Student Learning Outcome 2: Teamwork & Collaboration
Students will collaborate effectively with peers on a project relevant to their chosen field of study.
Teamwork and collaboration involves building relationships with both customers and colleagues so that an ability to work with, and within, a diverse group of people is possible. Negotiating skills and the ability to manage conflict within the team environment are also critical in these areas (NACE, 2018).
The Necessity for Critical Skills
Contemporary employers are concerned that higher education is focused on “hard skills,” or technical expertise in the discipline, and that other “soft skills,” also known as social skills, have been sacrificed. These soft skills are critical to fitting in a job, becoming a part of a strong team, and networking to enhance career development. Some corporations have chosen to reduce the amount of funding provided for career development opportunities, resulting in an increased need for students to enter their career already in possession of many of the personal skills needed to succeed.
Addressing Critical Skills
SLO 2 targets students at two points during their college career to allow them the opportunity to both become exposed to and learn key collaboration skills. Two courses in each program (a 100/200 level course and a 300/400 level course) were chosen by program faculty as “Pioneer Ready” courses to house the assignment for SLO 2. The assignment in these two courses is a teamwork and collaboration project, specific to discipline, where the students are required to work with other individuals to completion.