Promoting team interaction in the online classroom
Cynthia M. Calongne · Journal of computing sciences in colleges · 2002
Team products tend to be of higher quality than those produced by individual efforts. Classes on campus take advantage of this phenomenon, teaching software engineering students how to produce software deliverables and products while working in teams. Online software engineering classes also require team projects, but they can be plagued with problems. While it is important to teach online students how to work in teams during the planning, design, and development of software products, many students dislike team projects when there is no face-to-face interaction. This paper discusses the issues associated with online teams and recommends some solutions for building positive team experiences in the online classroom. The topics include student fears, pedagogical concerns, asynchronous learning, effective communication, responsiveness, and teamformation.