Development and evaluation of the team work skill in university contexts. Are virtual environments effective?

Abstract

Soft skills refer to those personal competencies affecting the way we interact with people and they include aspects such as communication, listening, negotiating, team work, leadership, ethics, commitment, etc. (Computerworld 35:24, 2001; Dubrin, Coaching and Mentoring Skills (NetEffect Series), 2004; J Soc Work Pract 14:149-158, 2000; InfoWorld 20:104, 1998; J Coll Teach Learn 2:1-6, 2005; Comput Can 24:21-22, 1998; Waller, Soft skills for lawyers, 2007). The role of soft skills in terms of personal growth, employability, social development, social participation, change adaptation, etc. has been widely acknowledged although there is no agreement regarding the differential importance of some soft skills over others. However, the latter point is relative given that it depends on the field of reference. Despite the fact that these competencies are highly valued in the labor market, universities seem to overlook this demand throughout students' education process and the development and assessment of these competencies have been given but scant attention. Further, the increasing emphasis on the use of ICTs in university education and a gradual trend towards blended-learning and virtual environments have prevented the development of these competencies as they are thought to require face-to-face interaction amongst classmates and between students and teachers. This study presents the results of an innovative proposal that intends to break these barriers by focusing on promoting the learning and assessment of team work skills in virtual environments. These results prove the suitability of the program when it comes to developing and evaluating these skills in a b-learning environment.

Teaching Soft Skills in Engineering Education: An European Perspective

“…More broadly, ICT-based tools are usually involved in the teaching of university courses, often in the context of blended learning [51][52]. Collaboration, communication, and productivity tools are usually used to enrich learning experiences.…”

“…The Evalsoft system proposed by García-García et al [52] focuses on promoting the learning and assessment of teamwork skills through online environments. It is based on a blended learning approach that integrates games and roleplaying with problem-based and collaborative learning design.…”

Learning teamwork through a computer game: for the sake of performance or collaborative learning?

“…Previous research suggests that motivation and teamwork skills can be enhanced by implementing collaborative learning (Felder & Brent 2003, 2004Moreno et al 2007), which highlights the importance of social interaction and shared responsibility for team learning and team outcomes (Dillenbourg 1999;Regueras et al 2011). In addition, research has identified digital games as a means of collaborative learning (Hämäläinen 2011;Huo 2019;Karakas et al 2015) and teaching teamwork skills (García et al 2016). However, prior studies have called for further research on how collaborative learning and use of games can enhance learning of teamwork skills in the context of higher education (García et al 2016;Hämäläinen 2011;Karakas et al 2015).…”

Hacia un nuevo paradigma de aprendizaje de segundas lenguas móvil, abierto y social

“…La incorporación de la tecnología en línea ha posibilitado un aprendizaje a distancia práctico y abstracto, exploratorio y mecánico, interactivo y colaborativo, y también adaptativo (en ritmo y nivel) y personalizado (según intereses y objetivos). A través de la interacción mediada por la tecnología, se posibilita, además, el desarrollo de las llamadas soft skills o habilidades sociales, que permiten a su vez el crecimiento personal y profesional, en áreas como la empleabilidad, el desarrollo social, la participación, el cambio y la adaptación (García, López, Molina & Morales, 2016). Naturalmente, no se trata de una modalidad didáctica desprovista de retos.…”