Team Membership Change and the Critical Role of Communication

In line with the engineering accreditation board’s guidelines for program outcomes, this study narrows in on the ability of undergraduate engineers to function in foreign teams (although not multidisciplinary) and their ability to communicate effectively. The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of systematic membership change within teams and the role of communication on student’s perceptions of learning. In an attempt to mirror the reality of engineering work life, a systematic membership change was imposed on an electrical engineering class to situate students within a permanent team, while still engaging in the benefits and challenges of working and communicating with a new team. This emerged in the form of students working with a different team for one lab and attaining the experience of working with guest members in their permanent teams for four labs.