THE POWER OF
LEARNING TEAMS
Alexis Applegate
Andrea Faust
Robin Lauric
L
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T
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A learning team is a group of
individuals who work together to
produce the best possible
• Collaborative learning
• Deepen understanding of
concepts
• Vehicles for reflection
• Superior outcomes
Learning Styles
Issues
Solutions
• Differing
•
Learning Style
Assessments
•
Enhance knowledge
of personal learning
style
•
Value learning styles
of others
interpretations
• Wasted time
• Lower productivity
Commitment
Issues
Solutions
• Lowers
productivity
•
Establish norms
•
Establish
agreements
•
Learning team
charter
• Creates
frustration
• Disallows for
adequate time
Communication
Issues
Solutions
• Lack of productivity
•
Learning team
charter
•
Develop listening
skills
•
Build relationships
•
Create shared
meaning
• Keeping
assignments
available to all
group members
Scheduling
Issues
Solutions
• Personal
•
Learning Team
Charter
• Time
•
Technology
• Location
•
Communication
commitments
Management
Issues
Solutions
•
Produce unclear
objectives
•
Establish a Learning Team
Charter
•
Lead to an unequal
distribution of work
•
Ask for clarification
•
Develop a project outline
(Gantt chart, PERT, CPM,
learning team log)
•
Complete a Learning Team
Log
•
Create meeting agendas
•
Assign a facilitator
•
Participate in role sharing
•
Create feelings of
inequality
•
Waste time
•
Encourage negativity
•
Cultivate fighting
•
Reduce productivity and
effectiveness
Skills and Abilities
Issues
Solutions
•
Cultivate feelings
of inequality
•
•
Create anxiety and
stress around team
outcomes
•
•
Create trust
limitations
•
•
Lead to an unequal
distribution of work
•
•
Prevent shared
learning
•
•
Limit team
performance
•
Discuss individual learning
style assessments
Complete a KSA
(knowledge, skills & abilities)
team inventory
Create a Learning Team
Charter
Allocate responsibilities
according to strengths
Facilitate group learning
Celebrate assets
• Empower sense of self
Outcomes of
Successful
Learning Teams
•
•
•
•
•
purpose
Deepen understandings
Promote
interdependence
Build stronger
communities
Produce quality
solutions and systems
Generate endless
possibilities
The Power of Learning Teams
Alexis Applegate
Andrea Faust
Robin Lauric
Bibliography
•
University of Phoenix. (2004). Learning Team Handbook . Available on the
University of Phoenix student/faculty website:
http://www.apollolibrary.com/Library/ltt/download/LearningTeamHandboo
k.pdf (March 27, 2010)
•
D Andrea-O Brien, Charlene, & Buono, Anthony F. (1996). Building effective
learning teams: Lessons from the field. S.A.M. Advanced Management
Journal, 61(3), 4. Retrieved March 28, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global.
(Document ID: 10380496).

University of Phoenix. (2004). Learning Team Toolkit. Available on the
University of Phoenix student/faculty website: http://ecampus.phoenix.edu
(March 27, 2010)