Teacher Teams: Exploring Job Characteristics and Work-Related Outcomes of Work Group Enhancement

Abstract

This study explores how teacher teams (work group enhancement) influence teachers’ work characteristics and other work-related variables. The study uses a comparative design to test differences between teamed and nonteamed teachers on work characteristics and work-related variables suggested by Hackman and Oldham’s job characteristics model. The study results suggest that teachers whose jobs have a work group emphasis (interdisciplinary teams) report significantly higher levels of the following: (a) skill variety in their work; (b) knowledge of students (their educational characteristics, history, and personal life circumstances); (c) growth satisfaction; (d) general satisfaction; (e) professional commitment; (f) work group helpfulness and effectiveness; (g) internal work motivation; and (h) teacher efficacy than do their nonteaming counterparts. The study also reports auxiliary survey data on students’satisfaction with various aspects of a team versus a nonteam school.