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This paper briefly summarizes the initial development of a computer-supported collaborative learning environment and evaluates its effects in relation to the productivity of CSCL groups. The design of the SIDE-VIEW system is driven by the social identity approach to understanding group behaviour and is premised upon the need to establish congruity between the self-definition of group members and their collaborative learning tasks. We begin by outlining the rationale for the system in relation to productivity and the emergence of team players within collaborative learning groups. We then describe aspects of the design that are intended to enhance both, and report on a field trial of the initial prototype on international groups of higher education students. The preliminary results of the field study indicate that aspects of the design encourage the emergence and influence of team players within groups, with consequential improvements to the quality of the group output. The role of team players in CSCL groups is contrasted with that of group leaders.Project overview SIDE-VIEW is a web-based collaborative learning environment for use by groups interacting via the Internet (Lea et al., 1999a(Lea et al., , 1999b. The initial prototype consists of several elements of commercially available web conferencing software that are customized to provide specific communication contexts that support different stages and processes of group collaboration. A unique feature of the project is that the system design is driven by empirically tested social psychological theory of groups (the social identity approach; eg, Haslam, 2000;Turner et al., 1987). Drawing on this resource, the design aims to provide a combination of technical and social features that support the social identity processes necessary for effective group collaboration.