What Is TeamHelper?
TeamHelper is a tool course instructors can use in their classes to help students in teams learn how to function well as part of a team. Professors can schedule each of the TeamHelper instruments and guides described below as often as desired. Not all instruments and guides have to be used in each course, professors may select the tools that will be most beneficial
What Does TeamHelper Do?
TeamHelper strengthens team dynamics by giving students tools and insights critical to developing more effective behaviors when working in teams. TeamHelper is designed to provide complementary learning to what is happening in and out of the classroom while helping students become better team members and leaders.
What's Included in TeamHelper?
TeamHelper consists of 7 instruments and guides that can be used individually or collectively at each stage of the team process.
1 The Instructor's Overview and Team Effectiveness Presentation
Provides information on how to create and structure a dynamic team development experience for students.
The Instructor's Overview and Team Effectiveness Presentation are designed to enhance the teaming experience within the classroom. The Instructor's Overview is designed to familiarize professors with each item of TeamHelper, and offer suggestions for scheduling each feature. Similarly, the Team Effectiveness Presentation, designed for use by the professor in the classroom, provides information on teams in general, keys to effective team behavior, and the features of TeamHelper.
Samples
2 Team Charter Guide
Offers advice on how to create a working agreement for the team that spells out expectations, norms and roles for team members.
A Team Charter is one of the first steps in forming an effective team. Students are given a set of guidelines for developing a Team Charter that will be their working agreement on roles and responsibilities as well as norms and expectations for team behavior. Team Charters not only give team members a reference point for self-evaluation but can also allow instructors a basis for evaluating team process.
Samples
3 Team Personal Styles Inventory (T-PSI)
Gives students insight into their own personal styles of behavior and how they can be most effective with that style in their teams.
The Team Personal Styles Inventory (T-PSI) is an instrument designed to provide students with greater self-awareness of their personal styles. T-PSI is built on a sound theoretical framework called the five-factor model and has been researched with thousands of students. Students receive feedback on five dimensions of personality. An interpretive guide is provided to students to help them use the information from T-PSI to be more effective as team members.
Samples
4 Team Feedback Survey (TFS)
Enables individuals to understand how their own self-perception compares with the perceptions of their teammates on two critical categories of team-related behavior.
The Team Feedback Survey (TFS) allows each student to complete a self-assessment and receive feedback from other team members on a set of 20 critical behaviors grouped into two dimensions: Team Leadership and Team Facilitation. An interpretive guide is provided that allows students to understand their results and use the scores to set their own developmental goals. A set of guidelines is provided for developmental goal setting and suggestions for specific activities that can help develop team-related skills are included.
Samples
5 Feedback Review Session (FRS)
Provides a framework to do a self-managed peer review of team process and individual contribution and effectiveness.
The Feedback Review Session (FRS) is a structured, self-managed team event in which members of each student team give face-to-face feedback to each other. This session, which can take place either inside or outside the classroom, provides team members with the opportunity to share perceptions of their peers' behaviors and contribution to the team in a constructive manner. The FRS provides a chance for individuals to review feedback from multiple perspectives, while still having time to adjust their contribution prior to the completion of the course.
Samples
6 Individual Contribution Scale (ICS)
Provides instructors with an assessment of the contributions of all team members.
The Individual Contribution Scale (ICS) provides instructors with an assessment of the contributions of all team members. It also enables students to provide feedback to fellow team members during a project and instructors to make an adjustment to the grades given to team members.
Samples
7 Articles & Reference Materials
Offer information related to the development of team effectiveness.
The Articles and Reference Materials offer students a one-stop library of resources where they can go to learn more about teams. Included in this section are various articles, links to published material, as well as sample notes and presentations.