Student group approach to teaching using Tuckman model of group development.

If health care professionals are to be effective members of an interdisciplinary team of diagnostic specialists, it is critical that their university education equip them for that role. Using Tuckman's four stages of "forming," "storming," "norming," and "performing," university faculty are shown how a group of undergraduate science students can be developed into an organism intent on identifying solutions to problems posed to them (e.g., technical, medical-ethical). The use of the group approach enhances maturity, competence, self-esteem, and motivation of the students and enables the instructor to delegate appropriate responsibilities to the students. In addition to a sense of achievement, students also reported greater appreciation of the ideas, values, and abilities of their group colleagues.