Aspects of Teamwork Observed in a Technological Task in Junior High Schools

One of the proclaimed goals of technology education is to provide pupils with teamwork skills (Barlex, 1994; Denton, 1994; Dyrenfurth, 1996; Raizen et al., 1995; Williams & Williams, 1997). Team performance surpasses that of the individual, particularly when the issue under consideration requires a variety of capabilities, experience, and judgment skills (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). The importance of teamwork has become more widely recognized in recent years, corresponding with the information explosion and the need to solve more and more complex and interdisciplinary problems. Global competition in high-tech areas forces organizations to adopt sophisticated and effective methods of work and management. Teamwork has become one of the focuses of interest among new approaches to the management of technological projects and general organizational management, such as TQM and QWL (Goodman et al., 1987). The rapid development of communication systems, the ability to transfer information with speed, and the availability of video-conferencing, create new possibilities for people to work together even at a distance of thousands of kilometers. As a consequence of these developments, it is necessary to devote further attention to the provision of teamwork skills in the framework of technology education. The present study examines different aspects of pupils’ teamwork that develop during a technological task, with an aim to cast additional light on teamwork in technology and to contribute information for the establishment of a methodology for teamwork in technology education.