The fishbowl™: Degrees of engagement in global teamwork

Abstract

The challenge addressed in this study is to improve project based learning in cross-disciplinary, global teamwork that prepares the next generation of professionals for the global AEC market place. The paper presents the Fishbowl™ learning interaction experience as a pedagogical intervention method designed to support effective knowledge transfer from professionals to students. An innovative information and communication technology augmented (ICT) workspace mediates the communicative event among professionals and global learners and allows capture, transfer, and reuse of knowledge created during the Fishbowl™ pedagogical intervention. The assessment of the intervention and ICT workspace affordances, their impact on learning and team performance lead to the formalization of specific interaction zones and participants' degrees of engagement. The paper leverages this unique AEC global teamwork course as a testbed and tech transfer conduit. The paper concludes with examples of pilot projects in support of tech transfer of both the interaction experience and ICT workspace into industry practice. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.