TeamMastermind®Research Results

2008-2009

Preston Tenney

Heidi Wayment Ph.D

Mindy Degraff, Founder

Program Evaluation History

• After many years of positive anecdotal

evidence of the success of the

TeamMastermind Curriculum, we

implemented a program evaluation

during the 2007-2008 academic year

• First evaluation revealed significant

improvements in critical thinking &

teamwork skills

• Results from 2007-2008 evaluation used

to strengthen curriculum

Study Goals

• Evaluate whether the educational goals

of TeamMastermind® were met during

the 2008-2009 academic year

• Goals included increasing student skills

in cognitive challenge, collaborative

learning, and metacognitive awareness

Participants! Fourth Grade students (N = 150)

• ages 7-10• enrolled in eight classes from three

FUSD schools ! Socioeconomic status and ethnically

diverse ! 48% male, 51% female, 1%

unidentified ! Evaluation of the program was

approved by the principals and teachers involved in the program as a means of assessing on-going educational efforts.

Overview

! Development of Critical Thinking

Skills

• Cognitive Challenge

• Collaborative Learning

• Meta-Cognitive Awareness

! Measured Outcomes

• Pre- and post-test

• Objective data and self-report

5

Cognitive Challenge

! Two open-ended questions addressed the issue of cognitive challenge. • Pre- and post-test problem solving (rope activity)

• One item “Please describe how humor can help you or others be more creative."

• In the second item students were asked to name as many problem-solving strategies as they could.

Using Humor # of Problem Solving Strategies

Good Articulation

Answers that suggest humor improves affect, repairs mood, or increases open-mindedness

Answers needed to belong to strategies taught in TeamMastermind® curriculum (e.g., thinking backwards, breaking rules to solve problems, thinking creatively, working in the round).

Satisfactory Articulation

Answers include “it can help you think of a funny picture” and other similar generic responses

Answers were coded as "satisfactory” if they were less specific (e.g., “think” or “try”).

Unsatisfactory All vague and unrelated answersAll vague and unrelated answers

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1878.37

688.90

Rope Activity(I

nch

es)

PrePost

273%

! Students were placed in groups and were asked to construct a continuous “rope” using the given materials.

! By post-test, significant increases!!!

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Pre Post

36.7%

77.3%8.0%

13.3%

51.3%

8.7%

Good ArticulationSatisfactory ArticulationUnsatisfactory

Please describe how humor can help you or others be more creative:

Ex. “Humor can help others by helping them lighten up”

Using Humor

Problem Solving Strategies Named Per Student

1%3%

12%

84%

Pre

45%

23%

16%

16%

Post

None123+

Problem-Solving Strategies: % of Students with

"Good Articulation of Answer“ *

None96%

One or More4%

Pre

None73%

One or More27%

Post

One or More None

Cognitive Challenge

! Significant improvement in actual problem-solving skill! (rope activity)

! Significant improvement in how many problem-solving strategies students could name at the end of the year

! Students were significantly more creative in their use of humor to solve problems

Collaborative Learning

! Two open-ended questions assessed how collaborative learning takes place.• The first item asked students to “Describe the features of a

team that works well together.”

Features of a Team Trust

Good Articulation

Answers included those that described ideas about selflessness, sacrifice, listening, share blame or punishment or reward, participation, communication and other important aspects of teamwork.

Answers were sufficiently well reasoned answers that were specific to the question that included, but were not limited to, answers about reliability, responsibility, confidence in team members, and positive group output.

Satisfactory Articulation

Answers included student responses such as “working together,” “do not fight,” and other generic answers that may be practical but not definitive of what features helps teams work together.

Answers included “You have to trust each other” and other generic responses.

Unsatisfactory All vague and unrelated answersAll vague and unrelated answers

Total Features of a Team Named Per Student*

5%

16%

25%

54%

Pre

22%

27% 32%

20%

Post

None123+

Includes “Good” and “Satisfactory” answers by studentsEx. “Cooperation, agreement, always working together”

Features of a Team: "Good Articulation of Answer“ *

One or More21%

None79%

Pre

One or More54%

None46%

Post

None One or More

Trust*

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Pre Post

37.3%

81.4%

27.3%

12.0%30.0%

5.4%

Good ArticulationSatisfactory ArticulationUnsatisfactory

How is trust related to homework?Ex. “By believing in them. Building them up.”

Collaborative Learning

! Significant increases in student

understanding of teamwork and trust

in others over the course of the

school year.

Meta-Cognitive Awareness! Two open-ended questions assessed how aware students

were about their own thinking processes in terms of self evaluation and self compassion.

• The first item asked students to describe their "thoughts and feelings" when they made a mistake.

• The second item asked “What does it mean to take personal

Actions

Good Articulation

Responses included answers referring to personal accountability, restitution, and owning up to mistakes.

Satisfactory Articulation

Responses included “don’t lie” and “tell the truth” and other practical examples of personal responsibility.

Unsatisfactory All vague and unrelated answers

Students’ Thoughts and Feelings After Mistakes

1 Sad/Bad

2 Anxious/Fear

3 Guilt

4 Learn From It

5 Self-Acceptance

6 Self Critical

7 Apathy

8 Unclear or Vague

After a mistake....

Student thoughts and feelings"

when they made a mistake

Before

TeamMastermind®

After

TeamMastermind®

Sad/Bad 32% 26%

Anxious/Fear 10% 10%

Guilt 6% 9%

Learn From It 5% 13%

Self-Acceptance 12% 21%

Self Critical 14% 10%

Apathy 5% 2%

Unclear or Vague 16% 9%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Pre Post

37.3%

73.4%

27.3%

13.3%30.0%

12.0%

Good ArticulationSatisfactory ArticulationUnsatisfactory

Actions

What does it mean to take personal responsibility for your actions?Ex. “By saying, ‘Yes I did do that.’”

Meta-Cognitive Awareness

! Students reported significant increases in their ability to learn from their mistakes

! Students reported a significant increase in self-acceptance after making a mistake.

! Students were significantly more likely to take responsibility for their actions at year’s end

Conclusion

• Sample of 150 4th grade students who

completed TeamMastermind®

curriculum once a week during the

2008-2009 academic year

• Significant increases in student skills

were observed in cognitive challenge

(e.g., critical thinking, problem-solving)

collaborative learning, and meta-

According to teachers, administrators, and

students, the TeamMastermind curriculum is

an outstanding opportunity to develop

critical thinking and teamwork skills.