Team Building Exercises
It is important that students get to know each other and develop trust. Try some of these team building exercises.
What I like and what I hate
Ask everyone to identify something that they really like and something they really loathe. Ask them then to introduce themselves to the rest of the group by naming each thing. This helps people remember each others names, as well as to break down some of the barriers between them.
What do you already know about the topic?
Ask everyone to jot down, on a Post-it, the single most important thing that they already know about the topic that the group is to explore. Give them a minute or so to each read out their ideas, or make an exhibition of them on a flipchart. This helps to establish ownership of useful ideas within the group, and can help facilitators to avoid telling people things they already know.
Paired verbal instructions
Ask team members to sit in pairs, back-to-back. Give each pair a simple line drawing comprising squares, triangles, rectangles and circles. Without letting their partner see the original, ask those holding the drawings to describe what is on the page, using verbal instructions only, so that their partner can draw what is being described on a fresh piece of paper. After a fixed time let them compare their drawings, and ask them to discuss what the task showed them about verbal communication. A similar task can be done using plastic construction bricks, or with larger groups where all members draw what is being described.
What do you really want?
Ask everyone to write down what they would particularly like to gain from a set groupwork task. When everyone has finished, then ask them to compare and discuss the similarities and differences between what they want. This exercise can help students to understand each others' expectations.
Where to find more
Many examples of team building exercises have been published. Look at any of these references for more team building exercises.
Websites
- Team building activities, initiative games and problem solving exercises (Accessed 7/2/06)
- Management skills (Accessed 7/2/06)
Books
- West, M. (2004) Effective teamwork: practical lessons from organisational research. BPS Blackwell, Maldon MA.
- Race, P. (2000) Icebreakers: some ideas (Chapter 13, pages 37-40) In: 500 Tips on Group Learning. Kogan Page Limited, London, UK.
- Gibbs, G. (1995) Teamwork development exercises (Chapter 4, pages 37-45) In: Learning in Teams: A Tutor Guide. The Oxford Centre from Staff Development, Oxford, UK.