A practical case report of teamwork education aimed at developing people who can take advantage of deep-level diversity in collaborative designed teams

Abstract

Diversity is emphasized in terms of responding to change and creating innovation. However, if we only expect the positive aspects of diversity and do not deal with the negative aspects, we would be unable to utilize diversity fully. Therefore, we focused on cognitive style as a fundamental element that creates deep-level diversity. Since 2012, the author and other faculty members have developed an educational program that uses Jungian psychological type theory to understand the differences in cognitive styles of oneself and others and to use it in collaboration. In 2018, it was introduced as a compulsory "Teamwork Exercise" subject for first-year students in the Faculty of Creative Engineering of Kagawa University. The characteristics of the subject are as follows: "Development of metacognition to self-understanding, understanding of others, and tolerance," "Low-end using way of Jungian type theory," and "Thorough observance of ethics in the use of type theory." Similar teamwork education has not been seen in previous studies. This report reported the overview (e.g., development background, characteristics, curriculum, implementation results) as of 2021, which has been improved since its introduction, and the verification results of educational effects (e.g., promotion of self-understanding, promotion of understanding of others, improvement of tolerance).