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Session 2230

Development of a Web-Based System for Coaching Engineering Student Design Teams

Sheila O’Connor, Don Malzahn Wichita State University

Abstract

The practice of engineering occurs in teams. Therefore, engineering educators must continue to develop and evaluate methods to help engineering students learn how to work in teams. One potential way of offering team process knowledge and feedback is through the use of the World Wide Web (WWW). This paper presents a web-based model that trains and coaches engineering students in developing team process knowledge and skills while they are working on a team design project. The students log on to the web-site on a weekly basis and receive team process knowledge and feedback. Each student is given individual assessments to determine their preferences related to decision style, learning style, and conflict resolution style. The web-based model provides structured team process skills training and presents it to individuals on teams 1) when needed based on the stage of team development and 2) customized for individuals based on individual style, learning style and preferred conflict resolution style. A database stores information on individual team members and captures reported team symptoms as the team develops over time. The conceptual model and preliminary observations gained from using the web-based coaching and feedback model with engineering student design teams are presented in this paper.

I. Introduction

Teaming skills are very important in the practice of engineering. Engineers are required to design complex systems and processes in a short amount of time and by necessity are required to work with others to accomplish these tasks. Leaders in industry repeatedly state the need for engineers who can work effectively in teams and they are expecting the engineering educational system to produce these individuals [1, 2].

Most would agree that engineering education has been designed to focus on rewarding individual knowledge and skills and not team skills. When teams are used in engineering

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O'Connor, S. A., & Malzahn, D. (2000, June), Development Of A Web Based System For Coaching Engineering Student Design Teams Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8295