Recent studies focusing on Western students indicate that online collaboration enhances student learning achievement. Yet few empirical studies have analyzed student satisfaction and performance through online collaboration from a cross-cultural perspective. This study aims to examine student satisfaction and performance in online collaborative learning involving students in two different cultural contexts. A parallel e-learning environment with online collaborative group work was implemented for a group of Chinese first-year students from a national comprehensive university in Beijing, China and a group of Flemish first-year students from a regional comprehensive university in Flanders, Belgium. Differences and similarities with regard to student (dis-)satisfaction and their performance are analyzed and discussed from a cross-cultural perspective.

Keywords
Computer supported collaborative learning; Cultural context; Asynchronous group discussion; Satisfaction; Academic performance