Personal Agendas in Teamwork

Subgroup Size

Small Group

Duration

40 minutes

External Cost

No

Lesson Plan

Source

Activity created by Dr. Aletha Stahl, CILMAR, Purdue University, and Dr. Laura Starr, College of Science, Purdue University.

 

Adapted from:

Case studies - NIH office of intramural research. (2003). https://oir.nih.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/sourcebook/documents/ethical_conduct/case_studies-2003.pdf

Awareness Test video, or A Test of Auditory Awareness recording; Headphones; Participant Instructions (in Downloads). 

Case Study: Eric Tran, a graduate student, is seen less and less during the day by his faculty advisor and other members of the laboratory. It becomes apparent to the faculty advisor, Dr. Martinez, that Eric is working very long hours evenings and nights at times when most of the other laboratory workers are not there. This persists for several weeks and Dr. Martinez does not think the pattern is a good one. Dr. Martinez approaches Eric and requests that he spend more time during "standard working hours" in the lab. Dr. Martinez argues that interaction with her and with other members of the laboratory is important and that it is best for all to talk about science regularly. Eric argues that he can work much more efficiently when fewer people are around. He cites the fact that a piece of equipment he was using in his research was continually busy throughout the daytime hours and this was not conducive to him performing needed experiments in a timely fashion. Eric discloses that this was the "straw that broke the camel's back," forcing him into working unconventional hours. Both the faculty advisor and the student hold tight to their arguments and over the next several days the situation between them grows tense.

Case studies - NIH office of intramural research. (2003). https://oir.nih.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/sourcebook/documents/ethical_conduct/case_studies-2003.pdf