(Winter 2010)

Virtual teams are a key aspect of most online courses and a growing facet of the modern organization. Exceptional online instructors and trainers utilize teams for projects and other learning activities as well as to build networks within the virtual learning environment. In addition, master instructors and trainers may be required to build and manage virtual teams of teaching assistants and training assistants. Many master online instructors are expected to build and virtually manage a team of online teaching assistants. In the business world, managers may be facilitating teams that are geographically spread across the globe. Mastering the ability to build and manage virtual teams is a value add that should be on the CV of every well skilled online instructor, trainer and manager.

Alex Lazo, Ph.D., is Director of Education for Allied Business Schools. He handles all the technology functions for the College of Science and Mathematics. He has been working in Information Technology for 20 years, much of which was spent with Fortune 1000 companies. He has held liaison position with various business lines of organizations he has worked for, allowing him to understand the nuances of the relationship between these two functional areas.