5 Steps to Take Before Starting Online Group Work - Jordan Friedman, US News

There are plenty of perks associated with doing group work in an online course, experts say. Debbie Morrison, an instructional design consultant who works with California State University—Fullerton's online programs, says group work in online courses provides students with important virtual collaboration skills for the 21st-century workforce. In general, she adds, group assignments are beneficial because they create an environment that involves learning from peers and gaining additional perspectives on different subjects. "It can expose a level of critical thinking," Morrison says. But before students begin working on their online course group projects, experts say it's important to follow these 5 steps. http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2015/05/25/5-steps-to-take-before-starting-online-group-work