Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Expert System For Team Facilitation Using Observational Learning, Ray Luechtefeld, R. K. Singh, Steve Eugene Watkins

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

While ABET criteria require that engineering graduates be able to "function on multidisciplinary teams" and "communicate effectively", the need for effective team skills goes far deeper. One solution is the use of a computationally intelligent "virtual facilitator" that contains a subset of the expert knowledge of a skilled facilitator. The "virtual facilitator" models behaviors of an expert facilitator to engineering student teams as they are working together. Albert Bandura's theory of observational learning suggests that skills can be developed through observation of expert "others" engaged in practice. Preliminary research indicates that students can increase beneficial team behaviors (such as inquiry) …