Comparing Team Evaluation Software (Team+ and CATME)

The first-year program at Michigan Technological University emphasizes an active, collaborative learning environment. Students are grouped into teams of 3-5 students to work on class activities and projects. The success of this program relies on the students learning to work together and numerous activities in the class are designed to help build these teamwork skills. For example, teams are expected to build a team contract at the beginning of the semester and provide formative and summative feedback to each team member in the form of peer evaluations.In the Fall of 2021, four faculty members at Michigan Technological University evaluated two different teaming systems designed to help enhance these teamwork skills: CATME and Team+. A total of 402 students, in 19 sections of our first-year engineering course participated in this study. Sections were randomly assigned to using either the CATME or Team+ tool. Eight sections (170 students) used the CATME tool and eleven sections (232 students) used Team+. We have historically used the CATME team tool in our courses for peer evaluation. Comparing peer evaluation results with Team+ is one metric we used to measure how our first-year engineering populations responded to this new teaming software. Additionally, we evaluated the impact both of these tools had on team connectedness and satisfaction as well as participation levels in team development activities throughout the semester. This paper will summarize these overall quantitative metrics as well as the reflections from students and faculty on both teaming systems.

I. Introduction

The first-year engineering program at Michigan Technological University consists of two main courses: ENG1101: Engineering Analysis and Problem Solving and ENG1102: Engineering Modeling and Design. These courses are designed to introduce first-year engineering students to the fundamentals of engineering: problem solving, engineering design, teaming, unit conversions, programming, 3D modeling, ethics, spatial visualization, and technical communication. Both courses are offered using a flipped classroom, in which the students complete the required reading, watch a short video explaining the course concepts, and/or complete a short activity before coming to class. Within the classroom, the students complete activities or work on projects to deepen their learning of the concepts with the help of their instructor and their LEAP leader (a near-peer student mentor assigned to each section of students).