© 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2006 British Educational Communications and Technology Agency. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 37 No 6 2006 937–947 doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00671.x Blackwell Publishing Ltd.Oxford, UKBJETBritish Journal of Educational Technology0007-1013© 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2006 British Educational Communications and Technology Agency2006 376937947Original ArticlesCollaborative learning skills in technology-based environmentsBritish Journal of Educational Technology Supporting students to develop collaborative learning skills in technology-based environments Anne Nevgi, Päivi Virtanen and Hannele Niemi Anne Nevgi is a senior researcher at the Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education at the University of Helsinki. She holds a PhD in adult education from the University of Helsinki, and specialises in university teachers’ pedagogical training and in research on web-based instruction and learning in higher education. Päivi S. Virtanen is a doctoral student and researcher at the Department of Education, University of Helsinki. Her dissertation research focuses on the processes of self-regulated learning and student support in virtual learning environments. Hannele Niemi is Vice-Rector of the University of Helsinki and a professor at the Department of Education, University of Helsinki. Her research interests include teacher education and empowerment of students’ learning in virtual learning environments of higher education. Address for correspondence: Anne Nevgi, Centre of Research and Development in Higher Education, Department of Education, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki. Tel: (358)-9-19120627; fax: (358)-9-19120561; email: anne.nevgi@helsinki.fi Abstract The paper focuses on the question of how to advance collaboration through the Web and support lifelong learning. First, the theoretical framework and architecture of a new web-based tool, the ‘IQ Team’, is introduced. IQ Team is an interactive online assessment and support system to learn social skills needed in cooperative work, and belongs in an interactive online assessing and tutoring system, ‘IQ Form’, developed for the Finnish Virtual University. IQ Team has three main elements: (1) interactive self-evaluation test banks, (2) online tutoring sets and (3) learning diaries. In the creation of IQ Team, the validation process was conducted with two samples ( n = 259 and n = 275). The online students’ social skills in different groups were explored, and the feedback data from different user groups were analysed. The online students scored high values for social skills, and no differences were discerned between university, Open University and technical students. The qualitative data ( n = 35) were collected in order to get users’ feedback of the tool. The qualitative data consisted of interviews, open-ended questions and online discussions. The users of IQ Team reflected that the tool benefited them to become aware of their group work skills and developed their collaborative learning skills. IQ Team provides a powerful tool for online instruction and communication in higher education and in the Open University to promote joint-regulated learning.