Using a concurrently collaborative spreadsheet to improve teamwork and chemical engineering problem solving

A project investigating the viability of a concurrently collaborative online spreadsheet to improve the effectiveness of student teams when solving chemical engineering problems is described. Students in two classes representing sophomores and seniors were assigned a problem to be solved using a spreadsheet on Google Docs, an online browser-based suite of productivity applications. The unique feature of this spreadsheet is that multiple users on multiple machines can edit the same spreadsheet simultaneously, with changes appearing on all users screen within about one second. Assessment was performed to determine whether use of this spreadsheet was technically viable, suitable for students not in the same room, and useful for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of students working in teams. From a limited sample size assessment, the Google spreadsheet does appear to be viable, to allow effective communication amongst participants, and to contribute to a more efficient and effective team problem-solving experience.