Leadership of the Online Course Team

Leadership of the effective and efficient online course team

Virtual team leaders have the same core responsibility of all team leaders, regardless of the context in which they lead: to keep channels of communication open. Communication is what makes a team a true 'team' that functions as a unit, rather than a group that merely exists as a conglomeration of disparate parts, with competing, personal agendas. Using email, chatting, text messaging, and face-to-face communication (whenever possible) is essential to ensure that contact is frequent, and ideas and concerns are discussed rather than fester and simmer. Consistent communication, even when it is only brief, also serves to uphold the second core function of a team leader -- to keep the team on-task, and focused upon its mission.

From the very beginning, the goal and purpose of the team must be defined, otherwise the group will...
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