Research On Learning Process Model Of Virtual Learning Team Based On Shared Mental Model

Network learning mode has attracted a large number of learners because of the advantages such as its character of convenient, richness in resources and limitless in space and time since it began. However, some disadvantages such as the isolation of time and space, the deficiency of the mutual understanding and trust, the lack of good learning atmosphere also exist during the process of network learning, therefore, researchers on education have been working hard to explore some measures on how to overcome the shortcomings with information technology and make the best use of network learning. The author suggests the following ways:organizing the learners who share the same leaning tasks, building a virtual learning team with a clear division of responsibilities and a perfect rules and regulations framework based on the internet. These ways can help to promote the sharing of knowledge among learners, and also help to cultivate the learner’s ability of cooperation in team works.The virtual team researches are mainly focused in the fields of business and management, yet the research on the field of education is still in the exploratory stage of the primary since ever. The present of shared mental model in team research provide a new perspective for us to understand the differences in performance among different teams. Thus, this study attempts to introduce the concept of the shared mental model into virtual learning team, take the shared mental model as a process variable and combine it with the factors that affect shared mental model in virtual learning team, and then to build a virtual team learning process model based on the shared mental model, and put forward some corresponding implementing suggestions.What’s more, in order to verify the effectiveness of the built process model, the author takes the course of education psychology as a case to build a virtual study team of graduate students and trace the progress of each team from the beginning to the end, and verify the assumptions with the methods of questionnaires,at last to put forward the revised virtual team learning process model based on shared mental model.This study is divided into six parts; the main contents of each part are as follows:(1) Introduction. This part mainly includes the research background, the significance of the research and research contents and methods. (2)Foundation of related research. This part is the summary the concept, characteristics and obstacles of knowledge sharing in virtual team learning, this part also includes the concept of shared mental model, its measurement and effects, and the research status of both based on the studying of a large number of literatures.(3)The building of virtual team learning process model. This part put forward nine hypotheses of the relationships among the related two types of shared mental models, five categories of influential factors and the efficiency of the virtual study team based on the conclusion of the previous researchers. And then build the virtual study team learning process model based on shared mental model, and also give a brief introduction of the above.(4)The empirical research on the virtual study team based on the course of education psychology. This part mainly introduces the situation of virtual learning team in the empirical research, including the team building, team learning and team performance.(5)The analysis and discussion. In order to test whether the hypotheses are correct or not, this study designed questionnaires of shared mental model of the virtual study team and team effectiveness. And then analyze the reliability, validity and correlation of the data of questionnaires. Finally, according to the tested result of hypotheses, revise the previous process model.(6)Summary and outlook of the whole study. This part mainly summarizes the conclusion of the research in this thesis, analyze the limitations and shortcomings of the research, and put forward the outlook of researches in the future.