Making friends with your team: The benefits of raising learner awareness of intra-team relations

Abstract

ABSTRACT: To highlight the importance of teamwork and intra-team relationships beyond the classroom, in a small study population of undergraduate students of Translation studies, we have attempted to raise awareness of teamwork processes so as to empower learners in managing their interaction and ensure they gain valuable pre-professional experience. Following specific input and the construction of randomized teams, we questioned learners about their previous and current experience of teamwork, their knowledge of team colleagues and the changes their relationships underwent, and prior academic performance versus expectations of current performance and how teamwork might influence this. Our results indicate teamwork substantially improved levels of intimacy, enhanced the quality of the experience, and raised awareness of the benefits of the team per se. However, some learners recognized personal difficulties with teamwork that they were unable to overcome and, in this context, “people problems” became increasingly important. Nonetheless, learners were convinced that teamwork would have a positive influence on their final grades.