To Inhibit or Invite: Collaboration from Far Away

This paper examines the lack of physical and in-person interaction on collaboration. We explore the extent of the shock on collaborative work due to current pandemic related circumstances in and beyond the classroom and how university students and professors have responded to the shock. In a descriptive analysis we consider evidence from diverse literature relating in-person connections to routine response or inhibition of innovative action (trying something new) and lack of in person interaction to elevated attempts at innovative action. Preliminary examination of qualitative responses from faculty and student collaboration is associated specifically with (a) positive affect during first-time experiences vs. practice effects in existing relationships, (b) negative affect as intimidation factor with in person or virtual communication, (c) elevated attempts to iterate in the middle of uncertainty, and (d) inhibited social behavior. Focus in on the role of collaboration for transformative work in engineering education with a central question: How does positive interpersonal expression amplify collaboration while meeting virtually?