Sandy, I reward the best performing team, based upon average T-RAT scores. The team with the highest T-RAT average (we generally do about 8-10 per semester) gets a gift certificate to a local sandwich shop. This allows them to share the prize and promotes team performance versus individual performance. The students enjoy the competition element and also enjoy that it's the team competing against other teams and not individuals (which can get cut-throat). Sincerely, Tom Tom Cappaert, PhD, ATC, CSCS Associate Professor, Athletic Training Education Program Central Michigan University 1175 Health Professions Building Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 (O) 989-774-6595 (Fax) 989-774-2923 E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> WWW: chp.cmich.edu/atep "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function." -- F. Scott Fitzgerald <http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566199/Fitzgerald_F(rancis)_Scot t_(Key).html> From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandy Cook Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 7:37 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Top Score Prize On an new topic, one of our faculty suggested that it is the culture here to award Prizes to the top student. Since we feel that TBL values teamwork and that prizes bring back the competition element - we really thought it was not a good idea. As we discussed further, we flirted with the idea that we could incentives the prize concept by making it be a reflection of both team and individual work. The student's disagreed. They thought that any prize would change the dynamics of the group work. In fact, they came to our program because of the team and collaborative experience and did not want the cut-throat team issues. Any one have ideas how you reward top students without undermining the teamwork values? ************************************************** Sandy Cook, PhD Associate Dean for Curriculum Development Duke/NUS Graduate School of Medicine