Cooperative Learning and Teamwork Effectiveness: Impacts of Education Period on Cadets

This paper describes how the maritime industry is a multinational industry where participant of several languages and cultures operate in a global teamwork environment. Seafarers’ operating procedures are totally based on a teamwork infrastructure and climate. By the introduction of Safety Management Systems, shore-based human resources are also included in the wider system of the maritime teamwork of the company where information and communication technologies have accelerated this integration. Goals and tasks for the team, team composition, team-player styles, phases of team development, communication and interpersonal skills, decision making, leadership, and evaluation of team performances are the key elements in developing the structure of the teamwork based systems. Training and development is the main instrument in preparing the human resources for the teamwork climate of modern organizations. Education methodologies that support the characteristics, which encourage teamwork and cooperation, are widely applied in maritime education. Cooperative learning and problem-based learning are among those approaches. This paper analyzes the effects of cooperative learning dimensions among the cadets in a maritime higher education institute with regard to teamwork effectiveness. An empirical study has been realized to measure the effects f cooperative learning dimensions on: (1) individual performance in groups; and (2) effective team members. In order to comment on the impacts of the education period on these dimensions, the paper aims to realize a comparative analysis among the cadets of a senior class, before and after a simulator based bridge team management course.

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