A Strategy to Transform the Pedagogical Practice of Teaching Teamwork

Organizations worldwide have begun restructuring work around collaborative systems and teamwork to improve problem-solving, innovation, and adaptability. To enhance knowledge appropriation and the development of teamwork competencies, universities have had to incorporate student-centered learning approaches into their curricula. Thus, reforming the Faculty of Engineering of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ) curriculum introduced project-oriented courses. In particular, the Engineering Project Year 1 course brings together second-semester students from different engineering programs who work in groups on the project. Due to the number of students, the course is organized into ten sections, each led by a professor and a coordinator. The course addresses engineering design based on Design Thinking methodology and subsequently proposes the development of a prototype using Lean Start Up methodologies. This study aims to present a strategy that transforms teachers' understanding of what teaching teamwork entails and what strategies can be implemented to teach it. It is qualitative research using the Critical Research methodology proposed by Skovsmose and Borba (2004). This methodology helps researchers and professors collaborate to investigate the educational practice change process through three analytical situations. The analysis of the initial situation shows that the structure of the course can be perceived as facilitating the development of teamwork skills; there are difficulties in its implementation associated with the dynamics between students and between teacher and student. Additionally, it is found that the dominant pedagogical practice is that of a teacher-centered teaching approach, which does not facilitate the generation of a trusting learning environment, a fundamental element in collaboration. The imagined situation involves a better understanding of the role of teachers in teaching teamwork and sharing good practices to achieve it. Finally, the arranged situation presents the challenges of accompanying teachers transforming their pedagogical practice to generate negotiations through reflective conversations to motivate the change.