In their article, "Online collaborative work model from a socio-emotional perspective," Adolfo Montalvo García, Santiago Ávila Vila, and Frank Longo address a critical issue in distance higher education: the gap between simply grouping students and achieving genuine collaboration. The authors argue that the absence of face-to-face interactions hinders emotional management, often leading to frustration and misunderstandings.
The main contribution of their research is the validation of a robust model composed of five key socio-emotional factors that define an individual's contribution to teamwork: Conflict Management, Personal Influence, Comprehensive Communication, Self-control, and Teamwork. This model serves as a fundamental tool for both professors and students to understand and improve collaborative dynamics in virtual environments.
Methodologically, the study is based on a questionnaire administered to a considerable sample of 722 master's students in management, primarily using items from established emotional intelligence instruments. Through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the researchers demonstrate that their five-factor model offers the best statistical fit.
Among the most relevant findings, significant differences were observed based on gender and age: women score higher on Teamwork, Personal Influence, and Comprehensive Communication, while those over 30 show better Conflict Management and Self-control. These correlations provide important nuance on how demographic characteristics can influence collaborative skills.
The relevance of this work lies in its practical applicability. The model offers not only a theoretical framework but also a diagnostic tool that allows educational institutions to evaluate and foster students' socio-emotional skills for online teamwork. By making desirable behaviors explicit, students can be guided to improve their individual contributions and prevent toxic dynamics, such as those caused by "rotten apples."
Ultimately, the research equips online pedagogy with a valuable instrument to transform teamwork into a richer, more effective, and preparatory learning experience for today's globalized work environment.
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How to Cite: Montalvo García, A., Ávila Vila, S., & Longo, F. (2024). Online collaborative work model from a socio-emotional perspective. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 27(2), 17–34. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.27.2.39115
