Page 135 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 135
theoretical, empirical and practical insight into team cooperation ...
Team training
Every team training or training intervention needs to specify the objec-
tives (what has to be learnt – e.g. knowledge, skills, changes in attitudes).
Training objectives depend on the team goals, job design and training
needs – at the individual or team level (Campbell & Kuncel, 2005). Training
needs are aligned with the required teamwork and taskwork competencies
(see above).
There are many ways to build teamwork competencies. The focus can
be on the individual (e.g. assertiveness training), the team (e.g. cross-train-
ing) or both (Day, Gronn, & Salas, 2004). The training can be delivered via
specific instructional methods and training media, e.g. lecture, synthetic
experiences (simulation, exercises) (Campbell & Kuncel, 2005; Kozlowski
& Ilgen, 2006). Empirical evidence in a meta-analysis showed that team
training fosters team cognitive and affective outcomes (i.e. emergent
states), teamwork processes, and performance outcomes (Salas et al., 2008)
– essentially, it affects factors that shape, align or leverage team process-
es, team processes per se as well as team effectiveness directly. Attention
to post-training procedures (training evaluation, transfer and application
of newly gained KSA of training) is also needed (Salas & Cannon-Bowers,
2001).
The most important implication for ESL multi-professional teams is
that team training is effective and should thus become an integral part of
the team’s existence. For ESL multi-professional teams, cross-training (i.e.
exposure to and practice on team members’ tasks), specifically positional
clarification (explanation of team members’ general position and respon-
sibilities) and positional modelling (duties of each member are discussed
and observed) are the most relevant (see Day et al., 2004). This means that
upon establishing the ESL team some sessions (meetings) would be devot-
ed so that each member (e.g. teacher, external actor) explains their gen-
eral role and responsibility in the ESL team and that these are discussed;
such cross-training helps avoid future misconceptions and false expecta-
tions about what other ESL team members can or should do. Thus, cross
training can be beneficial for the team’s communication and coordination
strategies as well as improve the team’s anticipatory behaviour (Day et al.,
2004). Team self-correction training through which the team is taught to
diagnose, design and implement solutions to its team functional problems
also seems worth considering. Assertiveness training (i.e. to communi-
cate effectively when offering or requesting assistance, offering a potential
135
Team training
Every team training or training intervention needs to specify the objec-
tives (what has to be learnt – e.g. knowledge, skills, changes in attitudes).
Training objectives depend on the team goals, job design and training
needs – at the individual or team level (Campbell & Kuncel, 2005). Training
needs are aligned with the required teamwork and taskwork competencies
(see above).
There are many ways to build teamwork competencies. The focus can
be on the individual (e.g. assertiveness training), the team (e.g. cross-train-
ing) or both (Day, Gronn, & Salas, 2004). The training can be delivered via
specific instructional methods and training media, e.g. lecture, synthetic
experiences (simulation, exercises) (Campbell & Kuncel, 2005; Kozlowski
& Ilgen, 2006). Empirical evidence in a meta-analysis showed that team
training fosters team cognitive and affective outcomes (i.e. emergent
states), teamwork processes, and performance outcomes (Salas et al., 2008)
– essentially, it affects factors that shape, align or leverage team process-
es, team processes per se as well as team effectiveness directly. Attention
to post-training procedures (training evaluation, transfer and application
of newly gained KSA of training) is also needed (Salas & Cannon-Bowers,
2001).
The most important implication for ESL multi-professional teams is
that team training is effective and should thus become an integral part of
the team’s existence. For ESL multi-professional teams, cross-training (i.e.
exposure to and practice on team members’ tasks), specifically positional
clarification (explanation of team members’ general position and respon-
sibilities) and positional modelling (duties of each member are discussed
and observed) are the most relevant (see Day et al., 2004). This means that
upon establishing the ESL team some sessions (meetings) would be devot-
ed so that each member (e.g. teacher, external actor) explains their gen-
eral role and responsibility in the ESL team and that these are discussed;
such cross-training helps avoid future misconceptions and false expecta-
tions about what other ESL team members can or should do. Thus, cross
training can be beneficial for the team’s communication and coordination
strategies as well as improve the team’s anticipatory behaviour (Day et al.,
2004). Team self-correction training through which the team is taught to
diagnose, design and implement solutions to its team functional problems
also seems worth considering. Assertiveness training (i.e. to communi-
cate effectively when offering or requesting assistance, offering a potential
135
