Collaborative Online Learning in 2015

Collaborative Online Learning in 2015 Key Methods for Successful Teaching

Hillary Eustis 22 Feb 2015 Prof. Goto WRIT 743

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………………..2

Promoting Teamwork…………………………....3-4

Encouraging Feedback…………………………...5

Video Engagement………………………………...6

Conclusion…………………………………………....7 Works Cited…………………………………………..8

2 | Collaborative Online Learning in 2015

Today we live in an age where technology comes secondhand to most individuals. The current student population is a generation attached to their smartphones and tablets, always connected to the digital world. In fact, there’s a good chance you are reading this on some sort of electronic device right now.

Therefore, it is no surprise that online learning is a rising trend in the educational world. As the digital world evolves, online degrees are becoming increasingly popular, and the collaborative learning environment is continually developing.

As this learning trend develops, it is crucial that we identify ways in which we can make the online learning environment more collaborative and effective for students. Collaboration between students is crucial for

Developing critical thinking skills Promoting discussion and development of alternative ideas and methods Developing project management skills

Online learning can open students up to a world of possibilities as an alternative to the traditional learning environment. However, only if educators are putting in the effort to develop online learning programs that foster teamwork and collaboration. In addition, it is crucial that educators interact with their online students, engaging with them in conversation and providing steady feedback. Instructors must actively identify strategies for developing courses that foster collaboration by focusing on:

Promoting Teamwork, Encouraging Feedback, and Multimedia Engagement

In developing strategies to address these issues, educators will find their online teaching to be just as effective and engaging as in-classroom instruction.

Introduction

“Online learning is not the next big

thing; it is the now big thing.”

Donna J. Abernathy (Www.Online.Learning)


From the start of an online course, educators should lay out the framework for teamwork collaboration on assignments and projects. This should include defining team roles and encouraging team members to work out responsibilities.

It is important to encourage students to interact with each other from the very start of the course, so they can get to know their peers and feel more comfortable working collaboratively. Educators should be sure their students are aware of the many ways they can connect with their peers – whether that is through email, group chats, phone calls, etc.

Opening up lines of communication between students is the first step to encouraging productive teamwork. Online learning students do not have the advantage of in-person interaction like traditional classroom students. Despite this, it is still possible for students to effectively work in teams, if the following things are done:

Team structures are laid out at the beginning of the course Various methods of communication are made clear to students A forum for peer and instructor feedback is provided Examples of successful teamwork sessions are provided

By ensuring all of these things are accomplished, students will be given all the tools necessary to work effectively in teams in an online setting and reach a level of collaboration equal to that achieved in a traditional classroom setting.

Promoting Teamwork

“In a collaborative learning environment, knowledge is shared or transmitted among

learners as they work towards common learning goals.”1


Learning in groups is an effective way of helping students gain experience with collaboration and “develop important skills in critical thinking, self-reflections, and co-construction of knowledge.”2 It is crucial for instructors to not only encourage students to collaborate and promote teamwork, but ensure all students are engaging with each other in this way. Often, there are some students in online courses who shy away from collaboration, thinking that they will do better on their own, or that participating in group work will just slow them down. However, we know there are specific pedagogical benefits of collaborative learning, such as the following:

Co-creation of knowledge and meaning,

Reflection, and

Transformative learning3

It is the responsibility of the educators to make sure each and every one of their students are experiencing these benefits. One way of ensuring collaborative participation is by assessing completed assignments, in addition to assessing the process of those assignments, including students’ feedback and collaboration with their peers.


Peer evaluation and feedback is important to developing strong collaboration between online learning students. In order to feel connected to each other, educators need to foster continual communication between peers. This can be accomplished through encouraging students to provide feedback for their peers across discussion boards and threads. However, it is important that strong outlines for what the feedback should encompass are provided to students.4

With outlines in place for peer feedback expectations, students are encouraged to provide helpful comments and suggestions. This results in effective collaboration and teamwork between peers. In addition to this, homework forums can also be a great platform for student collaboration. When students are in the traditional classroom setting, they often have the ability to talk with their peers about how they are approaching assignments, and get suggestions from others as to how they might be able to go about doing an assignment more effectively. Homework forums would provide online learning students with the opportunity to openly discuss assignment expectations.

Instructors should certainly provide online office hours for their students, and this is a great way for students to get clarification on assignment criteria. However, as instructors may not always be available for help, homework forums for the students of a course would provide a great alternative to instructor feedback. Students can get an idea of how their peers are tackling projects and collaborate on ideas.

Encouraging Feedback


Video Engagement

In the online learning environment, both students and educators have all of the tools of technology right at their fingertips. Video is one of these tools, and holds many possibilities for advancing students’ learning and understanding in an online course.

Video capabilities can do a couple of things for students – promote more engaging collaboration between peers and provide for a more personalized learning environment. What do we mean by this? Well, it is often assumed that inherent within online learning is a disconnect between the educator and the student. While this may be true of some online courses, if instructors utilize and employ techniques such as video-based synchronous virtual learning,5 they will find that their connections with students become more meaningful.

Synchronous video conferencing techniques can provide more opportunities for social interaction between peers, as well as students and their instructors, in a virtual classroom environment.6 In their study centered on synchronous online classrooms, scholars from the University of South Florida and Nazareth College stress that it is critical for instructors to evaluate the methods in which they are delivering their online classes. With the increasing desire for the availability of distance learning classes, educators must ensure that the quality of their courses are not suffering due to concentration on convenience.7 While some students do take online learning courses with the convenience factor in mind, they are still there to learn, and instructors need to be utilizing every tool possible in order to close the distance between them and their students.

Utilizing synchronous learning technology, such as video conferencing, is yet another effective method for engaging students in a collaborative learning environment. For instructors not to include multimedia engagement in their learning environment through video communication is a waste of a great technological tool.


Conclusion

Online learning instructors are challenged with this task of understanding new techniques for engaging students and encouraging collaboration within their classroom setting that may not be necessary in a traditional classroom setting. Many instructors of online courses start their careers by teaching in the classroom, and in transitioning to teaching online, it is important to understand that methods of instruction will need to be adapted to promote a successful collaborative learning environment for students.

Educators have a huge task at hand in figuring out how to adapt their teaching to the online environment, however by employing a few key strategies to promote teamwork and encourage feedback, online teaching can be just as effective as in-classroom teaching. In the end, it is most crucial that you set your students up for success – by planning and implementing strategies and structure.

You will need to anticipate varying learning styles and preferences, and have tools ready at hand to cater to those different styles. Through providing different means for collaboration – whether it is by way of discussion boards, group chats, homework forums, or video conferences – you are providing each of your students with the opportunity for successful collaboration. By establishing a strong and effective collaborative environment, you will more easily be

prepared to accommodate those varying styles of learning.

Skills gained from experiencing successful collaborative learning as a student are highly transferable to team-based work environments. As educators, what you strive for more than anything is preparing your students for their future careers. If you wish to be successful in this endeavor you must provide a quality learning environment – one that includes opportunities for students to interact and engage with their peers. Only then will you truly be setting them up for success.


Works Cited

1. Blaschke, Lisa M., Jane E. Brindley, and Christine Walti. "Creating Effective Collaborative Learning Groups in an Online Environment." International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 10.3 (2009): 3.

2. Ibid, 2.

3. Ibid.

4. "Promoting Collaborative Learning in Online Courses." Faculty Focus Promoting Collaborative Learning in Online Courses Comments. N.p., 05 June 2009.

5. Dunn, Jeff. "The 10 Biggest Online Learning Trends of 2015." DailyGenius. N.p., 15 Nov. 2014. Web. <http://dailygenius.com/biggest-online-learning-trends/>.

6. McBrien, J., Rui Cheng, & Phyllis Jones. "Virtual Spaces: Employing a Synchronous Online Classroom to Facilitate Student Engagement in Online Learning." The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning [Online], 10.3 (2009): 2.

7. Ibid, 15.

Technology

Collaborative Online Learning in 2015