Laureen Kodani

Laureen Kodani image

University of Hawai`i, Manoa
Master's in Education, Educational Technology
ETEC 612 Final Project - Summer 2011

According to the latest Sloan Report (2010), “Online enrollments have continued to grow at rates far in excess of the total higher education student population, with the most recent data demonstrating continued substantial growth” (p.2). Online enrollments are significantly increasing and are a significant amount of the total overall enrollment in higher education institutions. The efficacy of teaching and learning in online environments has been a focal point of discussion and research for some time now. One way to facilitate a meaningful experience is to create an interactive learning community for all participants.

In distance education, virtual teams are formed to work on assigned group projects and can be an effective instructional strategy which encourages collaborative, creative, and innovative work. Furthermore, collaboration extends beyond the classroom. In fact, skilled collaboration is a necessary asset for all areas of life, personal, social, academic, and professional. In order to succeed in a virtual group project environment, instructional designers, instructors, and learners must consider the goals, objectives, resources, and strategies. More specifically, Web 2.0 collaboration tools.  

While online group work has useful benefits, it also has some challenges. Some of the challenges include data management, communication, and lack of social interaction. Exploring tools which provide a resolution to these challenges is a necessity for creating a successful and satisfactory learning environment. Wiggio is a tool that can be the answer to the challenges of virtual group collaboration.

This website examines the pros and cons of the virtual team environment and introduces Wiggio as a tool to counter such challenges in an effort to improve group management skills, promote collaborative interdependency and enhance the overall learning experience.            
“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done -
men who are creative, inventive and discoverers” Jean Piaget