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. 2021 May 14;5(1):e127.
doi: 10.1017/cts.2021.788. eCollection 2021.

Implementation and evaluation of team science training for interdisciplinary teams in an engineering design program

Erin Abu-Rish Blakeney  1   2 , Soyoung Kang  2   3 , Katrina Henrikson  3 , Jonathan T C Liu  3   4   5 , Eric J Seibel  3   4   6   7 , Jennifer Sprecher  1   2 , Nicole Summerside  1   2 , Mia T Vogel  8   9   10 , Brenda K Zierler  1   2 , Jonathan D Posner  2   3   11   12
Affiliations

Implementation and evaluation of team science training for interdisciplinary teams in an engineering design program

Erin Abu-Rish Blakeney et al. J Clin Transl Sci. .

Abstract

Introduction: Interdisciplinary academic teams perform better when competent in teamwork; however, there is a lack of best practices of how to introduce and facilitate the development of effective learning and functioning within these teams in academic environments.

Methods: To close this gap, we tailored, implemented, and evaluated team science training in the year-long Engineering Innovation in Health (EIH) program at the University of Washington (UW), a project-based course in which engineering students across several disciplines partner with health professionals to develop technical solutions to clinical and translational health challenges. EIH faculty from the UW College of Engineering and the Institute of Translational Health Sciences' (ITHS) Team Science Core codeveloped and delivered team science training sessions and evaluated their impact with biannual surveys. A student cohort was surveyed prior to the implementation of the team science trainings, which served as a baseline.

Results: Survey responses were compared within and between both cohorts (approximately 55 students each Fall Quarter and 30 students each Spring Quarter). Statistically significant improvements in measures of self-efficacy and interpersonal team climate (i.e., psychological safety) were observed within and between teams.

Conclusions: Tailored team science training provided to student-professional teams resulted in measurable improvements in self-efficacy and interpersonal climate both of which are crucial for teamwork and intellectual risk taking. Future research is needed to determine long-term impacts of course participation on individual and team outcomes (e.g., patents, start-ups). Additionally, adaptability of this model to clinical and translational research teams in alternate formats and settings should be tested.

Keywords: Team science; education; engineering; innovation; translational workforce.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
A timeline of team science training.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
A visual comparison of responses to statements related to self-efficacy between Q3 for Y0 (lower rows) and Y1 (upper rows). Responses are based on students reporting their level of capability on a 5-point Likert-type scale.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
A visual comparison of Q3 responses to statements related to interpersonal team climate between Y0 (lower rows) and Y1 (upper rows). Responses are based on students reporting their level of agreement on a 5-point Likert-type scale.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Helpfulness of team science sessions for team efficiency, effectiveness, and success as reported by students at the end of Y1. Responses are based on student reporting level of session helpfulness on a 5-point Likert-type scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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