‘Going agile’: Exploring the use of project management tools in fostering psychological safety in group work within management discipline courses

While psychological safety is widely acknowledged to be a crucial factor in determining how well teams function, little attention has been paid this phenomenon management education and HE more broadly. This highlights an important gap, given the ‘thorny’ nature, pervasive use, of group work. We contribute first examination intervention increase safety. Specifically, through two-phase mixed methods approach (pre/post surveys focus groups, student diaries), we examine implementation Agile project principles both undergraduate postgraduate digital marketing course (total n = 131). The findings illustrate that increased along with team-performance, learning, interpersonal communication creativity, whilst also reducing free-rider problem. study provides three contributions. First, extend knowledge by showing it can fostered interventions providing two core antecedents (supporting facilitation cohesive framework). Second, build evidencing greater breadth positive outcomes, which until now mostly limited development. Third, expand understanding implementing work management, five considerations for educational practitioners.