Authors: Nate Olson

DOI: 10.62670/2308-7668.2025.51.1.001

Source: Issue: vol. 51 No. 1: 7 April 2025

Publisher: PE "Center of Excellence"

Document type: Review article

Abstract

This study examines teamwork in educational program implementation through a case study of the GENKEI English program at Toyo Gakuen University in Japan. Drawing on Communities of Practice and Distributed Leadership frameworks, the research analyzes how team relationships, support systems, and role distribution contribute to program success. Through examination of the GENKEI program development and implementation, the study reveals that effective program management requires structured yet flexible team organization, robust communication infrastructure, and clear decisionmaking protocols. The research offers practical insights for team-based program implementation while acknowledging key challenges in workload and administrative coordination. The study contributes to understanding how thoughtful team organization can lead to meaningful educational outcomes in higher education settings.

Key words: communities of practice, higher education, educational program implementation, team-based curriculum development, distributed leadership

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