Each of the Michigan EPFP Fellows participates on a learning team that is created around their learning priorities and objectives. The learning teams are comprised of 4-6 members and they attempt to represent the diversity of the program’s participants. The learning teams work as cross boundary groups to explore topics of mutual interest. Each learning team is responsible for developing one of the seminar presentations during the program year. The learning teams use multiple presentation formats, resources and learning styles to address the topic or theme selected by the group’s members. Participation on a learning team provides enhanced networking opportunities and the development of collaborative skills.
Learning Teams will be established during the last seminar in October, based on similar learning objectives, diversity of participants, networking opportunities, individual strengths, cross boundary organizations, and member roles and responsibilities. The EPFP Learning Teams will work as virtual communities and use Web-based tools to support their efforts.
Each Learning Team will develop the seminar topic, prepare and post a pre-session announcement and program agenda, identify seminar resources including guest speakers and panelists, prepare handouts, provide introductions, facilitate the seminar presentations, moderate audience questions and discussion, summarize seminar highlights and distribute notes via the EPFP electronic discussion list.
The EPFP Learning Teams are established as collaborative groups which operate on the basis of consensus decision making. The Team members are responsible for clarifying the task or function, identifying roles and responsibilities, establishing basic operating agreements, developing a Team mission and a plan of action, identifying benchmarks of success, and developing collaborative skills. The EPFP Coordinators serve as consultants to the Learning Teams and can provide technical support, access to resources and other forms of assistance.
Additional Reading: Marshall, Edward M., Transforming the Way We Work: The Power of The Collaborative Workplace, American Management Association, 1995.