REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Important changes in the understanding and management of language in relation to teamwork have been developed in the past 10 to 15 years. Various researchers, practitioners and policymakers now acknowledge that teamwork can be conceptualized from a functional perspective and that appropriate interventions involve the development of alternative measures to cope up ( (1977). It was also noted that the establishment of a conducive environment for learning the English language have served effectively in lowering the prevalence of underachievement among students (, 2003). At present, this philosophical shift has extended to university settings, including RMIT University. Teachers and educators here have recognized that some international students do not have the skills and behavioral repertoires necessary to cope with the many academic and social expectations. Hence, these students may have the tendency to remain contented with their mediocre performances and refrain from participating within their syndicate groups as their alternative way of mitigating these school expectations (., 2001).
For decades, researchers have tried to discover the causes of academic underachievement among students ( 1992). And while they might have been able to identify the English language barrier as a certain cause of academic underachievement, they have yet to determine its precursor. However, it has been shown that academic underachievement produces consequences that foster inappropriate behavior (, 1974). Strong evidence suggests that academic underachievement and problem behavior engage in a reciprocal relationship that has a short and long term effect on the students’ future outcome (,1988). One of the criteria for identifying an underachieving student is whether he or she has an ability to learn that cannot be explained by other factors. A deficit in basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, as well as skills related to other content subjects, significantly impairs an individual’s ability to function educationally, socially, and emotionally across a variety of domains. When compared to academically achieving students, underachieving students have lower graduation rates, lower reading and arithmetic scores and are less likely to attend postsecondary school (, 2001). As a consequence, underachieving students often experience a lifetime of problems in education and employment and are likely to become involved with the criminal justice system even at an early age.
Take for instance the international students in RMIT University having difficulty in adapting to English Language. At present, educators are facing an alarming acceleration in the occurrence of disruptive and challenging behaviors that seriously impede instruction and student learning. Also, there has been a rapid increase in percentage of students who have failed to acquire competent levels in English classes. Unfortunately, many underachieving students have both problems (, 1989). School-ready behaviors include following directions, sustaining attention, participating in groups, having processing abilities, and showing motivation, all of which are absolutely necessary for students to perform well academically. Conversely, behavioral problems such as anxiety, disruption, noncompliance, and attention deficits are counterproductive to academic performance. Serious behaviors such as aggression, argumentativeness, and defiance are even more of a threat to learning, yet common in high-risk schools and universities. Behaviors, both positive and negative, affect student outcomes at the individual, classroom, and school level.
From a school perspective, students who displayed poor reading skills in first grade had a 90% chance of continuing to have poor reading skills three years later. (1988) reported that such students begin to actively dislike reading and actually read less both in and out of school. Continuing over their school years, students showing reading problems at the end of third grade are not likely to improve significantly by the end of eighth grade. Similarly, students exhibiting ongoing, serious disruptive behavior patterns well into third grade are increasingly considered chronic offenders in need of tertiary intervention such as intensive and ongoing measures, similar to medical treatment regimes prescribed for health disorders (, 1993).
This is indeed an issue that needs resolution. Certain interventions must be implemented so as not to jeopardize the academic careers of underachieving International students.
Teamwork Defined
Teamwork can be defined as the efficient and effective implementation of the policies and tasks necessary to achieve a specific goal or objective, leading to the satisfaction of the group’s members. Teamwork focuses on the careful management of the processes involved in the achievement of the tasks at hand ( 1997).
More often than not, disorganized groups and organizations don’t really have the capabilities to implement teamwork within themselves. As a result, these groups and organizations fail to engage in activities that could bring them closer towards achieving their goals. The members all end up blaming one another for the simple fact that they cannot exhibit teamwork as a group.
Therefore, teamwork deals with all operations done within groups and organizations. Activities such as the management of available resources, the control of tasks and operations, logistics and evaluations are often related with teamwork. A great deal of emphasis lies on the efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, teamwork includes the analysis and management of internal processes.
The Essentials of Teamwork
For teamwork to happen in a group, each and every member must possess innate characteristics which would contribute towards the achievement of the overall goals. These include:
· Mental Stability
Mental stability is crucial especially in the pursuit of the correct decision as well as the management and development of the processes accompanying it. It is important for the members of the group to remain updated with the latest developments to be able to stay aware and knowledgeable in all issues ( 2000).
· Performance and Credibility
The production of the best group outputs comes as a result of well-prepared research management and development activities (, 1994). The strong performance of the group’s outputs could also be linked to the effective strategic planning and human resource mobilization within the group. Thus, the group’s credibility increases as their performance and teamwork becomes better.
· Planning and Strategy Formation Capabilities
Planning and strategy formation nowadays has created the need for groups to become aggressive especially in the area of exhibiting teamwork. This is because exhibiting teamwork is critical for the success of their plans ( 1993).
· Decision-making abilities.
Upon arriving at the correct decision or choice, the group members now gain confidence in their abilities to make critical decisions or choices especially when the integrity of the group is on the line. Thus, the group will now search for even more challenges and opportunities where it could further enhance its decision-making abilities regarding current issues (, 1999).
· Holistic Mindset of Issues
Through the exposure to various puzzling issues, the group along the process is able to develop a holistic mindset regarding the issues surrounding it. The members now become a keen observer of the truths and lies surrounding the issue being tackled, instead of relying on mere hearsays. The continuous pursuit of the truth behind the puzzling issues enables the group to consistently practice and enhance a healthy and holistic mindset which makes it difficult for detractors to give influence. Because of this holistic approach, the group is able to effectively select the right choice and continue to maximize this potential for future use (, 1995).
Reflections on the Readings
In lieu of the present developments in the concept of teamwork, I observed that there have been significant visions of learning that evolved. A majority of these learning visions are based on the idea that teamwork is a social process where knowledge is denied instead of being acquired passively. Teamwork, then, transforms into an interactive process. The interaction is being verified through the help of the participants in the process of achieving teamwork such as the group members themselves. In this framework, high quality of teamwork would mean the continued guidance and support of the active learning process of the group. Obviously, this would call for an intensive and phased guiding strategy.
When in the active pursuit of knowledge and skills necessary to achieve teamwork, I learned that the interaction between the group members forms an integral part towards its success. Collaborative learning as a method of achieving teamwork is gradually being used by most groups nowadays. Through this approach, the group can learn from other successful organizations through the imitation of their teamwork techniques in the socialization processes. In the process, the group is able to obtain the chance to see its own ideas in a different aspect and therefore be able to take alternatives into consideration. The relative effectiveness of this approach is determined with the capability of the group to continuously challenge their pre-acquired knowledge by trying to adapt to the interpretations of other successful organizations.
Aside from the group members, I was able to the importance of the different resources of learning regarding teamwork which belong to a third category of factors of an environment that can help foster teamwork. Moreover, teamwork methods have shown signs of significant growth over the past years. Consequently, obtaining knowledge becomes more complicated. This is because the transformation of all this information into knowledge requires the public to possess the appropriate reference frameworks. But the media can certainly help groups transform information into valuable knowledge.
The processes of gaining teamwork are being influenced by the interaction of two major factors. On the one hand, the instructional factors: the educational philosophy brought about by the mentors and its conversion into didactical ideas. On the other hand, organizational factors: the members, infrastructure and policies related in this area. It is obvious that the every group member must possess a sound vision of policies and the efficient use of the available resources in order to effectively achieve their goals.
Nevertheless, the group needs an interaction between both factors. This is because in order to respond to the new visions of learning, they will eventually transform into a model together with the various aspects of the environment. In return, the group will have to continuously monitor its limitations and along the process introduce innovations.
REFERENCES
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment