Investigating the Impact and Pedagogical Implications of Extroversion on Team Dynamics in Post-Secondary Student Teams

This research paper presents insights obtained from an online team support tool in an undergraduate setting. In this research, the authors examined patterns of self- and peer-reporting regarding preferences for speaking in groups, as well as downstream effects such as perceived voice safety and voice enactment. In both course contexts, the data show that students who initially identified as more extroverted did speak up more in groups, felt a higher sense of belonging, and had their ideas enacted more often. Importantly, by the end of the semester, women and international students reported less extroversion compared to other groups, which may indicate that these students have experiences on their teams that affects their perception of extroversion. These patterns were consistent in both the introductory engineering and business courses, and suggest that instructors should pay attention to team conversational dynamics to promote equity in team conversations.