Online Group Work: The Top Ten Elements that Ensure Student Success

More and more students are opting to take online courses and team-based learning is increasingly common in higher education. The use of teams has increased significantly as organizations (both public and private) have turned more and more jobs over to team-based structures. A key to success with modern teams involves the continual use of information technology to support team activities such as setting clear goals, coordinating and negotiating with others, planning and managing work processes, and gaining decision-making skills. The literature suggests that a key benefit to online learning is a deeper understanding of the course content. This session will highlight key findings from a two-year qualitative case study on online student teaming. Understanding how to facilitate and create engaging online environments is a key element to ensure student success. Helping students develop team work strategies will only enhance their future employment opportunities. The research questions guiding the inquiry were: How do students collaborate in a virtual environment? How do they share responsibilities, leadership, and management of the class work to ensure success? For instructors, the questions revolved around how they facilitate group learning and assign student teams. Findings revealed information on different aspects of online facilitation, teaming and group work, sense of community and motivation. This research is very timely and the implications will provide a better understanding of the current online trends concerning student group work and collaboration in virtual environments. These tips will help other online course designers and facilitators add these strategies to their future courses