Learning Objectives

1. Observe and assess behaviors that contribute to team challenges, successes, and failures. 
2. Devise a plan that manages team dynamics toward completing project goals.

Instructor Preparation

1. Assign students to teams.
2. Enter the student teams into the Peer Evaluation Tool (PET) or other tool that you are using for students to evaluate themselves and their teammates. The above link to the PET is a zip file that includes the instruction manual for the PET as well as an excel sheet and a folder for processed student evaluations.
3. Review instructions and activity guide “The Tech Trolley – Keeping the Team on Track.”
4. Review the timing for the class session.
5. Distribute the activity guide to your students (either printed and handed out in class or via Canvas), and set up an appropriate submission area on Canvas for the required deliverables.

Notes for Instructors

• This unit was designed to fit into a junior-level course and is part of the larger Effective Team Dynamics (ETD) curriculum. For more information about the overall ETD curricular structure, please contact us or fill out the Request to Partner form.
• Students will be sharing their evaluations of themselves and their teammates during this activity.
• Rubrics are included to help you evaluate the work that the students submit.

Outline & Timing

1. Introduce the purpose of the day’s activity. (1 min)

Points to make:

• If necessary, review relevant deadlines or expectations that you have about the project.
• This activity will help them reflect on the ways that they and their teammates have contributed to the team.
• They will be asked to rate and comment on each teammate. 
• The scale that will be used focuses on ratings that compare the people in the team (they will review the scale as part of the activity).
• Students will give and share feedback with their teammates.

2. Students read the “Flexibility, Adaptation, and Anticipating Roadblocks” section of the activity guide individually.  (5 min)

3. Begin steps of the activity guide.

Step 1: Students rate group member behaviors and explain ratings. (15 min combined for Steps 1 and 2)

1. 1. Students sit individually. Each student must have a laptop to access the Peer Evaluation Tool (PET).
   2. Instruct students to open the PET on Canvas.
   3. Briefly explain that the PET is a tool that allows them to think about the ways that they and their teammates contribute to the team.
   4. Note that the rating scale (0,1,2,3) is relational in that they should think about how each team member is performing in their team (relative to other team members).
   5. A score of three represents behaviors that are above average for the team. A score of one indicates behaviors that are below average for the team. A score of two is average for the team, and a score of zero indicates that the team mate did not contribute at all to that aspect of the team.
   6. Note that it is ok for a team member to receive a three in one aspect and a one in another aspect of team behavior. Tell students to leave explanatory comments for their ratings. 

Step 2: Students individually complete PET. (15 min combined for Steps 1 and 2)

1. 1. Ask students to submit their Peer Evaluation Form via Canvas.
   2. You may wish to run the PET report to generate a summary for all of your teams. See the PET manual file for directions to generate the report.
   3. If the WIFI is down or students cannot access the tool electronically for another reason, students may use the table on page two of the activity guide.

Step 3: Students discuss findings and adjust team expectations. (10 min combined for Steps 3 and 4)

1. 1. Students sit with their groups, in circles. Inform each group that they will share their findings at the end of class.
   2. Each student in the group should have their PET results and team contract available for reference.
   3. Students will discuss the following:
      • Did you score anyone as a “three, better than most of the group in this respect?” Which category was this, and what did the person do that was better than most of the group?
      • Did you score anyone as having a “zero, no help at all to the group in this respect?” If so, in which category, and why?
      • If you agree or disagree with a rating that someone received or gave, explain why.

Step 4: As students discuss their PET results, they should apply these to the five discussion questions of Step 4 on page three of the activity guide. (10 min combined for Steps 3 and 4)

1. 1. Students should go round-robin (where each student asks one question to every other student) with these questions, mutually taking responsibility for one of the questions and gathering responses from the team.
   2. Students will use their responses to update the team contract.

Step 5: Students collaborate and create a workable schedule. (10 min)

1. 1. After discussing their PET results and adjusting expectations, students should list all the tasks relating to the project that they need to complete in their team contract.
   2. At this point, team members should share with one another other relevant events occurring during the time frame of this project.
   3. Students will collaborate on generating a workable schedule.

           4. Wrap up class with a debrief. (4 min)

1. 1. Get everyone’s attention for a concluding discussion.
   2. Ask the following questions of representatives from each group:.
      1. How did evaluating one another help you to adjust your team’s expectations?
      2. What is one specific change that your team made as a result of this activity?
   3. Instruct each team to share their latest contract with you by uploading the file to Canvas. Alternately, you can ask students to share their Google Doc contracts with you, so you can see the changes in real time
   4. Note: You can shorten Step 5 and extend the debrief session if teams seem to have completed the activity.