Online Learning For Dummies

Chapter 13

Getting a Handle on Group Dynamics

IN THIS CHAPTER

Identifying strategies for being a successful group member

Resolving conflict online

Do you smile or cringe when you hear the words group project? We find that learners have extreme views: Either they truly appreciate group projects or they really detest them. Those who appreciate working in a group have had positive experiences and see the value multiple people can bring to a project. Others have had a bad experience working with peers who have done nothing, leaving them to pick up the slack.

One of the most frequent questions we get from learners and other instructors we train is “Why group work?” Besides the typical “Because we said so” or the overused cliché “Two heads are better than one,” educational research supports the use of groups as a means of helping students amass and retain knowledge. Not to mention the opportunity it gives them to learn and practice marketable skills.

This book serves as a testament to the power of distant collaboration. Not only do we, your humble authors, live in different states, but so do the editors and other technical staff who put this book together. Some of us have no idea what the other contributors look like. Most communication occurs via email. So, when we ask our learners ...