Facilitating design learning in a cooperative environment: Findings on team functioning

Design learning is generally done collectively, but more needs to be known about how students can work better in teams. This paper presented the results of a study measuring student perceptions of team functioning and the changes that occurred over the course of the semester as students transitioned from an initial, guided project to an open-ended, industry-sponsored project. Students generally had positive perceptions of team functioning, including relatively high levels of conflict resolution, collective efficacy, and teamwork behaviors. As compared with the first project, team members reported more time spent together outside of class, greater conflict resolution behaviors, and higher individual growth for the second project.