Consideration of workgroup size in synchronous distance learning

The Covid-19 crisis has affected all areas of life, including higher education. The transition to online education created significant challenges that affected student engagement and teaching practices. However, these challenges can be exploited to improve teaching methods. This study examines an opportunity to encourage active learning in courses taught online. The purposes of the study are: 1. Evaluate the impact of different sizes of work groups, in respect to the level of activity and commitment of the students. 2. Examine students’ attitudes towards the different components of online learning. The division into small groups was found to contribute to a sense of visibility and promote participation in the class. On the other hand, learning in a united group creates a learning community rich in ideas, but with little participation. Identifying the most successful components in each group size can provide a better teaching methodology and learning experience in online courses.