Synchronous collaborative software for online group work: A study of student perception
Abstract
Synchronous collaborative software (SCS) is increasingly common in online education. To evaluate the impact of these tools on online group work, we conducted a study involving 325 undergraduate and MBA students. We found that students’ perceptions of communication efficacy improved as the frequency of usage with SCS increased and that communication efficacy was positively related to students’ perceptions of group cohesion. Additionally, an indirect effect exists for SCS usage on group cohesion through communication efficacy. These findings suggest that SCS can be an effective and valuable tool for facilitating communication and collaboration in online group work.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Team Dynamics and Performance
Online and Blended Learning
Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Education for Business
- Volume
- 101
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 70–77
- Publication date
- 5 January 2026
- Language
- EN