coaching

Scaffolding Team Dynamics for Team Effectiveness in Project-based Learning Courses

cdtlsd Lighting Talks , , , , ,

Vinod VASNANI1*, Ameek KAUR2, and Randall SIE1

1Institute for Engineering Leadership, College of Design and Engineering
2NUS Business School

*vinod@nus.edu.sg

 

Vasnani, V., Kaur, A., & Sie, R. (2023). Scaffolding team dynamics for team effectiveness in project based learning courses [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/scaffolding-team-dynamics-for-team-effectiveness-in-project-based-learning-courses/
 

SUB-THEME

Interdisciplinarity and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Team dynamics, interdisciplinary, coaching, entrepreneurship, scaffolding

 

CATEGORY

Lightning Talks

 

ABSTRACT

Experiential learning, a process in which learning occurs through experience (Kolb, 1984) is increasingly being used in several domains of education, namely, engineering, medicine, business etc. (e.g. Conger et al., 2010; Yardley et al., 2012; Kosnik et al., 2013). Experiential learning can take many forms, such as case studies, simulations, and projects. The experience of working on real-life team projects provides a rich learning opportunity for students where real-life stakeholders offer students the opportunity to integrate and apply the knowledge they acquire. In the experiential learning course MT5920 “Enterprise Development” (National University of Singapore, n.d.), students work in teams to identify new market opportunities for real existing technologies from participating companies, ranging from multinational companies, small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to growth startups. The class setting emulates a real industry environment and process for new product/solution design and validation. Students benefit from working with stakeholders from real organisations. At the same time, the course provides a safe and sheltered environment to experiment and take risks.

 

Team dynamics is a key component for the success of projects in the real world, and it is also a key component in this course. Student teams manage team dynamics throughout the course whilst working and completing their various project assignments and deliverables. This course follows a project-based learning pedagogical approach (De Graaf & Kolmos, 2003). Project-based learning enables a process in which the students can learn, experience, reflect and manage team dynamics. This is accompanied by a deliberate effort by the instructors to scaffold the process of managing team dynamics, which subsequently impacts the team effectiveness in carrying out its project with the actual companies.

The teams are typically multidisciplinary and multicultural. Along with the challenges of finding new market opportunities for these companies, a common challenge that arises for the students is team dynamics. The right team dynamics greatly impacts the success of the team and the intended outcomes (Delice et al, 2019; DiTullio, 2010 ). As mentioned in Kokotsaki et al. (2016), project-based learning is a student-centred form of instruction characterised by students’ autonomy, constructive investigations, goal setting, collaboration, communication, and reflection within real-world practices. The team dynamics scaffolding effort in MT5920 exhibits the above-mentioned characteristics.

 

In this course, these tools are applied to manage team dynamics:

  • GRPI [Beckhard, R. (1972)],
  • A self-assessment (National University of Singapore, n.d.)
  • Team reviews and interventions
  • Individual self-reflection

 

Please refer to the chart below for an overview of the course and the various tools that we apply.

MT5920: Course overview with team dynamics scaffold

 

The scaffolding on team dynamics takes students through a structured process. It begins with self-assessment and understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses followed by a Team Dynamics Workshop. This explores conflict management, communication styles using the self-assessment, and culminates in the creation of a team GRPI1. Data about the team dynamics is collected on a continuous informal basis through student mentors (alumni who act as mentors and join the teams), as well as on a formal basis through student self- and peer review evaluations and surveys. Mid-semester, based on evaluations and surveys completed, an individual team review takes place between all team members and faculty. This is a critical review to gauge and improve on team effectiveness. Any other team dynamics are dealt with on an ad hoc basis through team meetings with faculty or student mentors. All the while, teams reflect and update their GRPI. At the end of the course, students submit individual reflection papers that have specific questions regarding team dynamics, ensuring students gain practical insights and skills for effective teamwork in the future.

 

We have found that this scaffolding process helps teams to navigate the four stages of Tuckman’s (1965) group development, i.e. forming, norming, storming, and performing. The storming phase is critical for the team to emerge from, in order to work effectively towards the end of the course for the final presentation to all stakeholders. This paper will discuss the motivation for this scaffolding and the benefits for both the instructors and the teams. The approach and steps used will be shared as an approach that can be adapted for use by other such courses.

 

ENDNOTE

  1. GRPI is an acronym that stands for Goals, Roles, Processes, and Interpersonal relationships. The GRPI model is an approach to team development that was introduced in the early 1970s by Richard Beckard, an organizational development expert and professor at MIT.

 

REFERENCES

Beckhard, R. (1972). Optimizing team-building efforts. Journal of Contemporary Business, 1(3), 23-32.

Conger, A. J., Gilchrist, B., Holloway, J. P., Huang-Saad, A., Sick, V., & Zurbuchen, T. H. (2010, April). Experiential learning programs for the future of engineering education. In 2010 IEEE transforming engineering education: Creating interdisciplinary skills for complex global environments (pp. 1-14). IEEE.

Delice, F., Rousseau, M., & Feitosa, J. (2019). Advancing teams research: What, when, and how to measure team dynamics over time. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1324. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01324

De Graaf, E., & Kolmos, A. (2003). Characteristics of problem-based learning. International Journal of Engineering Education, 19(5), 657-62. Retrieved from https://www.ijee.ie/articles/Vol19-5/IJEE1450.pdf.

DiTullio, L. (2010). Project team dynamics: enhancing performance, improving results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267-77. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480216659733

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.

Kosnik, R. D., Tingle, J. K., & Blanton III, E. L. (2013). Transformational learning in business education: The pivotal role of experiential learning projects. American Journal of Business Education (AJBE), 6(6), 613-30. https://doi.org/10.19030/ajbe.v6i6.8166

National University of Singapore (n.d.). Enterprise Development. IEL website. Retrieved June 20, 2023, from https://cde.nus.edu.sg/iel/graduate/overview-of-graduate-modules/enterprise-development/

National University of Singapore (n.d.). Self Assessments -16 Personalities. Centre for Future-ready Graduates. Retrieved June 20, 2023, from https://nus.edu.sg/cfg/students/career-resources/self-assessments

Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-99. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0022100

Yardley, S., Teunissen, P. W., & Dornan, T. (2012). Experiential learning: Transforming theory into practice. 63. Medical Teacher, 34(2), e102-e115. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2012.643264

 

The Role of Mentoring, Supervision, Coaching, Teaching and Instruction on Professional Identity Formation: A Systematic Scoping Review

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

Jun Kiat LUA1,2*, Rachelle Qi En TOH1,2, Kai Kee KOH1,2, Ruth Si Man WONG1,2, Elaine Li Ying QUAH1,2, Aiswarya PANDA1,2, Chong Yao HO1,2, Nicole‐Ann LIM1,2, Yun Ting ONG1,2, Keith Zi Yuan CHUA1,2, Victoria Wen Wei NG1,2, Sabine Lauren Chyi Hui WONG1,2, Luke Yu Xuan YEO1,2, Sin Yee SEE1,2, Jolene Jing Yin TEO1,2, Yaazhini RENGANATHAN1,2, Annelissa Mien Chew CHIN3 and Lalit Kumar Radha KRISHNA1,2,4,5,6,7,8

1Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM), National University Singapore (NUS)
2Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore
3Medical Library, NUS Libraries
4Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore
5Duke‐NUS Medical School
6Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Academic Palliative & End of Life Care Centre, University of Liverpool
7Centre for Biomedical Ethics, NUS
8PalC, The Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education, PalC c/o Dover Park Hospice


*e0638946@u.nus.edu

 

Lua, J. K., Toh, R. Q. E., Koh, K. K., Wong, R. S. M., Quah, E. L. Y., Panda, A., Ho, C. Y., Lim, N.-A., Ong, Y. T., Chua, K. Z. Y., Ng, V. W. W., Wong, S-L. C. H., Yeo, L. Y. X., See, S. Y., Teo, J. J. Y., Renganathan, Y., Chin, A. M. C., & Krishna, L. (2023). The role of mentoring, supervision, coaching, teaching and instruction on professional identity formation: A systematic scoping review [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/the-role-of-mentoring-supervision-coaching-teaching-and-instruction-on-professional-identity-formation-a-systematic-scoping-review/

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education 

 

KEYWORDS

Communities of practice, mentoring, supervision, coaching, professional identity formation

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

BACKGROUND

The crucial role of mentoring in fostering professional identity formation (PIF) is greatly influenced by its integration with supervision, coaching, tutoring, instruction, and teaching. Yet, the impact of this comprehensive approach, the ‘mentoring umbrella’ (MU), lacks clear understanding. This is especially so in the healthcare setting which has constant interplay between various healthcare professionals, families, and patients. This systemic scoping review (SSR) thus provides an overview of the present state of knowledge and proffers new insights into better application of MU for educational purposes.

 

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring is vital for facilitating the development of PIF in medical students and physicians in training (henceforth mentees), helping them “think, act and feel like physicians” (Merton, 2013). The personalised, long-term, and comprehensive support provided by mentors assists the assimilation of professional values, beliefs, standards, codes of conduct, and culture of the medical profession into their own identities (Cruess & Cruess, 2018). However, understanding of the specific roles of mentoring in PIF has been limited due to the presence of various mentoring forms (Krishna et al., 2020; Krishna et al., 2019; Radha Krishna et al., 2019) and its association with other practices such as role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction (Wahab et al., 2016). Two recent developments offer potential solutions to this challenge and can provide fresh perspectives into the impact of mentoring on PIF.

 

First, recent evidence suggests that when applied longitudinally, practices such as role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction create the effects currently attributed to mentoring (Buddeberg-Fischer & Herta, 2006). Krishna et al. (2019) suggests that role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction are part of a broader concept that can be referred to as the MU.

 

Second, on their own or in tandem within MU, these educational approaches shape professional identity by changing the mentee’s values, beliefs and principles (henceforth belief systems). Krishna’s Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP) suggest that the four domains of the belief system are contained within the Innate, Individual, Relational, and Societal Rings of the RToP (Figure 1) (Chan et al., 2021; Ho et al., 2020; Vig et al., 2021). Exposure, reflection, and inculcation of new experiences and beliefs systems over the course of a training programme changes parts of mentees’ belief systems within the four rings of the RToP. These changes inform self-concepts of personhood or “what makes you, you” (Krishna & Alsuwaigh, 2015), which in turn reshapes personal and professional identities. It is this link that allows the RToP to be utilised to sketch changes in PIF. Critically, the RToP also captures the impact of changing roles, and obligations, within the team, family unit, professional community, and society, and offers a deeper understanding of their thought patterns, actions, and capacity to adapt to diverse influences (Alsuwaigh, 2015; Arai et al., 2017; Ho et al., 2020; Khandelwal et al., 2015; Kim & Choi, 2015; Krishna, Alsuwaigh, et al., 2014; Krishna, Yong, et al., 2014; Kuek et al., 2020).

The Ring Theory of Personhood

 

METHODOLOGY

Systematic Evidence‐based Approach (SEBA) (Figure 2) guided SSR seeks to map current understanding of the MU and its effects on PIF on mentees (Bok et al., 2020; Kow et al., 2020; Krishna et al.; Ngiam et al.). The primary research question was identified:

“What is known about the effect of mentoring, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction on professional identity formation amongst medical students, residents, and junior doctors?”

 

It is hoped that insights provided will guide structuring, support, and oversight of the MU in nurturing PIF. Articles published between 1st Jan 2000 and 31st Dec 2021 in PubMed, Scopus, ERIC and the Cochrane databases were scrutinised. The included articles were concurrently summarised and tabulated, and concurrently analysed using content and thematic analysis and tabulated. The themes and categories identified were compared with the summaries of the included articles to create accountable and reproducible domains that guide the discussion.

Systematic Evidence‐based Approach (SEBA)

 

RESULTS

A total of 12201 abstracts were reviewed, 657 full text articles evaluated, and 207 articles included (Figure 3).

The three domains identified were definitions; impact on PIF; and enablers and barriers.

 

The MU shapes PIF in three stages. To begin it builds a cognitive base of essential knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes. The cognitive base informs thinking, conduct, and opinions in early supervised clinical exposure in Communities of Practice (COP). The COPs’ individualised approach to the inculcation of desired professional characteristics, goals, values, principles, and beliefs reshapes the individual’s identity, whilst the socialisation process sees to their integration into current identities.

PRISMA flowchart

 

DISCUSSION

In this SSR, we highlight the impact of the MU on PIF, shedding light on its effects on different stages of PIF development and the role of the host organisation. When implemented over time in personalised learning relationships, involving individual or small groups of learners with shared goals, abilities, and experiences, the MU offers customised, prompt, and comprehensive support to the developing professional.

 

The overlapping elements within the MU provide synergistic support in tackling the influences of societal, professional, clinical, academic, research, and personal factors, as well as the prevailing sociocultural considerations and the impact of the healthcare and educational systems, including the local hidden, informal, and formal curriculum, on PIF. This highlights the wide applicability and stage-based nature of the MU in fostering PIF.

 

CONCLUSION

This SSR underscores the crucial role of MU in the development of PIF. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of conducting long-term and comprehensive evaluations to assess the impact of MU on PIF, as PIF significantly influences the personal growth and education of mentees during their interactions with diverse healthcare communities.

 

REFERENCES

Alsuwaigh, R. (2015). How do English-speaking cancer patients conceptualise personhood? Ann Acad Med Singapore, 44. https://doi.org/10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.V44N6p207

Arai, K., Saiki, T., & Imafuku, R. (2017). What do Japanese residents learn from treating dying patients? The implications for training in end-of-life care. BMC Med Educ, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-1029-6

Bok, C., Ng, C. H., & Koh, J. W. H. (2020). Interprofessional communication (IPC) for medical students: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020- 02296-x

Buddeberg-Fischer, B., & Herta, K. D. (2006). Formal mentoring programmes for medical students and doctors–a review of the Medline literature. Med Teach, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590500313043

Chan, N., Chia, J., & Ho, C. (2021). Extending the ring theory of personhood to the care of dying patients in intensive care units. Asian Bioethics Rev, 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-021-00192-0

Cruess, S. R., & Cruess, R. L. (2018). The development of professional identity. Vol. 17. In T. Swanwick, K. Forrest, & B. C. O’Brien (Eds.), Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory, and Practice, Third Edition.

Ho, C. Y., Kow, C. S., & Chia, C. H. J. (2020). The impact of death and dying on the personhood of medical students: a systematic scoping review. BMC Med Educ, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02411-y

Khandelwal, A., Nugus, P., & Elkoushy, M. A. (2015). How we made professionalism relevant to twenty-first century residents. Med Teach, 37. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2014.990878

Kim, S., & Choi, S. (2015). The medical professionalism of Korean physicians: Present and future.

BMC Med Ethics, 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-015-0051-7

Kow, C. S., Teo, Y. H., & Teo, Y. N. (2020). A systematic scoping review of ethical issues in mentoring in medical schools. BMC Med Educ, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020- 02169-3

Krishna, L., K. T, T., & Yap H. W., e. a. (2020). Combined novice, near-peer, e-mentoring palliative medicine program: A mixed method study in Singapore. PLoS One, 15(6), e0234322. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234322

Krishna, L., Tan L. H. E., & Ong Y. T., e. a. (2020). Enhancing mentoring in palliative care: An evidence-based mentoring framework. J Med Educ Curric Dev. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120520957649.

Krishna, L., Toh, Y. P., & Mason, S. (2019). Mentoring stages: A study of undergraduate mentoring in palliative medicine in Singapore. PLoS One, 14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214643

Krishna, L. K., & Alsuwaigh, R. (2015). Understanding the fluid nature of personhood – the ring theory of personhood. Bioethics., 29. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12085

Krishna, L. K., Alsuwaigh, R., & Miti, P. T. (2014). The influence of the family in conceptions of personhood in the palliative care setting in Singapore and its influence upon decision making. Am J Hosp Palliat Care, 31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909113500136

Krishna, L. K., Yong, C. Y., & Koh, S. M. (2014). The role of palliative rehabilitation in the preservation of personhood at the end of life. BMJ Case Rep, 9.

Kuek, J. T. Y., Ngiam, L. X. L., & Kamal, N. H. A. (2020). The impact of caring for dying patients in intensive care units on a physician’s personhood: a systematic scoping review. Philos Ethics Humanit Med, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-020-00096-1

Merton, R. Κ. (2013). In R. K. Merton, G. G. Reader, & P. Kendall (Eds.), The Student-Physician: Introductory Studies in the Sociology of Medical Education. Harvard University Press.

Ngiam , L., Ong YA-O, & Ng JX, e. a. (2021). Impact of caring for terminally ill children on physicians: A systematic scoping review. Am J Hosp Palliat Care, 38(4), 396-418. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120950301

Radha Krishna, L. K., Renganathan, Y., & Tay, K. T. (2019). Educational roles as a continuum of mentoring’s role in medicine – a systematic review and thematic analysis of educational studies from 2000 to 2018. BMC Med Educ, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1872- 8

Vig, P. S., Lim, J. Y., & Lee, R. W. L. (2021). Parental bereavement – impact of death of neonates and children under 12 years on personhood of parents: a systematic scoping review. BMC Palliat Care, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-021-00831-1

Wahab M. T., Ikbal M. F. M., Jingting W., Wesley L. T. W., Kanesvaran R., et al. (2016) Creating effective interprofessional mentoring relationships in palliative care- Lessons from medicine, nursing, surgery and social work. J Palliat Care Med 6:290. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2165-7386.1000290

 

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