MGT4260 Team Training and Development
You've just been hired!: Introduction to the course

This course is designed as a simulation of a teamwork training and consulting company. In creating the course, the activities parallel the work situation as much as possible to give participants a more realistic view of the demands on professional employees, as well as to ensure a closer connection between the academic course content and practical job applications.

In this course you have been hired as a probationary employee who is acquiring experience as a team trainer and consultant. The focus of this course is to help you acquire understanding and skills in both team dynamics (how teams work) and training and development (structuring continuing learning in the workplace). You will work in teams of about five members on several assignments.

The course will meet twice a week and will generally cover the following areas:

• Discussion of current news on the topics of teams in the workplace and training and development
• Housekeeping: Questions and comments from employees (students) on tasks, assignments, problems, resources, etc., and announcements from the manager (instructor)
• In-Service Training: Employees will receive brief training inputs on special topics related to assignments
• Team time: Teams will usually have some class time for meetings; you will still need to meet outside of scheduled class time-- perhaps often and for longer periods. Consider e-meetings/mail, bulletin boards, etc., as a way of facilitating exchange. Check Team Member Requirements.
• Team processing time: Teams and members will reflect on and discuss team processes and what (and how) they have learned

Teams will need to meet outside of class time and members should plan on distributed workloads and precise time schedules. These will be self-directed teams and manager intervention will be primarily by request on the part of the team. Team performance will comprise a significant amount of the evaluation, and strong performance by all members will be required. Inconsistent or poor performance by a member must be quickly dealt with, sometimes with the consultation of the manager, and poor performers may be fired (dropped by their team and therefore must drop the class) if performance does not improve.

You are expected to know (or be able to quickly refresh on your own) the following areas:

• Internet navigation including how to search, how to establish the authority of a document, and how to save and copy a webpage. You will be using the Internet for research and reading assignments. Please check with the CSS Computer Lab staff if additional assistance if needed.
• Power Point navigation and simple construction of a series of pages for a presentation. You will be using Power Point for class presentations and possibly for webpage presentation. Please check with the CSS Computer Lab staff if additional assistance if needed.
• Web page construction including importing graphics, setting page properties, and forming links. Your team may be constructing a web-based "Manager's Teamwork Handbook" on some aspect of teams/training.
• Public speaking skills including presenting a topic in an interesting, organized, and informative manner. You will be regularly speaking in class, in team meetings, and in presentations.
• Active teamwork, including high participation, effort, and other contractual requirements for employment (see Team Member Employment Contract and Evaluation Form). Your teamwork will be frequent and require high participation.
• Learning theory, with emphasis on principles of reinforcement. You will be applying these principles of learning theory to the design and explanation of learning experiences. If additional help is needed, check your previous basic texts on introductory psychology to refresh your memory. We will also briefly cover these in class.

Be sure to check the following:

• Read the syllabus to clearly understand the purpose of the course, objectives, policies, evaluation, etc.
• Check the schedule for topics and due dates for assignments (e.g., papers, presentations, tests) and mark them in your calendar.
• Browse the website and know how to navigate, locate the Manager's Library and other resources that will be of use to you.
• Read ahead and prepare yourself for the next class.
• Read and sign (if you approve) the Employment Contract (see above).
• Read the Team Member Evaluation Form (see above)--this is how you will be evaluated in your team work.