A Capstone Experience: Impacts of a Behavioral Style Learning Unit on Soft Skill Development and Team Dynamics

Abstract

The integration of hard and soft skills has become increasingly important to employers. Colleges of agriculture and natural sciences can facilitate the development of these skills in their students. The purpose of this study was to explore impacts of a behavioral style learning unit on soft skill development with 15 students enrolled in a senior-level undergraduate capstone course. The research objectives were to (a) explore students' preflections and reflections for indications of soft skill development, (b) explore team dynamics, and (c) identify best practices for integrating a behavioral style learning unit into a capstone course. Qualitative content analysis methods and basic quantitative methods were used to examine the preflections and reflections of the students. Students found the behavioral assessment improved understanding of their own behavioral needs, and allowed them to flex their style to meet the needs of team members. Relationship compatibility, based on behavioral styles within teams, correlated with the ability of team members to accurately perceive their contributions to tasks, relative to peer-based perceptions of contributions. Based on these results, it is recommended that a behavioral style learning unit, or a similar psychological type unit, be integrated into courses where soft skills are a desired student learning outcome.

Soft Skills of American University Teachers: Self-Concept

“…On the other hand, doing internships in real projects and practical programs enhances students' capacity for teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation with the group, respect for others, tolerance, self-confidence, resilience, patience, responsibility, and critical and creative thinking [27]. Other authors show the benefits originated by instructors who foster in their groups of students skills such as identifying their difficulties in terms of task performance, seeking group strategies to find solutions to problems, applying team dynamics, stimulating motivation, critical thinking, and communication among its members [44,45]. Ultimately, the intention is to help students become mature professionals through their university experience so that they can meet the demands of potential employers and thus achieve a satisfying personal and work career [46].…”

Furthering Women Faculty in Leadership Roles: A Human Performance Improvement Case Study

“…A DISC tool, based on the work of Marson (2013), is a behavior and communications measurement tool that is often used to understand communication styles in team situations (Bonnstetter & Suiter, 2011). The DISC model categorizes how people behave into the four dimensions of Dominance (D); Influence (I); Steadiness (S); and Compliance (C) for how one behaves naturally (Natural) and how one behaves at work (Adaptive) (Sandlin et al, 2018). Feedback from the DISC tool was for participants' personal development and was not analyzed as part of this intervention's evaluation.…”

Structuring group work to provide a more positive student learning experience

“…Additionally, working with other students as members of a group or team, while historically being underappreciated by students, has been shown to be effective in helping produce students who will meet industry/employer needs (Cohen, 1994). In addition to traditional skills required for workforce entry, in recent years there has been an increased amount of interest in “soft skills” (Gilbert & Wingrove, 2019; Sandlin et al., 2018; Vetter & Wiggenbach, 2019). These skills include areas such as critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills (Wilson et al., 2019), which are critical focus areas in agriculture.…”

“…I do better work by myself.” However, Hendrix and Morrison (2018) reported student suggestions that group learning be implemented in order to help improve multiple areas of workforce readiness skills. Implementing group‐ or team‐based experiences in the classroom provides an opportunity to enhance student experiences in a manner in which soft skills may be more readily developed (Sandlin et al., 2018).…”

“…Furthermore, group projects have been rated favorably by students that participated in them when the projects are well structured. Project structure can vary, but examples of establishing structured frameworks include evaluating each student's individual contribution by having multiple “checkpoints” throughout the semester (Mracek & Karr‐Lilienthal, 2015; Sandlin et al., 2018). Providing structure may then result in fewer questions from students regarding course expectations, and therefore presumably more time available for focused working toward learning objectives, thereby improving student and teacher perception of group activities.…”