Group Work Using Tuckman’s Model: Exploring Teamwork through Salas’s Model

Higher education relies on team-based learning, but the same issue is characterized by frequent challenges like free-riding, conflict avoidance, and role ambiguity that often lower the advantages. This paper combines the developmental stages provided by Tuckman (1965) and the behavioural teamwork elements provided by Salas et al. (2005) to analyse the perceptions of teamwork and teamwork elements among two aspects of teamwork that are held by Malaysian undergraduates. The 29 item Lickert scale was structured and administered to 209 students (Years 1-3) in a Malaysian university that has collectivist traditions of harmony and respect. The four subscale reliability (Forming, Storming, Norming, performing) was satisfactory to excellent (α = .72–.89; overall α = .90). Descriptive statistics and correlations reveal that leadership, monitoring/ backup behavior, adaptability and team orientation have positive interrelationships ( ≈.44-.67, p <.001). The results are consistent with the existing studies that already note the significance of trust, common set of norms, and formal procedures (e.g., Poort et al., 2020; Laaziz et al., 2023; Boud and Falchikov, 2006), yet present the perennial problems concerning goal realisticness and resistance in the storming stage (Velarde-García et al., 2023; Sonita and Febria, 2022). As an extension (robustness check), multiple regression indicates that norming and forming are the best positive predictors of performing, and unmanaged storming is negatively related to performance. Pedagogical implications can be clear team charters, feedback procedures that socialize criticisms, and moderate peer evaluation in order to reduce free-riding.

teamwork; Tuckman; Salas; psychological safety

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