How to address group dynamics in virtual worlds
How to address group dynamics in virtual worlds
The study of group dynamics highlights the activity in the group in terms of its performance and communication. The experience of facilitating virtual communities and teams (Eunice and Kimball in http://www.Tmn.com/~lisa/odn-teams.htm, 1997) suggests that groups go through the same stages either in face-to-face or in online mode. The paper brings together a theoretical framework based on the literature on virtual communities, Gestalt systems and online facilitation in order to address the issue of electronic togetherness, in particular from a group dynamics perspective. The empirical work on which the paper is based is an observation of a group of students in a training set playing a decision-making game. The model of Tuckman (Tuckman in Psychol Bull 63:384–399, 1965; Tuckman and Jensen in Group Organ Stud 2:419–427, 1977) is used as a framework within which to discuss the findings of the case. The paper finishes with concrete recommendations for facilitators of online communities and designers of the electronic spaces where these communities operate.
electronic togetherness, group dynamics, interaction design, epistemology, community of practice, gestalt, online facilitation, virtual communities
351-371
Nicolopoulou, Katerina
0931ff44-b81a-41e9-892d-4974d080d861
Koštomaj, Mitja
aaf89876-66f0-4d24-8ba4-9527861b4f17
Campos, Andre
21695bde-206d-4ba5-bd13-66aeb5e2b95d
2006
Nicolopoulou, Katerina
0931ff44-b81a-41e9-892d-4974d080d861
Koštomaj, Mitja
aaf89876-66f0-4d24-8ba4-9527861b4f17
Campos, Andre
21695bde-206d-4ba5-bd13-66aeb5e2b95d
Nicolopoulou, Katerina, Koštomaj, Mitja and Campos, Andre
(2006)
How to address group dynamics in virtual worlds.
AI & Society, 20 (3), .
(doi:10.1007/s00146-005-0027-0).
Abstract
The study of group dynamics highlights the activity in the group in terms of its performance and communication. The experience of facilitating virtual communities and teams (Eunice and Kimball in http://www.Tmn.com/~lisa/odn-teams.htm, 1997) suggests that groups go through the same stages either in face-to-face or in online mode. The paper brings together a theoretical framework based on the literature on virtual communities, Gestalt systems and online facilitation in order to address the issue of electronic togetherness, in particular from a group dynamics perspective. The empirical work on which the paper is based is an observation of a group of students in a training set playing a decision-making game. The model of Tuckman (Tuckman in Psychol Bull 63:384–399, 1965; Tuckman and Jensen in Group Organ Stud 2:419–427, 1977) is used as a framework within which to discuss the findings of the case. The paper finishes with concrete recommendations for facilitators of online communities and designers of the electronic spaces where these communities operate.
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Published date: 2006
Keywords:
electronic togetherness, group dynamics, interaction design, epistemology, community of practice, gestalt, online facilitation, virtual communities
Organisations:
Management
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Local EPrints ID: 37076
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/37076
ISSN: 0951-5666
PURE UUID: 627cf6a7-422a-46f2-acd9-64e46adc6a96
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Date deposited: 19 May 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:58
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Contributors
Author:
Katerina Nicolopoulou
Author:
Mitja Koštomaj
Author:
Andre Campos
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