Social aspects as regards the time factor: an analysis of the work process in a virtual group.

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze how social aspects are created according to the time factor in a virtual work group. Although these informal or emotional aspects are often undervalued or separated from those of learning, there are numerous studies into educational environments that show how social aspects play a basic, necessary role in a groups' success, taking into account the fact that this is responsible for the climate created, the perceived feeling of community and the learning carried out. Using this eminently qualitative process to analyse the different degree subjects studied at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, the study focuses on identifying features associated with the time factor, which have implications in establishing the social side of virtual group work. Specifically, three elements have been detected that are associated with: Individual aspects, group dynamics and teaching staff intervention. The article also analyses the repercussions of features on the social side, noting that the time factor is significantly involved in forming the social dimension.