National boundaries and varying time zones are now an issue of the past as researchers and educators seek new and existing information communication technologies to achieve successful collaboration.

In “Scholarly Collaboration Across Time Zones,” an article from the recent release of the Handbook of Research on Electronic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy (edited by Dr. Janet Salmons, Vision2lead, Inc. and Capella University, USA and Dr. Lynn Wilson, SeaTrust Institute, USA) authors Dr. Kathy Lynch, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, Dr. Aleksej Heinze, University of Salford, UK, and Dr. Eljse Scott, University of Cape Town, South Africa, examine the challenges and opportunities of online collaboration in different time zones and academic calendars to extend knowledge, seize opportunities, and build partnerships.

“More and more collaboration is taking place and will continue to gain momentum across different times and spaces,” write Lynch, Heinze, and Scott. “It is not only important that students are being prepared to collaborate across time and spatial boundaries, it is also time for academics to take advantage of new and emerging technologies to advance their research, teaching, and professional development.”

The opportunity to share expertise from across the globe to enhance what and how we teach and learn is common in dissemination, though far less common in the collaboration or construction of knowledge. It is the hope of the authors that their experience will inspire other academicians to take advantage of opportunities that arise regardless of where the possible collaborators may be located.

(Portions of this article are excerpted from Handbook of Research on Electronic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy edited by Dr. Janet Salmons and Dr. Lynn Wilson.)

Upcoming Online Symposiums on E-Collaboration:

NOVEMBER 6: 4 PM EST

STUDYING ELECTRONIC COLLABORATION: RESEARCH, THEORIES AND METHODS

Register at: https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/event/description?instance_id=13286

·Frances Deepwell and Virginia King, Coventry University, United Kingdom

·Kenneth Strang, Central Queensland University, Australia

·Sandra Chrystal, Marshall School of Business University of Southern California, USA

NOVEMBER 12:  3 PM EST          

INTERNATIONAL, CROSS-CULTURAL ELECTRONIC COLLABORATION

Register at: https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/event/description?instance_id=13288

·Andre L. Araujo, College of William & Mary, USA

·Tine Köhler, George Mason University, USA

·Kathy Lynch, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia; Aleksej Heinze, Salford University, England and Elsje Scott, University of Cape Town, South Africa