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Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online Jo Gibson Authentic Encounters Online Ltd

Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

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An overview of strategies used to promote collaboration online. Case study: an online learning extension & enrichment centre, for 7-15 year old students, as classroom groups and individuals.

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Page 1: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategiesthat Promote

Collaboration Online

Jo Gibson

Authentic Encounters Online Ltd

Page 2: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategies that PromoteCollaboration Online

A case study insight involving:

• 10 years within online environments

• Interaction with 23 countries - mainly with NZers

• Individuals, classrooms and GATE students

• Students aged 7-15 years: age irrelevant vs strategies

• Technical, design and management strategies

Page 3: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

What is acollaborative

online environment?

• It’s the result of a paradigm shift

• It’s a learner-centred paradigm not instructor-led

• It’s where there are time & distance boundaries

• It’s where the learning theory is constructivist

Page 4: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Spotlights

Eg: Pauline McLeod

ICTPD Facilitator, Cambridge

Currently in Turkey, beaming back to 80+ students

Learn-Now: an online learning centre for extension & enrichment.

The reference base for examples given alongside strategies presented.

Page 5: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #1

Develop a leadership/planning team - varies in style, eg:

• Guest: Pauline & Learn-Now staff

• 12 year old: WW2, Henry VIII & Elizabeth 1

• Classroom teacher, a guest + 2 Learn-Now teachers

Page 6: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #2

Develop a shared vision, objective & timeline

• The framework & the big picture

• Student interest, capturing the moment, curriculum

• Eg: Pauline: to show several schools in her cluster, the tools available for learning online, using an inquiry focus

Page 7: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #3

Sell the idea

• Inviting participants on board - staff and students

• Detailed presentation of intent absolutely crucial

• Give a clear indication of support and opportunities

Approximately 80 students are virtual tourists to Turkey - increasing by word of mouth

Page 8: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #4

Create a colourful, image laden site

• Technical elements help capture participants

• Captivating titles - avoiding cluttered menus

• Students click clear, easy to read links first

• Pages & threads need images galore

• Select images that foster collaborative interaction

Page 9: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #5

User Orientation & Navigation

• Administrators to set up the login

• Personal emails share login details & link

• Students find site and initial components

• Project banners secure them to the ‘right site’

• Introductory overviews orientate to hyperlinked next steps

• Activity#1: introduce yourself in the members Lounge

• Activity#2: understand mechanics in the orientation zone

Page 10: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #6Experiencing the tools

• Assume no experience, unless otherwise known

• Target commonly used components first: forums

• How to start? Instruct / Read other messages. Insist

• Use bold to highlight key elements

Page 11: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #7aProtocols & Skills: Live chat/workroom

• Address first, as an actual live chat session

• Chat: most in danger of abrupt & upset interactions

• Target patience when waiting for responses

• Response time = thinking, typing & editing time

• Live chat = oral equivalent: spelling is irrelevant

• Write in short bursts - send mid sentence

• Accept several discussion threads at once

Page 12: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #7b

Protocols & Skills: Forums

• Address in the workroom - as a discussion

• Reply to threads requiring intervention, re: ettiquette

• Encourage resetting subject threads

• Encourage basic composition rules - beginning, middle, end

• Emphasise ending with a question to promote interaction

• Emphasise revisiting 2-3x a week / checking short cut areas

Page 13: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #8aDevelop a sense of community

• A crucial strategy

• Students: desire to talk & be social• Teachers: keep them well informed

• Teachers: need to facilitate the learning• Students: desire being in charge of their learning

• The learner-centred paradigm now very evident

Page 14: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #8b

Developing that sense of community…

• Community: an ambiguous buzzword• Discussion boards + chatrooms only?

Learning context: • Vehicle for connecting people• Connecting stories and experiences• Vehicle for mentoring, facilitation, tutoring, teaching• Result: extended & enriched learning & knowledge

Page 15: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Spotlight

• Community = A TEAM = successful collaboration• Invite participants to nominate a team leader• Expose skills, knowledge & interests• Teams do justice to collaboration: less so the go-solos

• Integrate various communities/teams together• Integration: new audience, knowledge & viewpoints

Page 16: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #9

Seed the collaboration

• A must for the facilitator• A strategy that strengthens a learner-centred focus

• Post some questions/challenges…then fade out• Resist temptation to respond to everything: overkill• Engineer further depth through other students

• Reiterate that students ‘end with a question’• Email invitations to contribute…even just ‘thoughts’

Page 17: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #10aGive enough time: Timelines

• Reality checks are crucial on eg: 10 weeks

• 30mins/week x 10 weeks = 5 hours: a school day

• Is a school day enough time to do a full project?

• Involve students in assessing weekly time needed

• Ownership = healthier perspectives on achievement

Page 18: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #10b

Give enough time: Forums

• Single thread: all done within 24-48 hours if full time

• When collaborating with other classes: 2-3 weeks

• Schools: have to often cater for shared computers

• Home: cater for dial-up and family demands

• Time zones: great application for 24hr time in Maths!

Page 19: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #10c

Give enough time: Live Chat / Workroom

• Patience: crucial skill

• Multi-tasking: encourage during ‘wait time’

• Allow 3 minutes before intervening incoming chat

• Allow for : think time, typing, editing, mentoring time

• 3 minutes+? Hello? Support usually needed…!

Page 20: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #11Give feedback

• Risk overkill during the first 2-3 days

• Give to all student threads / send emails to teachers

• Verify, support and ‘seed’ further interaction

• Suggest, recommend, challenge, query, redirect…

• Avoid direct demands: less depth/replies received

Page 21: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Strategy #12Ensuring Return Visits: feature…

• Edification of success evident

• Seeded next-step action

• Opportunities for assemblies

• Mystery guest workroom sessions

• Treasure Hunt challenges

• Home page quick link navigation

• Resistance to restructure site design

Ensuring Return Visits:

• Email highlights

• ‘Coming Soon’ items

• New blood: guests

• Another audience

• Learning logs/blogs

• Feedback to teachers

• Student leadership

Page 22: Strategies that Promote Collaboration Online

Good Luck! The 12 Strategies

Learn-Now? All evident within a 2 month collaborative programme

• Ideal strategy: look ahead at the big picture

• Problem solve all issues through

• Don’t forget visual and kinesthetic learners

• Ensure variation & feedback

• Never be afraid to hand it over to students