Topic 3: Learning in communities – networked collaborative learning

Scenario: “Most people I’ve come across have a rather weak idea of what it really means to learn collaboratively. Mostly, we fall back into the group-work mode from school – we divide tasks between us and glue them onto the same board when it comes to accounting of a group project. When digital tools is inserted into this equation, things tend to get even worse: if one person in the group happens to be familiar with the tool, then work lands in her/his lap. I would like to add an extra dimension to the course I’m leading by introducing collaborative elements, but how can I get people to really recognize the value of becoming part of a learning community and collaborate with their peers in a way that makes use of all the different competencies that group members bring into the work?”

As usual, in this course our small group begun by taking part of the scenario for the topic and split it in parts according to the Fish model.  Our discussions in our group was lively and very interesting when group participants shared their own reflections about our experiences about collaborative learning.

One important question was and is how to really get different personalities with different skills and level of knowledge involved in a topic. Another question is how to evaluate students in community learning and make sure that everyone participates equally and in a responsible and active way.

We discussed a lot about the importance of that the group members can feel good and comfortable in the online learning environment. We think that’s very important so that real learning can take place.

It also has a big meaning that when we have moved from face to face learning in classrooms into online learning that we could encourage students to be attending and keeping their web cameras on to get a feeling of sharing and learning together. For some reason many of us had the experience that many chose to keep their cameras off.

It should be important in the beginning of on online course to discuss with the students about netiquette and how to behave in an appropriate way and make rules for the participants how to attend an online course when it still seems to be a new way of learning for many of the students and we all have to learn a lot more.

In collaborative learning you have to be responsible for the whole groups learning not just your own and there’s many factors that affects the learning process.

Topic 3 gave me good ideas about creating good learning environments online. In the end the question is about how to make participants comfortable in a learning environment and find the way out how to support them in the best way. That’s my reflections about collaborative learning today.

References:

Brindley, J., Blaschke, L. M. & Walti, C. (2009). Creating effective collaborative learning groups in an online environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3). Available here.

Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online learners frustrated with collaborative learning experiences?. The International review of research in open and distance learning, 13(2), 26-44. Available here.