Student Project Teams: Understanding Team Process through an Examination of Leadership Practices and Team Culture

Abstract

Student-led project-based teams are widely used by faculty but do we really understand the process that students experience as a result of participating in a team? This study sought to understand the team process by examining leadership practices exhibited by assigned leaders and their team culture. Using a mixed-methods case study design it was found that students perceived team leaders to be strongest in the leadership practice-enable others to act described as fostering collaboration and sharing power and weakest in the leadership practice-encourage the heart described as recognizing individual contributions and celebrating team successes. Two of the teams were identified as a clan culture and the third team was determined to be a market culture. It was recommended that instructors who use teams to enrich learning examine the relationship between specific team cultures and enhanced team performance.

Citation

Weeks, P.P. and Kelsey, K.D. (2007), "Student Project Teams: Understanding Team Process through an Examination of Leadership Practices and Team Culture", Journal of Leadership Education, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 209-225. https://doi.org/10.12806/V6/I1/RF11