Being that we as online faculty function in the virtual realm, perhaps you have been a part of or observed the following scenario. Group member A sends a poorly written email to group member B. Group member B misinterprets the email, and in turn, proceeds to send a pithy reply offending group member A. Group member C having observed the miscommunication attempts to mitigate the developing rancor, but because of ineffective communication exacerbates the situation. Group member D tries to stay aloof from the situation, however, the lack of communication from group member D offends group members A, B, and C. As we can see, ineffective communication can disrupt the ability of virtual groups in the organizational setting to work together in an effective manner. The same holds true for virtual groups in the online classroom. However, the use of virtual teams by organizations and in the classroom are increasing (Pitts, Wright, & Harkabus, 2013), and developing competences in online communication is essential in the emerging marketplace.

As projects increase in complexity, organizational leaders are increasingly relying on virtual teams to complete such tasks. The ability to communicate effectively in the online realm is therefore increasing in importance, and this phenomenon is not likely to abate. Employees with virtual communication skills will likely become more valuable to their respective organizations, and faculty - regardless of discipline area - should implement strategies to ensure their students leave the classroom with such skills.

To help students learn how to communicate in the virtual world (in a formal sense, i.e. beyond Facebook speak) faculty members need to both manage and lead the online groups within their classroom (Pitts et al., 2013). Although this extends their role beyond the traditional lecture paradigm, the dynamics of the modern economy necessitate that faculty adjust their way of operating in order to elucidate to students the skills needed to compete in a competitive marketplace.

Berry (2011) noted five crucial aspects involved in effective management of virtual teams: there should be clear rules, a clear definition of outcomes, an agreement on assigned tasks, a plan and timeline to complete assignments, and a reporting system to enhance accountability. By using the abovementioned strategies, faculty may be able to improve the effectiveness of virtual teams within their classrooms.

There is also the aspect of virtual team leadership that requires redress. Although virtual team leadership is similar to face-to-face team leadership, there are important differences. Virtual team leaders should have superlative online communication skills (mitigating the lack of non-verbal communication), establish expectations, allocate assignments based on technical acumen (rather than on popularity), and module desired behaviors in the online realm (Berry, 2011).

By being both a manager and leader in the virtual team commination process, online faculty can help students develop skills and capacities to flourish in an increasingly virtual world. Some critical strategies I have learned from being part of this process are to, teach students to wait to respond to emails, especially at the end of the day; establish early in the course how e-mails should be formatted, a formal greeting, complete sentences, and a formal ending; and encourage students to re-read emails prior to submission, to ensure they are communicating accurately. These are only a few of the many different strategies faculty can use to help develop managerial and leaderships skills for the virtual realm in our students and I am eager to read what other faculty have done.

Thanks,

Eric

Reference:

Berry, G. R. (2011) Enhancing effectiveness on virtual teams: Understanding why traditional team skills are insufficient. Journal of Business Communication, 2, 186-206. doi:10.1177/0021943610397270

Pitts, V. E., Wright, N. A., Harkabus, L. C. (2013). Communication in virtual teams: The role of emotional intelligence. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 12, 21-34. Retrieved from http://www.na-businesspress.com/jopopen.html