Investigating Computer Science Students? Perceptions of Team Coaching

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in BuchBeitrag in KonferenzbandPeer Reviewed

Abstract

This research-to-practice full paper explores the effectiveness of coaching interventions aimed at enhancing teamwork and project management skills among students in higher education. The paper reviews related studies on coaching practices designed to foster students' professional skills as part of their higher education and proceeds by investigating computer science students' perspectives on selected team coaching interventions. The paper aims to spark curriculum designers, educators, educational researchers and administrators to consider including team coaching interventions into computing curricula. The team coaching approach introduced in the paper utilizes agile practices targeted at facilitating and accelerating students' becoming professional and productive - a ubiquitous need in industry. Employing a method triangulation approach, the research utilized a pre-survey, focus groups and retrospectives to assess the efficacy of introducing team coaching interventions in an IT project management course of the faculty of computer science at a large mid-European university. The pre-survey assessed students' prior experience with teamwork, perception of project success factors and interest in coaching interventions. Besides conducting a one-hour coaching workshop for all course participants, two out of 8 student-teams expressed particular interest in participating in coaching sessions, which were conducted remotely and in-person throughout the semester. The coaching sessions introduced students to various frameworks and approaches, including the Tuckman stages of team development, and focused on improving communication, organization, and task distribution within teams. Regular retrospectives allowed teams to reflect on their progress, identify areas for improvement and implement action items for the next milestone. At the end of the semester, in-person retrospectives and focus groups provided further insights into students' experiences and preferences regarding coaching and teamwork. Results indicate that students tended to have positive experiences with teamwork and identified communication, organization and motivation as key factors influencing project success. While some students expressed reservations about the time commitment invested into coaching, others welcomed the opportunity for support and skill development. The KALM retrospective method, in particular, facilitated collaborative reflection and generated actionable insights for enhancing teamwork dynamics. In a nutshell, the method triangulation approach showed that optional team coaching interventions have the potential to improve students' team projects, application of agile practices and interpersonal competencies. Further research is going to explore student-centered team coaching interventions with a larger sample and across multiple semesters, diverse team constellation and courses.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
Titel2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)
Seiten1-9
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 15 Okt. 2024
Veranstaltung2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) - Washington, DC, USA / Vereinigte Staaten
Dauer: 13 Okt. 202416 Okt. 2024
https://2024.fie-conference.org/

Konferenz

Konferenz2024 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)
Land/GebietUSA / Vereinigte Staaten
OrtWashington, DC
Zeitraum13/10/2416/10/24
Internetadresse

ÖFOS 2012

  • 503032 Lehr- und Lernforschung
  • 502030 Projektmanagement
  • 502050 Wirtschaftsinformatik

Fingerprint

Untersuchen Sie die Forschungsthemen von „Investigating Computer Science Students? Perceptions of Team Coaching“. Zusammen bilden sie einen einzigartigen Fingerprint.

Zitationsweisen