Abstract:

Projects provide opportunities for adult learners to engage in active exploration of real-world issues over extended periods of time. The benefits of project work for education are undeniable, yet student reports on enjoyment and usefulness of project work produce mixed results. Unhelpful project team environment, diversity tensions, and conflicts with peers are frequent culprits of student dissatisfaction with collaborative project work.

The purpose of this presentation is to provide ideas for teachers in managing the people side of project work. The presenters will describe three types of conflicts: task, process, and relationship conflicts within the project environment (Passos & Caetano, 2005; Thompson, 2014). Drawing on scholarly literature, teacher-led participatory problem-solving behaviors, conflict management interventions and ways to build psychologically safe project teams will be discussed. Initiatives to create a low-conflict culture within student project teams will be addressed.

References:
[1] Passos, A. M., & Caetano, A. (2005). Exploring the effects of intragroup conflict and past performance feedback on team effectiveness. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 20(3), 231-244.
[2] Thompson, L. L. (2014). Making the team: A guide for managers (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Keywords:

Collaborative work, conflict management, project teams.