2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Enhancing Teamwork Skills in STEM Education: A Behavioral Theory-Based Approach

Presented at Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 2

The ability to work in a team is one of the most important skills a college graduate can acquire from an educational institute. However, some students do not appropriately participate in course projects, making teamwork more challenging than it needs to be for others. As a result, many students fail to develop teamwork skills, and some become frustrated with course projects. This study adopted the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to develop tools and a guide to enhance teamwork in course projects. Based on TPB, three interventions were developed: (1) a project description document including real-world examples of problems that can be solved with skills developed through the course project; (2) an accountability plan for the instructional team to provide social pressure to participate; and (3) a project management plan for the students to have a structure in the groups with well-defined roles. The interventions were adopted in two Fall 2023 courses (n = 39). Findings revealed significant improvements in student engagement, task completion, communication, role adoption, goal clarity, and conflict management post-intervention. These results confirm the efficacy of TPB-based interventions in enhancing teamwork skills among STEM students, underscoring the importance of behavioral theory in educational strategy development.

Authors

Tazim Ahmed The University of Texas at Arlington [biography]

Tazim Ahmed is currently a PhD student in Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. His research primarily focuses on Human Factors Engineering, Cognitive Engineering, and Engineering Education.
Syed Mufid The University of Texas at Arlington [biography]

Syed Mufid is currently a Master's student in Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. His research interests encompass Human Factors, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Supply Chain Management.
Dr. Shuchisnigdha Deb The University of Texas at Arlington [biography]

SHUCHISNIGDHA DEB is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. She received her PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Mississippi State University and MS in Industrial and Management Engineering from Montana State University.
Dr. Mahmudur Rahman The University of Texas at Arlington [biography]

Mahmudur Rahman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Rahman’s research interests center around Driver Trust and Acceptance of Vehicle Automation, Occupational Safety, Human-robot Interaction, and Engineering Education.

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