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Encouraging self-managing e-groups
E-moderating large groups can be time consuming and participants benefit from becoming self-managing (Salmon and Lawless 2005). The basic framework of small groups is similar to the face-to-face version, for example:
- Invite larger groups into smaller work teams. Give them good time to complete an e-tivity and then report back to the larger group.
- Offer clarification about the task, the timescale, and the form of presentation, if necessary.
- Leave them to get on with the task, only intervening if they fail to post their contribution to the plenary on time.
- Start a discussion on the results of the plenary contributions but do not dominate it. Summarize the discussion or ask an experienced participant to do this.
However there are some special characteristics that will help groups to self-manage online:
- Ask individuals to confirm when they have joined in: A simple joining activity in the thread will leave a trace to indicate that participants arrived. A cross check against a list of participants will reveal who is late. Designate a participant from each work team to follow up less visible contributors.
- State the purpose of the task: The task will motivate the participants. Offer clarification, if necessary, but allow opportunities for flexible interpretations.
- Describe how groups will be formed:An element of self selection helps to maintain interest, but ensure that the method is simply described and incapable of being misunderstood.
- Set up a thread for each group and let the group know where to locate the thread: If you don't they'll only ask you!
- Describe the form and type of content that the group should produce and where they should post it: Aim to be prescriptive without being too restrictive. Indicate the main issues that must be addressed.
- Set out the plenary process in the plenary thread: This can be part of your welcoming message.
- Ask the participants to review both content (their main focus) and the process: Include setting up the group, the degree to which they found the task motivating, how they collaborated, their approach to feeding back as part of the learning points - so it becomes 'natural and normal' to reflect not just their outputs but how they worked together.
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