Capitalizing On Virtual Teams Using Blackboard

Marsha L. Bayless, Professor

S. Ann Wilson, Associate Professor

Department of General Business

Stephen F. Austin State University

T-Bug2009

Virtual Teams in Online Classes

Cons

Students want to work on their own

Trust issues with team members

Nonverbal communication is difficult

Pros

Students do not have to arrange face to face meeting

• Time

• Geography/Distance

• Schedules

Definition of A Virtual Team

Also known as a Geographically Dispersed Team (GDT) is a group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology. They have complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose, have interdependent performance goals, and share an approach to work for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

Source: McNamara, C. (n.d.)

Steps for Better Virtual Teams

Have a face to face meeting for teams to meet or offer a similar alternative

Have students do smaller activities to develop trust and confidence before beginning on larger activities

Promote student interaction in ways that you can view progress—such as through chats (you can view the logs) or discussions (you can view postings).

Steps Continued

Require a certain number of interactions, etc. or to follow a certain procedure (i.e. weekly postings)

Hold team members accountable

• Team evaluations (interim and final)

• Team points

• Team self-assessments

• Review team progress on chats/discussions

Presentation Focus Two Online Courses

Undergraduate

• GBU 321 Information Technology – students are junior and senior business majors. Most are General Business Majors.

Graduate

• BCM 578 Virtual Team Communication – students are in graduate programs such as MBA and MPA in College of Business and other programs in College of Education and the Division of Communication.

GBU 321

Creating Community

• Discussion board introduction with photos

• Select teams through team sign-up

Team Interaction

• Team Chat Room

• Team Discussion Board

• Mini-unit assignments

BCM 578

Building Trust

• Face to face meeting and alternatives

Non-Blackboard Communication Choices

• Meeting software programs

• Meetings in Second Life

Questions and Comments