During her previous research, she discovered that students have learned outside the classroom.

Group dynamics is something that Regina Smith likes to look at. More specifically, she studies the group dynamics of online collaboration.

Smith, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administrative leadership professor, is seeking to complete her research, Instructors Role in Facilitating Online Collaborative Group Work.

The work, she says, would evaluate how students work together in an online collaborative environment and then examines how faculty members reacted to the group.

Smith enjoys researching the online group work because of its particular dynamic.

People would be free to be themselves without being ostracized in groups, she explains.

Smith says that allows people to leave behind their gender, race, size and age, among other factors.

She has gathered some data for the project. She interviewed a class of graduate students, about 20 students in all.

According to Smith, group dynamics, even online, can cause people to fit into previously conceived categories. For instance, she says, women in groups will generally be regarded as the secretary, sometimes because they are afraid to confront men.

People who speak English as a second language often find that they are relegated simple tasks “ if any at all, Smith says. Thats because in the group dynamic, theyre often thought of as being too slow to keep up with the pace of the work.

They thought it severely affected what they learned, she says.

Smith wants to help faculty member learn how to identify some of these emotional problems.

But there needs to be a conscious way for faculty members to step in, if need be, because often when they do, it destroys group dynamics, Smith says.

Smith also cautions about other aspects of group dynamics. Some students are unable to look at a broad range of perspectives brought by other members of the group.

If you dont take ideas, you erase peoples identities, Smith says.

Often, people will hear the idea, but then go and perform their own.

Smith would like to continue her research at various universities, including ones that generally accept African-Americans, American Indians and Latinos. She says this would allow her to have a cross section to see if the same trends take place.

Theres a lot that goes through groups thats unconscious, she says.

Although Smith was unsuccessful in her bid to receive funding for the project through Chancellor Carlos Santiagos Research Growth Initiative, which provides seed funding, she is currently looking for outside sources. Primarily, she is looking to the Lumina Foundation, a national organization that strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school, according to its Web site.

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