Considering Team Development Stages in Virtual Collaboration for Feedback Optimization

Learning collaboratively in virtual groups is seen as a promising alternative to the outcome of an individual (Breen,2013). However, working in a virtual group does not guarantee a good solution and performance of the individuals. Rather, working in groups presents several hurdles that need to be overcome to realize the full potential of the group and allow it to focus on performance (Peters & Manz, 2008). Franceschi et al. (2007) also state that learning in virtual groups has a positive impact on student learning and engagement, but that there is a lack of pedagogical concepts to guide the groups on their way to performance. Also Gabelica et al. 2012 state:” providing teams with adequate support is needed to secure teamwork. Research on team learning and performance has increased our understanding of how teams learn but is still in its development phase and in search for leverage points that can be used to trigger team learning” (Gabelica et al., 2012, p.124). Within this scope, Krause et al. (2009) make clear that groups use feedback more efectively than individuals and that this has a benefcial efect on the learning behavior of the group members. Concerning feedback research, it should be noted that feedback can have a positive efect on learning behavior and outcome, provided that it is implemented correctly (Shute,2007). ... To include multiple perspectives, an explanatory mixed methods approach from Hanson et al. (2005) with the support of Ivankova et al. (2006) has been chosen. In the frst step, a superordinate quantitative survey was conducted among the students of the virtual collaboration case study work in the virtual classroom. The results of the survey have then been examined and explained in more detail by e-tutors in a qualitative focus group discussion to deepen the understanding. Subsequently, the results were classifed and interpreted within the scope of recent feedback research. Based on the combination of a quantitative survey and the qualitative focus group discussion, seven concrete recommendations for the design of feedback guidelines in virtual group work were subsequently derived. ... [Aus: Introduction

Timing of formative feedback in a virtual learning environment from an E-tutors perspective

One of the most important learning activities of a student at the university are collaborative activities which have a positive effect on the learning skills of students. In the last decades and especially in the last years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge increase in offers to learn in virtual environments. This increase led to the need for professional pedagogical support within the unique environment, which can be addressed by E-tutors. This learning facilitation role becomes increasingly important. Nevertheless, the number of concrete recommendations when interventions are needed is rare. The aim of this study is to fill the gap in the literature when the E-tutor needs to give feedback to students in higher education. The results are derived from a systematic literature review and a qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that feedback needs to be given in a close timeframe, at best within the first two hours after a question arises

Digitalisation in Higher Education: A Flipped Classroom Arrangement to foster Internationalisation

This practical paper presents a successful international teaching & learning project in Higher Education (HE), which can be used as blue print for similar international HE teaching/learning cooperations. A virtual module, delivering 5 ECTS to participants from Germany and Iran, was organized as flipped classroom (FC), consisting of 2 phases: (1) online phase of 7 weeks, having started at April 12, 2019, with 15 students from Shiraz University, Iran, and 23 students from TU Dresden, Germany, collaborating in mixed teams of 5–6 participants each on a complex business case under tight guidance by qualified learning community managers, and (2) a follow-up on-site meeting at TU Dresden in the first week of July with 3 intensive workshops applying different techniques to consolidate the prior online collaboration results

Lessons Learned aus der Iterativen Weiterentwicklung von Kollaborativer Online Lehre

Bereits vor der Pandemie stellten räumliche Distanz, fehlende Ausbildung im Bereich der Kollaborationskompetenzen, der Umgang mit digitalen Medien sowie in der interkulturellen Interaktion Hemmschwellen für die virtuelle Zusammenarbeit dar (Händel et al., 2021; Scherer et al., 2021). Potenziale für hochschul- und landesübergreifende Lehrangebote und Projekte zur Vernetzung werden weiterhin unzureichend umgesetzt. Existierende Projekte werden zumeist auf Basis von aufwändigen Reisen sowie Videokonferenzen abgehandelt. Der tatsächliche Austausch der Studierenden und der damit einhergehende Wissenstransfer durch Vernetzung rückt in diesen Umsetzungsvarianten in den Hintergrund. Einen alternativen Ansatz stellt die kollaborative Onlinelehre, mit starkem Fokus auf die Entwicklung der nötigen Kompetenzen, Vernetzungsaktivitäten, sowie asynchrone und synchrone Kollaborationstools, dar. In diesem Kontext stellt das Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) Framework erprobte Ansätze bereit, welche zur Entwicklung von Lehrangeboten genutzt werden können. Als Laborumgebung zur Weiterentwicklung des Frameworks werden Lehrangebote beforscht, durch iterative Weiterentwicklung neue Erkenntnisse gewonnen sowie bestehende Annahmen überprüft (Schoop et al., 2020). [Aus: Einführenden Beitrag

Implementation of Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home in Albania’s Higher Education: A Catalogue of Recommendations for Action

Purpose: Despite progressing research in the field of Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home, recent theories and technologies are challenging to implement for Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The present paper focuses particularly on Albania, where the current education system has not been able to sufficiently incorporate Virtual Mobility and Internationalization in higher education programs. Study design/methodology/approach: This paper analyses the prevalent situation within Albania’s higher education system regarding Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home activities. The underlying data has been collected in qualitative semi-structured interviews, conducted with teaching staff and students from Albanian universities who are experienced with Virtual Mobility modules. It was evaluated through a mixed approach of qualitative content analysis by Mayring (2014) using inductive and deductive category formation. Findings: The results show the benefits that an increasing integration of Virtual Mobility activities in the education system could facilitate for students and teachers in Albania’s HEIs. Nevertheless, it became clear that in order to implement a higher degree of Virtual Mobility at university level, it is necessary to overcome the legal obstacles set by the Ministry of Education as well as structural obstacles within the HEIs. Originality/value: Due the actual lack of development, concepts, infrastructures, and legal foundations, the implementation of Virtual Mobility as an affordable instrument to foster the international experience of Albanian students is of high importance. This could raise the quality of academic education and tackle capacity gaps in the education system of Albania towards the grade of international experiences of students

Ein Fall für zwei Hochschulen: Entwicklung eines modularen Manuals zur Gestaltung von Fallstudienseminaren im virtuellen Raum

Das Projekt „Ein Fall für zwei Hochschulen“ wird vom Sächsischen Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft, Kultur und Tourismus (SMWK) gefördert. Ziel des laufenden Projektes ist es ein bereits erprobtes didaktisch-methodisches Framework weiterzuentwickeln und in einem Manual aufzuarbeiten. Dieses Manual soll Lehrende unterschiedlicher Hochschultypen und Fachdisziplinen unterstützen, effizient Lehrmaterialien und Inhalte, sowie die organisatorische Struktur für eine fallstudienbasierte, hochschultypübergreifende und virtuelle Lehrveranstaltung zu erarbeiten und gewinnbringend in ihrer Lehre einzusetzen

Manual Virtuelle Lehrkooperationen

Das Projekt „Ein Fall für zwei Hochschulen“ wurde vom Sächsischen Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft, Kultur und Tourismus (SMWK), im Rahmen der Initiative „Bildungsportal Sachsen“, in der Laufzeit von Mai 2019 bis Dezember 2020 gefördert. Projektbeteiligte waren Prof. Anne-Katrin Haubold - Professur für Human Resources Management und Prof. Ronny Baierl - Professur für Schlüsselqualifikationen der HTW Dresden, sowie Prof. Dr. Eric Schoop - Professur für Wirtschaftsinformatik, insbes. Informationsmanagement (WIIM) der TU Dresden. Ziel des Projektes war es, ein bereits erprobtes didaktisch-methodisches Framework weiterzuentwickeln und in einem Manual aufzuarbeiten. Dieses Manual soll Lehrende unterschiedlicher Hochschultypen und Fachdisziplinen unterstützen, Lehrmaterialien und Inhalte, sowie die organisatorische Struktur für eine fallstudienbasierte, hochschultypübergreifende und virtuelle Lehrveranstaltung zu erarbeiten und gewinnbringend einzusetzen. Das Manual beschreibt die an der Professur WIIM entwickelte virtuelle Fallstudiendidaktik des Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) in einer hochschultypübergreifenden Variante. VCL ist ein Best-Practice-Framework für innovative online Lern/Lehrformate, die sich gut in übergeordnete Blended Learning Arrangements integrieren lassen. Es basiert auf jahrelanger intensiver wissenschaftlicher Forschung im Rahmen mehrerer Dissertationen und Projekte. Blended Learning bezeichnet die didaktisch sinnvolle Kombination von traditionellem Präsenzlernen und Online-Lernen auf der Basis neuer Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien. VCL wird seit 2001 kontinuierlich in der formalen Lehre eingesetzt. Ziel ist es, das Lernen in studentischen Kleingruppen in den virtuellen Raum zu übertragen. Die Studierenden arbeiten über einen festgelegten Zeitraum an authentischen Business Cases mit klarem Praxisbezug. Sie werden in ihrer Zusammenarbeit von qualifizierten E-Tutoren unterstützt. Das VCL-Framework ist inhaltsunabhängig und bietet vielseitige Möglichkeiten für universitätsübergreifende Zusammenarbeit

Considering Team Development Stages in Virtual Collaboration for Feedback Optimization

Learning collaboratively in virtual groups is seen as a promising alternative to the outcome of an individual (Breen,2013). However, working in a virtual group does not guarantee a good solution and performance of the individuals. Rather, working in groups presents several hurdles that need to be overcome to realize the full potential of the group and allow it to focus on performance (Peters & Manz, 2008). Franceschi et al. (2007) also state that learning in virtual groups has a positive impact on student learning and engagement, but that there is a lack of pedagogical concepts to guide the groups on their way to performance. Also Gabelica et al. 2012 state:” providing teams with adequate support is needed to secure teamwork. Research on team learning and performance has increased our understanding of how teams learn but is still in its development phase and in search for leverage points that can be used to trigger team learning” (Gabelica et al., 2012, p.124). Within this scope, Krause et al. (2009) make clear that groups use feedback more efectively than individuals and that this has a benefcial efect on the learning behavior of the group members. Concerning feedback research, it should be noted that feedback can have a positive efect on learning behavior and outcome, provided that it is implemented correctly (Shute,2007). ... To include multiple perspectives, an explanatory mixed methods approach from Hanson et al. (2005) with the support of Ivankova et al. (2006) has been chosen. In the frst step, a superordinate quantitative survey was conducted among the students of the virtual collaboration case study work in the virtual classroom. The results of the survey have then been examined and explained in more detail by e-tutors in a qualitative focus group discussion to deepen the understanding. Subsequently, the results were classifed and interpreted within the scope of recent feedback research. Based on the combination of a quantitative survey and the qualitative focus group discussion, seven concrete recommendations for the design of feedback guidelines in virtual group work were subsequently derived. ... [Aus: Introduction

Considering Team Development Stages in Virtual Collaboration for Feedback Optimization

Learning collaboratively in virtual groups is seen as a promising alternative to the outcome of an individual (Breen,2013). However, working in a virtual group does not guarantee a good solution and performance of the individuals. Rather, working in groups presents several hurdles that need to be overcome to realize the full potential of the group and allow it to focus on performance (Peters & Manz, 2008). Franceschi et al. (2007) also state that learning in virtual groups has a positive impact on student learning and engagement, but that there is a lack of pedagogical concepts to guide the groups on their way to performance. Also Gabelica et al. 2012 state:” providing teams with adequate support is needed to secure teamwork. Research on team learning and performance has increased our understanding of how teams learn but is still in its development phase and in search for leverage points that can be used to trigger team learning” (Gabelica et al., 2012, p.124). Within this scope, Krause et al. (2009) make clear that groups use feedback more efectively than individuals and that this has a benefcial efect on the learning behavior of the group members. Concerning feedback research, it should be noted that feedback can have a positive efect on learning behavior and outcome, provided that it is implemented correctly (Shute,2007). ... To include multiple perspectives, an explanatory mixed methods approach from Hanson et al. (2005) with the support of Ivankova et al. (2006) has been chosen. In the frst step, a superordinate quantitative survey was conducted among the students of the virtual collaboration case study work in the virtual classroom. The results of the survey have then been examined and explained in more detail by e-tutors in a qualitative focus group discussion to deepen the understanding. Subsequently, the results were classifed and interpreted within the scope of recent feedback research. Based on the combination of a quantitative survey and the qualitative focus group discussion, seven concrete recommendations for the design of feedback guidelines in virtual group work were subsequently derived. ... [Aus: Introduction

Timing of formative feedback in a virtual learning environment from an E-tutors perspective

One of the most important learning activities of a student at the university are collaborative activities which have a positive effect on the learning skills of students. In the last decades and especially in the last years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge increase in offers to learn in virtual environments. This increase led to the need for professional pedagogical support within the unique environment, which can be addressed by E-tutors. This learning facilitation role becomes increasingly important. Nevertheless, the number of concrete recommendations when interventions are needed is rare. The aim of this study is to fill the gap in the literature when the E-tutor needs to give feedback to students in higher education. The results are derived from a systematic literature review and a qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that feedback needs to be given in a close timeframe, at best within the first two hours after a question arises