Page 134 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 134
Along the same lines, Steven and Campion (1994, 1999) identified in-
terpersonal and self-management KSA as important for teamwork. These
KSA should be considered in the processes of selection, training, perfor-
mance appraisal, career development, compensation and job analysis
(Steven & Campion, 1994).
In ESL teams, first, task analysis is warranted at least at some general
level to identify the competencies required to perform team- and task-re-
lated tasks (Burke, 2005). Team-related competencies in this context re-
fer to knowledge about interpersonal relations and teamwork as well as to
skills on how to interact with other team members effectively and a pos-
itive attitude to working together; other team members have a different
educational background and different experience, the role in the school,
their position may be hierarchically below or above one’s position – all this
makes team competencies much needed. Task-related competencies in this
context are specific ESL competencies, i.e. knowledge and understanding
of ESL, skills that help prevent/re-integrate ESLers, preference for working
with ESLers. When designing the ESL team, task and team competencies
must be considered, although it appears that team competencies are often
neglected.
Second, some systematic approach to developing teamwork competen-
cies is needed (taking the team composition model described above into ac-
count). Third, when possible it would be worth taking teamwork compe-
tencies into account for future candidate selection (to some degree these
team competencies are generic; Cannon-Bowers & Bowers, 2011). Fourth, a
system for monitoring effectiveness and allowing for appropriate compen-
sation for the team members must be put in place.
Team size
There is no straight-forward answer concerning the question to the opti-
mal size of the teams, perhaps because the answer depends on the task,
purpose and responsibility of the team (Cannon-Bowers & Bowers, 2011).
However, scholars indicate that as the group grows larger this has neg-
ative effects on various dimensions, e.g. member satisfaction, coopera-
tion (Forsyth, 2010; Levine & Moreland, 1990). Parker (2003) recommends
that for cross-functional teams 6 to 10 members is the optimal team size,
indicating this would be an optimal size also for ESL multi-profession-
al teams.
134
terpersonal and self-management KSA as important for teamwork. These
KSA should be considered in the processes of selection, training, perfor-
mance appraisal, career development, compensation and job analysis
(Steven & Campion, 1994).
In ESL teams, first, task analysis is warranted at least at some general
level to identify the competencies required to perform team- and task-re-
lated tasks (Burke, 2005). Team-related competencies in this context re-
fer to knowledge about interpersonal relations and teamwork as well as to
skills on how to interact with other team members effectively and a pos-
itive attitude to working together; other team members have a different
educational background and different experience, the role in the school,
their position may be hierarchically below or above one’s position – all this
makes team competencies much needed. Task-related competencies in this
context are specific ESL competencies, i.e. knowledge and understanding
of ESL, skills that help prevent/re-integrate ESLers, preference for working
with ESLers. When designing the ESL team, task and team competencies
must be considered, although it appears that team competencies are often
neglected.
Second, some systematic approach to developing teamwork competen-
cies is needed (taking the team composition model described above into ac-
count). Third, when possible it would be worth taking teamwork compe-
tencies into account for future candidate selection (to some degree these
team competencies are generic; Cannon-Bowers & Bowers, 2011). Fourth, a
system for monitoring effectiveness and allowing for appropriate compen-
sation for the team members must be put in place.
Team size
There is no straight-forward answer concerning the question to the opti-
mal size of the teams, perhaps because the answer depends on the task,
purpose and responsibility of the team (Cannon-Bowers & Bowers, 2011).
However, scholars indicate that as the group grows larger this has neg-
ative effects on various dimensions, e.g. member satisfaction, coopera-
tion (Forsyth, 2010; Levine & Moreland, 1990). Parker (2003) recommends
that for cross-functional teams 6 to 10 members is the optimal team size,
indicating this would be an optimal size also for ESL multi-profession-
al teams.
134
