaboration and challenge teamwork's potential to engender synergy as a springboard for managerial action. Proposes a reinterpretation of synergy applied to school teamwork…

Conducted a 2-year longitudinal study of the efforts of one school district to link site-based collaborative evaluation with formal, centralized program evaluation for its 17 middle schools. Participants formed a research team with a university. Analysis of plans at the end of the evaluation cycle shows that collaborative evaluation is creating a…

This final paper in the journal's special issue on educational intervention research for students with learning disabilities stresses the importance of cohesion and coherence in instruction across the curriculum. Emphasis is on the task of intervention teams to consider when, and for whom the various teaching models are appropriate. (Contains…