2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The specialization of careers in various industries has created a manifold of professional networks that demand close collaboration between all parties. Additionally, the exponential growth of information technology has evolved the workflow among various entities involved in a production or project. Therefore, professionals in various construction or engineering positions incessantly work with their peers in different forms of teamwork. As an interpersonal skill set, teamwork is gaining more attention in workforce development. Reflectively, construction and engineering programs in higher education should prepare their graduates with ample knowledge and experience in teamwork skill sets. While the nature of construction and engineering courses influences the possibility of students’ teamwork, there is still sufficient flexibility that can exploited to facilitate students’ collaboration. This paper reports on a study conducted in Fall 2022 to explore the status of teamwork in construction and engineering students. The goal of this study was to investigate various aspects of teamwork perceived by students. In the first phase, a quantitative survey was designed and developed, and a sample of subjects was drawn from students in construction, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering. The comparison between these programs echoed common themes while distinctions were highlighted. A similar approach was employed to conduct gender-oriented analysis on teamwork perception and application. The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge by addressing key aspects of team-based projects and practices when developing or modifying course components in pertaining programs.