Assessing Teamwork in Undergraduate Education: A measurement tool to evaluate individual teamwork skills

Emily Britton, Natalie Simper*, Andy Leger, Jenn Stephenson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

97 Citations (Scopus)
2124 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Effective teamwork skills are essential for success in an increasingly team-based workplace. However, research suggests that there is often confusion concerning how teamwork is measured and assessed, making it difficult to develop these
skills in undergraduate curricula. The goal of the present study was to develop a sustainable tool for assessing individual teamwork skills, with the intention of refining and measuring these skills over time. The TeamUp rubric was selected
as the preliminary standardised measure of teamwork and tested in a second year undergraduate course (Phase One). Although the tool displayed acceptable psychometric properties, there was concern that it was too lengthy, compromising student completion. This prompted refinement and modification leading to the development of the Team-Q, which was again tested in the same undergraduate course (Phase Two). The new tool had high internal consistency, as well as conceptual similarity to other measures of teamwork. Estimates of inter-rater reliability were within a satisfactory range, although it was determined that logistical issues limited the feasibility of external evaluations. Preliminary evidence suggests that teamwork skills improve over time when taught and assessed, providing support for the continued application of the Team-Q as a tool for developing teamwork skills in undergraduate education.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)378-397
Number of pages20
JournalAssessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
Volume42
Issue number3
Early online date27 Nov 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Apr 2017
Externally publishedYes

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