Linden Mueller's Public Library

12 Dec 09

07 Dec 09

Online Learning Teams: Indispensable Interaction (by Muhammad K. Betz)

online teaching teams collaboration learning otl 101

an indispensable variable for ensuring optimal learning is that of interaction
while discussions in the broad sense promote interaction between students and between the students and the instructor, they don’t provide teamwork-based interactions
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The use of collaborative, team based learning activities in online courses can create a synergy of learning as result of the interactions associated with teamwork, that will create a greater accrual of learning, than the simple sums of individual learning efforts.
a higher rate of learning
significantly more learning in courses with a Type II design
Learning teams are small, intact groups of students formed at the beginning of each course from the larger cohort. Teams meet…to complete group assignments and project
during all six weeks of the course
Research with learning teams indicates that they work optimally with four or five members
The key team members’ values to be stressed are integrity, ownership and versatility.
The team charter is one of the most under-used and under-valued tools available to sponsors, team leaders, and facilitators for helping a team succeed.

The following components of the charter are recommended by the University of Phoenix (2002):

	Course and contact information-Students identify their course and instructor, and share contact information.
	Team member skill inventory-team members identify for their teammates what they the think they bring to the team in terms of special aptitudes, knowledge and skills for special team-related roles
	Learning team goals-the team lists its goals for the course, including those relating to the completion of assignments, quality of work, or team meetings. In this section, potential barriers to realizing goals should be mentioned as well as identification of strategies for problem identification and solving.
	Ground rules-the team members identify and agree to the rules of conduct for the team, related to such protocol items as meeting times, roles, responsibilities, methods of contact. The object is to improve team performance and minimize conflict.
	Conflict management-while admitting that conflict is generally unavoidable, the team agrees that it should be managed. The team identifies potential sources of contact and outlines how to manage and prevent occurrences.

Another factor that needs to be added to the list of necessary characteristics of online learning teams is the instructor’s accountability.
- Guide students through the formation of their learning teams.
- Review the Learning Team Charter forms and provide feedback for improvement of charters.
- Clearly delineate team assignments and performance expectations in the course syllabus.
- Evaluate team assignments and projects, including relative contributions of individual team members.
- Advise and coach teams that experience conflict.
- Procure feedback on team progress as the course proceeds and provide coaching for improvement.
when learning is considered, individuals in groups must be held individually accountable for their contributions and efforts to team projects with rating scales completed by team mates
team members should be provided the opportunity to rate the contributions of their teammates, and instructors are advised to create weekly rating forms that add accountability to individual team members’ efforts.
A simple three or four point rating scale can be used with each assignment and/or each week’s team activities. For this strategy to succeed, students must be required to submit the form every week. Instructors are then to prorate the team score in relation to each individual’s team score. Students should be notified in the course syllabus that this policy is based on the premise that individual grades on team assignments honor those who have worked equitably.
While emotional conflict is seen as debilitating, cognitive conflict is seen as motivational. As Caudron (2000) notes, “good” conflict is a source of creativity and growth, while “bad” conflict damages relationships and ultimately hinders performance.
the use of team charters and individual accountability ratings could be classified as the type of intervening devices that reduce “bad” conflict.