Effective collaboration and teamwork is needed to address some of the societal challenges

Effective collaboration and teamwork is needed to address some of the societal challenges we face (e.g., delivering a good health service; innovating in the business world; implementing solutions to address climate change, and so on). Good collaboration and teamwork skills are also needed in most jobs, as more organisations make use of teams in workplace settings. But collaboration and teamwork can be challenging. At this point, we have worked together in our tutorial groups to

(1) identify a range of factors that facilitate effective collaboration, and

(2) build argument maps addressing the claim: good collaboration and teamwork is needed in modern society.

a) An introduction describing: 1. why collaboration is important 2. the types of real-world problems where collaboration is needed

b) A section which highlights: 1. Some key factors that facilitate effective collaboration and teamwork 2. Some factors that make collaboration and teamwork difficult 3. Some ways in which we can enhance our potential for more effective collaboration and teamwork Some suggested readings are listed below. •

Salas, E., Sims, D. E., & Burke, C. S. (2005). Is there a “big five” in teamwork?. Small group research, 36(5), 555-599. • Fransen, J., Kirschner, P. A., & Erkens, G. (2011). Mediating team effectiveness in the context of collaborative learning: The importance of team and task awareness. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(3), 1103-1113. • DeChurch, L. A., & Mesmer-Magnus, J. R. (2010). The cognitive underpinnings of effective teamwork: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 32-53.