Can online learning kick-start greater collaboration?

From negotiating different time zones during group work to navigating my.wbs, MSc Business with Marketing ambassador, Joshua shares his online experience.

As a student, I am no stranger to the online learning experience, and in the past I have used various online platforms for academic support. Nevertheless, for my full-time MSc I was initially sceptical regarding the shift from face-to-face to online learning. However, it has been a pleasant surprise.

World-class online learning

The seamless delivery of online lectures and availability of resources for each module, via Warwick Business School’s online platforms, have been incredible. The lectures are interactive and intellectually stimulating. Resources, such as case studies and reading material, are made available to read online or download for each module. The platforms are easy to navigate and pose no barriers when it comes to class presentations or communication.

The online learning platform, my.wbs, has designated workspaces for group work and meetings that contribute to an extensive online experience. Assessments and group assignments have also been remodelled to provide submission and grading processes which are convenient for each module.

Warwick Business School leads the global rankings for its Distance Learning MBA. By incorporating the same techniques and solutions into its online MSc courses, I can confidently concur there is no loss of knowledge or information through the online delivery.

Collaborating online

We live in a digital age where no student is a novice to sharing information online, be it sharing documents, live group meetings or even working on the same presentation together. The online platform, my.wbs, has designated work spaces for each module where groups can collaborate and work together in a coherent manner. It offers functions such as live video calls, sharing and presenting documents, and scheduling meetings. In my personal experience, I have found daily use of the platform to be fluid and convenient.

However, there has been one instance where, due to technical reasons, the group was unable to use this space. That is when the use of multiple online meeting options, such as Skype and Zoom, provide support as secondary solutions.

Using cloud services, such as Google docs and OneDrive, I have been successful in collaborating on group presentations and assignments.

When it comes to working across time zones with people from different countries, WBS has been carefully selective of forming groups of individuals who share similar time zones, while maintaining a diverse mix of international students. In my previous groups, I have worked with students across various time zones of up to 4 hours’ difference. We immediately resolved the issue as a team by deciding on a particular time of day that is equally convenient to us all.

Thus far, I have not experienced any inconveniences working online or across time zones. Altogether, the online experience has been unique and interesting.

Find out more about our portfolio of MSc courses here.