Although particular personality types will find online learning and collaboration more comfortable and natural than others will, there are certain skills that can be developed which will increase the chances of success for distance learners and remote teams alike. Some of these are personal skills that every professional should have. Others can be considered more in the light of strategies to employ, a fluid methodology of how to help steer group dynamics towards its common goal. These traits can be developed with practice and reflective thought.

Personal skills in an online environment are similar to those we use in face-to-face encounters. Just as we know to smile, make eye contact, and say hello to colleagues when we walk into a meeting, it is similarly appropriate to do so in an online classroom. Online, this behavior does not seem to come naturally to everyone, but it is really more important there than it is in a traditional environment, due to the self-directed nature of asynchronous distance education. By engaging in the social aspect of the online environment, distance learners can build a network of classmates and remain focused while staving off the sense of isolation that can develop in some students.

Developing the ability to converse easily and effectively in digital environments also lends itself well to online team collaboration. In the colloquia “Working in Teams” presented in February 2007, former SJSU SLIS Director Dr. Ken Haycock talks about the concept of “courageous conversations.” By this he means the ability for the members to speak up in a group that has been assigned a project, and define good ground rules. He makes the point that establishing ground rules and assigning roles before there’s any conflict heads off potential problems that might keep a group from effectively. He speaks about the different phases of team development. During the storming phase, for example, group members might complain about the workload.

While experiencing these formative phases is necessary for team development, moving through them efficiently will give the team the most amount of time to do the actual work. Having opened the channels of communication early, and establishing ground rules, the team is able to establish a healthy foundation for group dynamics.

In her presentation, “The Monster Inside Library School,” former part-time SJSU SLIS faculty member Enid Irwin discusses how teams can experience synergistic effects if their attitudes and planning procedures are well founded. She uses the phrase “goals and not egos” and also delineates how certain behaviors; being “silent, absent, controlling or stubborn” can derail group goals. Her real life examples of how these behaviors manifest themselves in group situations were very insightful. She also repeatedly makes the point that enthusiasm and trust are crucial for success.

Ideally, the individual players bring the enthusiasm; trust is built when those members adhere to the agreed-upon ground rules, roles and responsibilities. The successful online student, someone who is dedicated, highly organized and not shy, will thrive around similarly-minded people. Learning about group dynamics can teach us to become more effective team members.