Abstract

We propose a conceptual framework based on input-process-output models adapted from traditional group research for the systematic analysis of virtual teamwork. A research agenda contains a list of research questions that
will be investigated in a controlled field study in the context of “The ShanghAI Lectures”, a global teaching and international student collaboration project. The
research questions are formulated regarding processes and outcomes of global virtual teamwork and focus on usability and sociability issues in collaborative work in 3D virtual environments. An operational framework is provided for
collecting the relevant data in a structured manner by using qualitative and quantitative process measures of group behavior.