Abstract
Principal Investigator: Dr. Atiqah Azhari
Jul 2023 – Jun 2026
This study explores the brain and behavioural mechanisms that support effective online collaboration among undergraduate students. As digital platforms become an integral part of higher education and the future workforce, understanding how students communicate, coordinate, and problem-solve virtually is more important than ever.
Using tools from social neuroscience and behavioural research, the project investigates how students engage with one another during online group tasks—looking at factors such as learning activities, group satisfaction and interpersonal behaviours. By measuring both neural and behavioural data, the study aims to uncover what contributes to successful virtual teamwork and what hinders it.
Summary
This study seeks to identify the behaviours which are crucial to collaborative performance online. These competencies may be strategically incorporated into curriculum design in IHLs as Interpersonal Learning Objectives (ILOs) under an interpersonal competencies category. This study also provides technical groundwork for subsequent research that apply the same techniques to uncover core interpersonal competencies to support team performance and collaboration in naturalistic workplace and classroom online settings.