Teaming and Collaboration Experience Guidelines

Students may learn the concepts involved in team projects --team function, team roles, common goal, and utilizing strengths of team members through supervised learning experiences that have been approved to meet this important core curriculum requirement. An approved experience must contain sufficient teaming experience activities and meet the following desired outcomes:

• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to function in different capacities in different team settings
• Ability to discuss and evaluate ideas with others on the team
• Ability to integrate part of a solution with the rest of the team 

 

Guidelines

• An experience satisfying the Teaming and Collaboration Experience requirement should contain a series of team activities or a larger (more complex and longer in duration) project. In addition, assessment of team effectiveness and teaming processes by the supervisor/sponsor is required after every project for a series of projects or at regular intervals during a larger project. Assessment should be provided for individual members and where appropriate, the team. Peer evaluation and self-assessment/reflection components should be included.
• Activities should be designed to utilize different strengths or different contributions of individual team members.
• Students should be given some guidance or preparation before engaging in the activities to describe what the goals are for the team as well as goals for each individual member of the team.
• Assessment should be provided for individual members and where appropriate, the team.

 
Approval Process

A student will identify and work with a research/work supervisor to complete the approval process. A process of observation and feedback is required. Students and their research/work supervisor should meet periodically to discuss a student’s:

1. Role on the team and changing roles during the experience.
2. Strengths as a team member and areas for improvement.
3. Contributions to the team and the process of reaching project goals.

Students will use the following process to request pre-approval and final approval of their teaming experience. Special Note: Students may submit an experience that has already taken place but which they believe meets the intent of the Teaming and Collaboration experience. In this case, the Experiential Learning Contract and Final Approval Process will need to be completed. All experiences must take place during a student’s attendance at Purdue.
 

Pre-approval Stage

Student:

1. Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your interest in using an experience to meet the Teaming and Collaboration requirement; review the approval process and how to complete required documentation.
2. Complete the Experiential Learning Contract.
   1. Identify an Evaluator who will:
      • Assess and evaluate your experience.  Secure this individual's signature on the contract. Submit or send the Experiential Learning Contract to scienceadvising@purdue.edu or to the address found on the contract.
      • Work with your Research Lead or Work Supervisor to complete and submit the Teaming Pre-approval Form. This form is used to document how your experience will meet the Teaming and Collaboration requirement.
   2. Submit a statement to scienceadvising@purdue.edu outlining your intended experience and documenting how it will meet requirement. This statement will be evaluated pending the completion of the Pre-approval form by your evaluator. The pre-approval stage is not complete until the evaluator submits the Pre-approval Form and the experience is approved by a Faculty Representative. Note: If an Evaluator will not be assigned until an experience starts, please provide general contact information including the location of the experience.
   3. Complete the CliftonStrengths assessment prior to the start of your experience. Click on myStrengths Web Portal to start the assessment. You will be asked to apply your understanding of your Strengths during your experience and to then discuss this aspect of your experience in your reflection paper at the conclusion of the experience.

Evaluator:

1. Sign the Experiential Learning Contract.
2. Complete the Teaming Pre-approval Form. This form allows an evaluator, who will assess and evaluate a student’s experience to document the experience and how it will meet the Teaming and Collaboration requirement. Evaluators should be concise but thorough in their explanations. The Pre-approval form should be sent to: Science Undergraduate Advising Office, Mathematical Sciences building, Room 231,150 N University St, MA 231, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067 or emailed to: scienceadvising@purdue.edu

Faculty Representative:

A Faculty Representative will review the Experiential Learning Contract and Pre-approval form to determine if the experience may be pre-approved to meet requirement. This decision will be sent to the student and their academic advisor via Purdue email addresses.  Note: Pre-approval of an experience does not guarantee final approval.
 
Final Approval Stage

The following documents must be submitted for final approval of a teaming experience.

Student:
Complete a Reflection paper (minimum 4 pages). Your submission should address the following areas:

1. Information pertaining to the environment (ex. type of experience (research, industry, etc.) size of the team, supervisor’s role on the team, team focus, etc.).
2. Application of your CliftonStrengths. Include in your discussion how:
   1. You applied your Strengths and what you’ve learned about how your Strengths can positively impact team processes.
   2. Similarities and differences of your and your team members work styles and how they affected your success (positive and challenging), the success of the team and project(s) completion.
3. Discussion of roles you assumed. Note: students should discuss taking on different roles in their team(s) with their evaluator so this requirement may be met.
4. Self assessment of teaming experience and personal growth.

Evaluator:

1. Complete the Teaming Final Approval Form.
2. Complete a minimum of three Teaming Rubrics Forms periodically throughout the experience to document student progress.
3. Submit The Teaming and Collaboration Final Approval Form and Teaming Rubrics Forms (3) to: Science Undergraduate Advising Office, Mathematical Sciences building, Room 231,150 N University St, MA 231, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067 or email them to: scienceadvising@purdue.edu .

Faculty Representative:
The Faculty Representative will review all documentation to determine if the student’s experience has met the Teaming and Collaboration experience requirement. Notice of approval or denial will sent to the student’s Purdue email address. The student’s academic advisor will also be contacted with the final decision.
All documentation will be collected by the Undergraduate Education Office and should be sent to:

Science Undergraduate Advising Office
Mathematical Sciences building
150 N University St, MA 231
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067
scienceadvising@purdue.edu