Most instructors know that they need to be guides-on-the-side, but getting online students to complete group activities without relying on constant instructor intervention can be quite challenging. This lab session focuses on strategies for increasing learner agency when planning, implementing and guiding virtual teams and team activities in online courses.
In attempts to increase student-student interaction in an online course through the incorporation of group work, instructors face many challenges. Often, instead of taking the role of guide-on-the-side, the instructor becomes a mediator of conflicts, or worse, assumes the role of group leader. The integration of team learning activities in online courses involves considering factors such as structure, leadership, and mental models, as well as team processes and mechanisms for communication and interaction. This process also involves planning activities and interactions in a way that students are able rethink their approaches to teamwork and asynchronous collaboration. The focus of this session is to present – through meaningful discussion, reflection, and collaboration – useful strategies for increasing learner agency in online group activities and decreasing dependence on instructor intervention. Strategies include the use of team charters, intermediate team evaluations, peer review processes, and the use of synchronous and asynchronous tools to increase interaction between group members. During this interactive session, participants will collaborate in the design of a group learning activity for an online environment. Participants will also be able to test and evaluate innovative practices for implementing and guiding team-oriented activities in their courses.