Courses at AMSC are designed to create a learning environment where the students have a choice about how they engage in their learning experience. Students learn through small group collaboration as they grapple with complex, ambiguous problems. Students determine their small group purpose, goals, roles, and guidelines for behavior. They struggle to make sense of the problem, the methodology for solving it, and at the same time, learn about interpersonal and groupdynamics. Initially, many students fail to see the value or necessity in the exercise. As students engage in dialogue with teammates about how they will treat each other, make decisions, and manage conflict, they become uncertain as to how they will proceed with problem solving. Given the perceived reality of their highly structured work environment, many students are
reluctant to empower themselves through their choices about how to influence the group’s behavior and achieve the learning outcomes.