Intercultural Collaborative Learning Scenarios in E-Business Education: Media Competencies for Virtual Workplaces

Background

Beginning with a very critical point of view concerning media (-technic) conveyed learning, which started with educational television (Brown, 1987) after that developed into distance teaching (see. Mittendorfer, 1995, Bourdeau & Bates, 1997) and more complex conveyance via online learning, there have been distinct reservations towards the approach of online teaching until the element of interaction in a virtual learning environment was elaborated. Thereby learners interact and collaborate on learning assignments within a virtual learning environment.

Johnson et al. figured out in the Horizon Report that collaboration is a critical skill for employees (Johnson et al., 2012, p. 6). Within globalized economy, the ability of collaborating in various different groups becomes a key competence. Thus it seems useful, to create and establish learning settings that facilitate the ability of working in a team. At least since there is a massive need for virtual communication in this globalized economy, also virtual learning is accepted widely – mostly as a part of a blended learning approach. As cross-linked development of virtual content, as well as various patterns of medial communication became indispensable for acting in management, the conveyance of virtual media competence is very important for students of business focused courses.