Motivating a team is often more challenging than motivating a single individual. Individuals within teams operate with different goals, values, beliefs, and expectations. Yet the variety of team member personalities can be a positive force if each performer contributes his or her own unique capabilities when and where needed. Teamwork potentially…

A new paradigm for computer-supported cooperative work and a research agenda for developing and testing this paradigm are proposed. The book outlines a comprehensive model of collaboration that integrates the cognitive/conceptual and social dynamics of groups. The challenge faced by all groups engaged in intellectual work is to divide the task so…

This paper discusses an experiment-in-progress that focused on an investigation of novel school collaboration procedures. Two schools participated in the experiment. The principals of these schools were asked for their definition of "collaboration" and a metaphoric description of their schools. Following a collaborative skills workshop,…

Four papers focus on the processes involved in developing a community team for providng services to handicapped preschoolers. Jerry Elder and Elynor Kazuk review steps in beginning a community team approach in "Getting Started," including the mechanics of planning and conducting an initial meeting to explain the advantages of collaborative…

Joint action among teachers appears to depend on the teachers' perceptions of their interdependence and the presence of opportunities for joint action. An urban middle school had been organized into teams on several levels with strong support from the principal. Three situations that altered these operating procedures provided evidence that…

A discussion of the Teacher Education Center Act in Florida is presented within the framework of historical collaboration between different components united to achieve mutual objectives. The basic problems facing successful organization of teacher centers are seen as threefold: institutions of higher education believe that they hold the primary…

Third and fourth grade "sailors" from Bolina/Stimson School in northern California learned to pull together aboard a Thirties-style historical schooner, anchored in San Francisco Bay, that simulates a codfishing expedition to Alaska. Cooperation, successfully meeting team challenges, and coordination of effort resulted. (JMM)

Using planned, sequenced "group initiative tasks," effective cooperative skills can be taught and practiced in an atmosphere of fun and challenge. Such tasks are presented to a group for problem solving, using the physical and intellectual resources of the entire group. (JMM)

Encourages classroom teachers to engage in collaborative research. Addresses role of theory in research design, ethical/legal aspects of data collection/treatment, ownership of data, and communication among team members. Describes one-to-one friendship, teacher team catalyst, and cruise ship research models. Discusses how to formulate research…

Cooperative professional development is a process by which teams of teachers work together for their own professional development. Types of cooperative development described include the following: (1) professional dialogue; (2) curriculum development; (3) peer supervision; (4) peer coaching; and (5) action research. (MLF)

The higher education component of professional education neglects to teach some important non-exclusive skills such as working in one-to-one situations, working in teams and cooperative situations, continued learning, organization of one's work, and enabling others to learn. (MSE)

This study investigated how different types of computer-mediated communication (CMC) such as asynchronous forums, synchronous forums and e-mail were used to support an alternative approach to initial teacher education that relied on the formation of a knowledge-building community (KBC). The KBC involves students working in small and large groups…

Team collaboration is an important part of working in business today. This study in electronic collaboration usage and implications extends what has already been done in groupware and group collaboration systems. The authors produced an experiment in which students were given the opportunity to use many different collaborative tools. A pre-test…

This volume presents thoughts on measuring team performance written by experts currently working with teams in fields such as training, evaluation, and process consultation. The chapters are: (1) "An Overview of Team Performance Measurement" (Michael T. Brannick and Carolyn Prince); (2) "A Conceptual Framework for Teamwork Measurement" (Terry L.…

A "people watching" tour through a school depicts mature, professional, responsible people doing immature, unprofessional, irresponsible things. When priorities of institutions and individuals do not mesh, a staff may become frustrated. Types of people and ways to serve their individual needs are examined in the context of building a…