Learning Team Performance Research Articles

Learning communities, social media, and learning performance: Transactive memory system perspective

Taking the Transactive Memory System (TMS) perspective, this study aims to explore how social media usage in learning communities stimulates learning performance within teams when team knowledge sharing, team efficacy and team bonding embody the core elements in transactive communication processes. Data were collected from 64 student project teams in three waves using a time-lagged approach and team dynamics were examined across different stages of the project. Results were significantly positive for social media usage in learning communities, demonstrating varied impacts of TMS on team learning performance. Findings show that increase in social media usage facilitated team bonding, knowledge sharing and team efficacy within project teams. Interestingly, the results related to TMS had a positive impact on team learning performance only through team efficacy and team bonding, while knowledge sharing had no impact. These findings provide useful insights for educational practitioners and future employers about formulating strategies such that project teams can develop TMS needed to organize and execute actions required to effectively make social media usage decisions that influence team performance. This paper advances the TMS theory by highlighting the role of social media in enhancing team learning performance while working in project-based teams.

What leads to effective team learning performance within university students? The moderating effects of ‘Guanxi’

Although researchers have highlighted that guanxi expedite the flow of resources, their impact on team learning performance is not fully understood. Drawing on data from student teams enrolled in an entrepreneurship program, we established and validated a model exploring interrelationships between guanxi, entrepreneurial leadership and team learning performance, under the mediating effects of team cohesion and team efficacy. Data was collected from forty students in a time-lagged fashion over a period of four and a half months. Results show that guanxi moderated the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and team cohesion negatively during the initial phase of team development. However, during the middle phase, it was found that team cohesion contributed to the development of team efficacy. The results also shed light on the direct impact of team efficacy on team learning performance during the pre-final phase of team development. This paper highlights that guanxi facilitate team learning performance indirectly, even though to different extents, through early entrepreneurial leadership, team cohesion and team efficacy. Taking support of theories such as guanxi theory, leadership theory and group development theory, the main contribution of the study was to bridge the literature gap about guanxi and add new perspectives to the group development theory.

Enhancing virtual learning team performance: a leadership perspective

Enhancing virtual learning team performance: a leadership perspective

A study of collaborative learning style and team learning performance

PurposeSelf‐directed work teams are seen as an important mechanism for dealing with today's complex and rapidly changing business environment. Team learning is an attempt to prepare students to real‐world experiences. But, not all teamwork is effective. This paper aims to examine the influence of learning style preferences on team learning performance.Design/methodology/approachThe Grasha‐Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales (GRSLSS) is used to assess the learning style preferences of business students enrolled in an operations management class.FindingsStudents were found to be collaborative learners. Students' collaborative orientation complements participation and helps students to compete, which in turn increases team performance. In addition, influence of learning style varies with educational experience, gender and major. Graduate students showed to be collaborative and independent learners. As such, while personal model and formal authority teaching styles fit best undergraduates' learning preferences, at the graduate level, instructor' role changes to facilitator and delegator.Originality/valueProvides evidence that learning style preferences are valuable for engaging learners in various collaborative activities and for designing successful diverse teams.