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uted by males in mixed groups were especially
changeable. More females were less confident
of using computer applications and less positive
regarding new technology challenges. They also
demonstrated higher average final report marks,
although they had expressed fears about finding
the course difficult.
Clearly, gender is one of the many factors as-
sociated with team performance and cohesion in
CSCLEs. Concerning the role of the instructor
in managing gender differences in virtual teams
with the purpose of promoting collaboration and
influencing learner-learner interactions, the fol-
lowing list is presented (Barrett & Lally, 1999;
Johnson & Aragon, 2003; Knight, Pearce, Smith,
Olian, Sims, Smith, & Flood, 1999; Potter &
Bathazard, 2002):
this purpose, they can use teambuilding
exercises with discussions of differences
in personality types, levels of participation,
technology issues, and so on.
Ethnic-racial, economic-class differences
and barriers occur in most learning groups, since
it is common for individuals initiated from dif-
ferent races or social classes to participate in the
same computer-mediated learning environment.
Wegerif (1998) showed, through a study of a mul-
ticultural computer-mediated course, that social
factors, like ethnicity, have an impact upon the
learning procedure. In particular, he stated that
when ethnicity differentiations corresponding to
language or race differences are not taken under
account, lead to decreased participation rates,
and willingness in collaboration. Similar studies
had also been conducted by other researchers
(Kember, 2000; Kennedy, 2002; Vogel, Lou, van
Eekhout, van Genuchten, Verveen, & Adams,
2000). In cases where the learning environment
a l l o w s r a c i s t h i n t s c o n c e r n i n g r a c i a l o r e c o n o m i c -
class backgrounds, individuals hurt demonstrate
negativism, unwillingness in participation, and
abstention to any collaborative task. As a result,
the team coherence is damaged, and the whole
learning procedure fails.
One of the key issues facing all educational
environments, both traditional and computer
mediated (and indeed lifelong learning), is how to
create tolerance for minorities in an environment
characterized by diversity (Obidah, 2000; Volet,
1999). Intolerance is conceptualized basically as
a matter of attitudes, and is said to be constituted
by prejudice.
The instructor should confront ethnic or racial
differences within the members of a virtual team
by using information summarized below (Chow,
Shields, & Wu, 1999; Chen et al., 2000; Bonner,
Marbley, & Agnello, 2004):
• Gender differences and needs may be ad-
dressed by tailoring distance programs or by
creating peer groups with similar learning
backgrounds and interests. The instructor
would organize discussions about gender
similarities and differences.
• Strategies for promoting inclusion regarding
gender issues suggest equally profiling men
and women in curriculum illustration in both
traditional and nontraditional roles. Care
should be taken to be sensitive to diversity
in sexual orientation. The instructor would
create mixed teams and ask them to play a
game or to develop a project.
• An instructor should keep in mind that male
participants will tend to be most comfortable
when team's objectives are clarified to the
greatest possible extent, and the individual
roles of team members are defined. Whilst
female participants appear to be most com-
fortable when communication and other
group maintenance activities are clearly
valued, along with task activities.
• Instructors might choose to discuss common
gender differences with their team members
to raise awareness and understanding. For
• The context supporting the courses in such an
environment should be adequate and neutral
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