Team Project Cohorts and Teams in the First Semester at Sloan

Cohorts and Teams in the First Semester Why Cohorts? • Research suggests that students learn best in groups of less than 100 – – – – Sense of belonging = greater learning Higher involvement = more personal development Supports more learning styles Cohort students report greater satisfaction/higher retention • Cohorts provide a structured community – Ease the adjustment process in the first semester – Provide a support network Many schools of management use the cohort system CLASS OF 2005 FAST FORWARD Why Core Teams? • Students learn key skills in teamwork – – – – Importance of accountability Reliance on others to accomplish goals Management of diverse skill sets Interpersonal dynamics • Concentrated exposure to diverse cultural perspectives – International viewpoints – cultural, business, social – Racial, gender, orientation, age differences – Promotes interaction and friendship across traditional social groupings – Preparation for a global diverse working environment • Team is natural support group The business community values team experience and leadership skills learned in teams CLASS OF 2005 FAST FORWARD How Are Cohorts and Teams Formed? The science . . Automated mixing and sorting Incoming Class Diversification Process Diverse Cohorts and Teams And the art . . . personalized team analysis and shuffling Six cohorts (“oceans”) each with 11 teams – FAST FORWARD66 teams total CLASS OF 2005 How Will My Core Courses Use Teams? A Spectrum of Possibilities Individual Homework In some cases, you will need to complete individual assignments with no consultation with your teammates Integrated Team Project Sometimes, you will be permitted by your instructor to discuss concepts but not share results Sometimes you will be expected to complete a project as a team It’s essential that you check your understanding of yourFORWARD instructor’s expectations for each OF course CLASS 2005 FAST The OP Team Project • Is kicked off on September 11 • Requires that your team identify an organization (for profit, non-profit, etc.) to work with • Working with the organization, you identify a change initiative to study (planned, in progress, or recently completed) using concepts from OP • Your team collects information via web, documents, interviews, observation, etc. • You present an oral report in Communication class “as if” to senior management, and a written team report to your faculty Team Project advisor The First Year Challenge • Is kicked off October 22, during the Sloan Innovation Period • All teams will address a single business challenge, one that is currently facing a major company • Will require you to focus on the larger business context, not on disciplined-based knowledge Team Project Comparison OP Team Project The First Year Challenge 11 Sept - 9 Dec 22nd Oct - 19 Dec Organizational Change Focus on the larger business context, not on disciplined-based knowledge Identify a change initiative to study (planned, in progress, or recently completed) using concepts from OP Address a single business challenge, one that is currently facing a major company Any company (profit, non-profit), chosen by Team. Extensive interaction with company Fortune 500 company. Company interaction not permitted Key Activities Identify a willing organization Conduct interviews, perform research - company documents, web, observation Perform research - project handouts, public company documents, industry info, web Deliverables Oral report in Communication class “as if” to senior management, and a written team report to your faculty Team Project advisor Written report, with optional powerpoint presentation Learnings/Outcomes Deeper appreciation of complexity of human behavior within an organization during a period of change Deeper appreciation of what needs to be learned during time at MIT Sloan, and the importance of integrating discipline-based coursework into a broad management framework Core team - all members required to present Core team No Optional, present to company representatives Duration Subject Focus Assignment Company and interaction Team Members Competition What Team Experiences Will I Have After the Core? • You will have teams – and team projects – in many of your MIT Sloan classes • In most cases, you will select your teammates • You will work with many different teams at a time, as opposed to just one core team • This can present scheduling challenges! • We encourage you to think about the benefits of selecting diverse team members, as opposed to going with what’s comfortable