Measuring Cohesion: Survey, Shared Goal and Retest

Teams complete a timed cooperative challenge, fill out a short task and social cohesion survey, set a shared goal and repeat the challenge. Students analyze whether a team meeting and a shared goal change cohesion and results.

How to play

1. Teams of six: explain the challenge, moving five balls from one hoop to another 15 meters away by passing them down a chain; whoever releases the ball runs to the end of the line (3 min).
2. Timed attempt 1 with no planning (4 min).
3. Six-question individual survey on a 1-to-5 scale, such as 'we agree on how to do it' or 'I feel part of the team', and calculation of the team average (5 min).
4. Team meeting: agree on a shared time goal, a plan and a job for each person (5 min).
5. Timed attempts 2 and 3 using the plan, with one minute between them to adjust (8 min).
6. Repeat the survey and compare times and cohesion averages (5 min).

Rules

• Nobody may move while holding a ball.
• Run to the end of the line on the outside of the chain to avoid collisions.
• If a ball drops, it goes back to the starting hoop.
• Survey answers are individual, and the rest of the team only sees the average.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: takes a fixed spot at the start or end of the chain.
• Visual impairment: use beeper balls, and the previous teammate calls the student's name before passing.
• Autism: explain the survey in advance and allow the student to fill it out somewhere quieter.

Learning goals

• Distinguish task cohesion and social cohesion.
• Measure team cohesion with a simple tool.
• Test the effect of a shared goal on group performance.

Equipment for a class of 25

• balls: 25
• hoops: 10
• cones: 10
• stopwatches: 5
• worksheets: 30

Teacher tip

The survey is inspired by Carron's GEQ and can be printed on the worksheet. If a team gets worse, that's a good chance to analyze why.

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