REMOTE COLLABORATION AMONG STUDENTS USING ELECTRONIC MAIL

In this paper we described a project that allowed university students from dispersed remote locations to collaborate on a decision-making ta sk using electronic mail. Students enrolled in a course in quantitativ e decision-making from the University of Hawaii were matched with stud ents in the same course at Southern Methodist University. The students were asked to develop a strategy for communication and work jointly w ith their remote group members to evaluate and solve a complex linear- programming decision-making task. Despite some shortcomings related pr imarily to time constraints, the majority of students made high qualit y decisions and felt the project was of immeasurable value to them. Th e project illustrates a unique and valuable manner in which computers can be incorporated into the classroom in a meaningful way. In additio n, a project of this nature allows the education system to address som e serious concerns business professionals have voiced regarding inadeq uacies among college business graduates. It provides students with the opportunity to appreciate the importance of technology in modern busi ness practices and the chance to improve group collaboration efforts. In addition, the experience forced the students to fine tune both thei r writing and analytic skills and establish strategies for working in groups in an effective and efficient manner. Disciplines other than bu siness can benefit from similar projects in which the task involves an y type of decision making problem. Regardless of the specific task req uired, students from all disciplines can gain an appreciation of the u sefulness of computers in group work as well as the unique set of chal lenges that must be faced in remote collaboration. A cross-cultural di mension could be added by allowing students from different countries t o work jointly to make decisions on global problems. The authors belie ve the project described in this paper can motivate other educators an d researchers to repeat the experiment to provide students with a valu able educational experience and researchers and educators the opportun ity to gain insights into and improve remote group collaboration.