Employing a Virtual Workplace Research Team within a Graduate Program

Abstract

This article describes the virtual-team process used by graduate students with a faculty guide at the University of Calgary over a 16-month period. Using a narrative-story technique, the article describes the four stages of work that were completed by the virtual team and identifies the unique strengths, pitfalls, and strategies that the team developed and experienced as it worked through the life of the project. The article concludes with learner, faculty, and research benefits of a virtual-team approach and provides recommendations for the use of virtual workplace research teams in adult graduate programs.