Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

9.6. MANAGE COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES

Virtual teamwork can be frustrating when not managed well [105]. For more successful team efforts, actively manage the effort:

• Publish written instructions a week before the activity.

• Give the team a definite goal and deadline.

• Make sure someone initially assumes leadership of the team. Leadership can shift as the team progresses.

• Allocate adequate time. A virtual team will require more time to complete an activity than a physical team. If team members have not worked on virtual teams before, they will require time to learn to collaborate remotely.

• Suggest rules or procedures for conducting team activities, reaching consensus, and settling disputes.

• Note which learners do not participate in live collaborative activities, and make a point of calling on them by name during the next live event.