| During the past 25 years there has been an emphasis on implementing teaming structures in middle schools to meet the developmental needs of children ages 10 to 15. Results of the Granite School District's Task Force (1999) indicate that there is a strong interest in the implementation of teams in two-thirds of the middle level schools. Using the Hackman and Oldham framework for effective work groups, this study provides educators with information about key features of work groups that may influence teachers' knowledge and skills and consequently enhance teaching and learning. This study examined three factors that influence work group effectiveness: selected aspects of healthy interpersonal processes, organizational context, and design features. Teachers, administrators and instructional staff from the 15 Granite School District junior high schools were surveyed. The design of the study is descriptive and correlational using survey research methods. Results indicate that sharing knowledge, balance of inputs, heterogeneity of skills, and team initiative to seek assistance significantly impacts the amount of knowledge and skill applied to the task work. Sharing knowledge, team initiative to seek assistance, and balance of inputs contributed significantly to team outcomes, and team initiative to seek assistance, balance of inputs, and internal school support made the largest contribution to school outcomes. |
