Investigating the impacts of personality on the use and perceptions of online collaborative platforms in higher education.

Abstract

Collaborative work is a critical component of active learning. Where in-person collaboration may not be possible, inclusion of online collaboration tools has become more prevalent. Previous studies have suggested that online collaboration is beneficial to overall learning outcomes; however, little research has investigated how differences in personality traits, such as extraversion and agreeableness, impact the benefits and effectiveness of collaborative learning, both through online (synchronous and asynchronous) and in-person platforms. In the present study, 360 (66.4% female) undergraduate students completed an online survey to assess perceptions of and beliefs about online synchronous, online asynchronous, and in-person collaboration in higher education with a focus on the impact of extraversion and agreeableness. Findings indicated that students had more experience and greater preference for online synchronous collaboration compared to online asynchronous collaboration; however, students believed that in-person collaboration was most effective. Both extraversion and agreeableness predicted positive beliefs about group work in both online and in-person settings but not uniformly. These findings support the use of online synchronous collaboration when in-person opportunities are limited; however, individual differences related to personality traits can differentially impact students’ perceptions toward and actions within collaboration contexts.