Student Evaluation of a Learning Exercise Designed to Develop Effective Meeting Skills

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare the reactions of different types of student group members to a teaching method designed to develop small-group behaviors. Following a brief lecture on meeting effectiveness, students (a) wrote statements to exemplify 20 typical behaviors; (b) tried to practice the behaviors; (c) observed other group members and recorded behaviors; (d) rated one another's small-group skills; and (e) received summaries of the ratings. Most students believed that the program was valuable, rating the experience 5.05 on a 7-point scale. There was no significant difference among students who considered themselves leaders, cooperative members, or shy members.