The conceptual framework for the study is group development processes.
There are multiple, competing theories addressing group development processes.
These theories fall within two general categories: linear and nonlinear group
development processes.
The review of the literature is built upon three bodies of knowledge. The
first is collaborative learning and its implications in the classroom. The second
reviews the literature on group formation, reflecting that groups are social
networks defined by both connection and distance between student “actors.”
Lastly, studies on the use of social media technologies in the classroom
environment are reviewed.