Dool, Richard. Managing Conflict in Online Student Teams. (2007). eLearn Magazine. Retrieved May 8, 2007 from http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=best_practices&article=36-1.

Summary
In this article, the author discusses the issue of team assignments in an online class and, specifically, how to navigate the group dynamic problems that can result. His argument is that although a team assignment is even harder online than it is face-to-face because of communication difficulties, they are necessary. Learning how to function on a team is a necessity for employment, and with increasing globalization, 'virtual teams' are becoming more common. However, some of the same problems come up in online team assignments as when students are face-to-face--the 'silent' team member, a lack of quality involvement, or accusations of plagiarism. To alleviate these problems, the key is addressing the issue before the assignment is ever given. First, the syllabus for the class needs to clearly outline the expectations for team assignments, and those assignments need to be given enough weight to show their importance. Second, students need to actively think about their role in the group before beginning--both by documenting that they understand and accept the guidelines in the syllabus and by agreeing to a team charter, which structures the group interaction. The author also recommends assigning groups, stating that conflict tends to be less in teacher-assigned groups. He also sets up team chat rooms that are monitored by the instructor so that someone outside of the group can monitor their interaction.
If group problems do arise, there are a variety of ways to deal with it, depending on the severity of the problem. Sometimes a gentle reminder to the entire class can redirect a wayward group. Other times, speaking to a specific student or group may be necessary. If things go really awry, the instructor can conference call with the group and lay out exactly how he/she expects the group to proceed. One last issue that can arise is grading. In the author's classes, team members are asked to evaluate their own and other group members' participation. If there is proof of a real discrepancy, individual grades can be adjusted.

Summary
It is interesting to think about group project issues from a distance learning perspective. Although I've seen all of the issues that this article describes in the physical classroom, I can certainly see how they would be even more pronounced in a virtual one. Trying to communicate with group members (and avoid miscommunication) becomes more difficult--and a whole host of other excuses arise! I liked the solutions that the author sets forth, particularly those that focused on dealing with conflict by avoiding it. Thinking through what you, as an instructor, really want students to do and knowing exactly what you want them to get out of team assignments is half the battle. Structured, clearly expressed expectations seem like they would be a necessity for any online assignment, but especially when you are expecting multiple people to get on the same page and work together. I also like the suggestion of the group charter because it puts the responsibility for thinking about and monitoring group behavior first on the group members. If they have to think about, and agree to, what their group plan will be, I would think they would be more likely to follow through. I may try this in my classroom!