This is a concept that I developed to help students learn and use soft skills. These skills are needed and required in just about every job. Read below for a references and then how I use it in my classroom.

Team-Based Learning
Developed by Larry K. Michaelson in the early 1980s

Team based learning (TBL) is “a particular instructional strategy that is designed to (a) support the development of high performance learning teams and (b) provide opportunities for these teams to engage in significant learning tasks.” (Michaelson, Knight, and Fink, 2004)

TBL shifts the focus of classroom time from conveying course concepts by the instructor to actually using the concepts by student teams. Objectives shift from knowing concepts to using concepts for problem solving. Teacher shifts from expert (sage on the stage) to facilitator (guide on the side). Students shift from passive learners to active learners.

Team formation
* 5-7 members
* permanent all year
* diverse skills

Accountability
* individual preparation
* contribution to team activities and assignments
* contributions to team functioning

Problems
* one or two students dominate discussions
* difficulty staying focused
* social loafing – sitting back and letting someone else do the work

To Promote Team Cohesiveness
* individual accountability (grading individual work and peer evaluation system)

* immediate, clear, and meaningful feedback
* rewards for high levels of group performance

“Corporate Voices for Working Families, Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, and Society for Human Resource Management reveals that while the three ‘R’s’ (reading, writing, and arithmetic) are still fundamental to every employee’s ability to do the job, employers view ‘soft’ skills as even more important to work readiness. The report also finds that younger workers frequently lack skills, which include:

* professionalism or work ethic
* oral and written communication
* teamwork and collaboration skills
* critical thinking or problem-solving skills.” (Department of Labor, 2010)

“Soft skills play a vital role for professional success; they help one to excel in the workplace and their importance cannot be denied in this age of information and knowledge. Good soft skills—in the highly competitive corporate world will help you stand out in a milieu of routine job seekers with mediocre skills and talent.” (rediff, 2007)

“Soft skills—decision making, working in teams, and time management—are major determining factors in the success of people.” (VietNamNet, 2010)

“Successful businesses rely on team players. This skill is so important that an article in a Society for Human Resource Management magazine encourages employers to include teamwork as part of the performance appraisal process if collaboration is essential to the job. Understanding how to act as a member of team may begin when you play sports or work on group projects in school. In the workplace, knowing how and when to lead and follow takes practice, as does knowing how to avoid unnecessary conflict. Working ona team also allows you to build closer relationships with your co-workers, which can make any job more fun and interesting. When working on a team, make sure that the workload is shared and that everyone is communicating.” (Department of Labor, 2010)

References

Are they really ready to work? Employers’ perspectives on the basic knowledge and applied skills of new entrants to the 21 st century U. S. workforce. (2006). The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/softskills.htm?PrinterFriendly=true&

Employers give university graduates an “F” in life. (2010). VietNamNet Bridge. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from http://english.vietnamnet.vn/education/201004/Emplouers-give-university-graduate-an-F-in-life-906711/

Michaelson, L.K., bauman-Knight, A., and Fink, L.D. (2004). Team-Based Learning: A transformative use of small groups in college teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

The top 60 soft skills at work. (2010). Retrieved April 27, 2010 from http://ushome.rediff.com/cms/print.jsp?docpath=/getahead/2007/jan/08soft.htm

Teen Nation

During the second week of school you will be placed in groups based on your personality results. There will be a total of four groups which will be eventually called – Presidents, Vice Presidents, Managers, and Entry-Level Employees.

The presidents are listed as “gold,” the vice presidents are “silver,” the managers are “blue,” and the entry-level employees are “red.”

Each group will choose their own color – green, orange, pink, or purple. This will be your color for the rest of the semester. Your group will challenge the other groups in order to move up the ladder to become the presidents.

Each job title holds a certain responsibility.

Presidents – sit in gold chairs

Vice Presidents – sit in silver chairs

Managers – sit in blue chairs

Entry-Level Employees – sit in red chairs

If the Entry-Level Employees have to pick up after anyone, then that person joins the entry-level workers the next day.

Should any group not fulfill their duties for the day, the team gets demoted to the entry-level worker and everyone else gets promoted.

If anyone on the team receives a detention, the whole team gets demoted to entry-level and everyone else gets promoted.