Sample records for collaborative online learning

  1. Are Online Learners Frustrated with Collaborative Learning Experiences?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Capdeferro, Neus; Romero, Margarida

    2012-01-01

    Online education increasingly puts emphasis on collaborative learning methods. Despite the pedagogical advantages of collaborative learning, online learners can perceive collaborative learning activities as frustrating experiences. The purpose of this study was to characterize the feelings of frustration as a negative emotion among online learners…

  2. Online Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Tim, Ed.

    2004-01-01

    "Online Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice" provides a resource for researchers and practitioners in the area of online collaborative learning (also known as CSCL, computer-supported collaborative learning), particularly those working within a tertiary education environment. It includes articles of relevance to those interested in both…

  3. Learning Tasks, Peer Interaction, and Cognition Process: An Online Collaborative Design Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Durrington, Vance A.

    2013-01-01

    This paper illustrates a model for Online Group Collaborative Learning. The authors based the foundation of the Online Collaborative Design Model upon Piaget's concepts of assimilation and accommodation, and Vygotsky's theory of social interaction. The four components of online collaborative learning include: individual processes, the task(s)…

  4. Stress in Japanese Learners Engaged in Online Collaborative Learning in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Insung; Kudo, Masayuki; Choi, Sook-Kyoung

    2012-01-01

    Many studies report positive learning experience and improved performance in online collaborative learning. However, such learning can also incur unnecessary or excessive stress with a resultant adverse effect on the learning. This study aimed to determine the stress factors in online collaborative learning as perceived by 226 Japanese university…

  5. Teaching with Technology: Applications of Collaborative Online Learning Units to Improve 21st Century Skills for All

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Walden, Emily D.; Gallard, Alejandro

    2017-01-01

    Inquiry-based learning methods, coupled with advanced technology, hold promise for closing the science literacy gap for English learners (ELs) and students with learning difficulties (SWLDs). Project ESCOLAR (Etext Supports for Collaborative Online Learning and Academic Reading) created collaborative online learning units for middle school science…

  6. A Web-Based Synchronous Collaborative Review Tool: A Case Study of an On-Line Graduate Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serce, Fatma Cemile; Yildirim, Soner

    2006-01-01

    On-line collaboration is an instructional method that facilitates collaboration in an on-line learning setting. To promote effective collaboration, it is vital to reveal both the student's and the instructor's point of view pertaining to effective on-line collaboration. In this study, the effectiveness of a learning management system in on-line…

  7. Collaborative distance learning: Developing an online learning community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stoytcheva, Maria

    2017-12-01

    The method of collaborative distance learning has been applied for years in a number of distance learning courses, but they are relatively few in foreign language learning. The context of this research is a hybrid distance learning of French for specific purposes, delivered through the platform UNIV-RcT (Strasbourg University), which combines collaborative activities for the realization of a common problem-solving task online. The study focuses on a couple of aspects: on-line interactions carried out in small, tutored groups and the process of community building online. By analyzing the learner's perceptions of community and collaborative learning, we have tried to understand the process of building and maintenance of online learning community and to see to what extent the collaborative distance learning contribute to the development of the competence expectations at the end of the course. The analysis of the results allows us to distinguish the advantages and limitations of this type of e-learning and thus evaluate their pertinence.

  8. Assessing Online Collaborative Discourse.

    PubMed

    Breen, Henny

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative study using transcript analysis was undertaken to clarify the value of Harasim's Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a way to assess the collaborative process within nursing education. The theory incorporated three phases: (a) idea generating; (b) idea organizing; and (c) intellectual convergence. The transcripts of asynchronous discussions from a 2-week module about disaster nursing using a virtual community were analyzed and formed the data for this study. This study supports the use of Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a framework for assessing online collaborative discourse. Individual or group outcomes were required for the students to move through all three phases of the theory. The phases of the Online Collaborative Learning Theory could be used to evaluate the student's ability to collaborate. It is recommended that group process skills, which have more to do with interpersonal skills, be evaluated separately from collaborative learning, which has more to do with cognitive skills. Both are required for practicing nurses. When evaluated separately, the student learning needs are more clearly delineated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. A Preliminary Evaluation of Using WebPA for Online Peer Assessment of Collaborative Performance by Groups of Online Distance Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Jo-Anne; Boyd, Sharon

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative assessment has well-recognised benefits in higher education and, in online distance learning, this type of assessment may be integral to collaborative e-learning and may have a strong influence on the student's relationship with learning. While there are known benefits associated with collaborative assessment, the main drawback is…

  10. Using Visualization to Motivate Student Participation in Collaborative Online Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jin, Sung-Hee

    2017-01-01

    Online participation in collaborative online learning environments is instrumental in motivating students to learn and promoting their learning satisfaction, but there has been little research on the technical supports for motivating students' online participation. The purpose of this study was to develop a visualization tool to motivate learners…

  11. Collaborative Annotation System Environment (CASE) for Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glover, Ian; Hardaker, Glenn; Xu, Zhijie

    2004-01-01

    This paper outlines the design and development process of an online annotation system and how it is applied to the sphere of collaborative online learning. The architecture and design of the annotation system, illustrated in this paper, have been developed to enrich collaborative learning content through adding a layer of information in online…

  12. Online Collaborative Learning in a Project-Based Learning Environment in Taiwan: A Case Study on Undergraduate Students' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Ke; Peng, Shiang Wuu; Hung, Jui-long

    2009-01-01

    This case study investigated undergraduate students' first experience in online collaborative learning in a project-based learning (PBL) environment in Taiwan. Data were collected through interviews of 48 students, instructor's field notes, researchers' online observations, students' online discourse, and group artifacts. The findings revealed…

  13. Regulation of Motivation: Students' Motivation Management in Online Collaborative Groupwork

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Jianzhong; Du, Jianxia

    2013-01-01

    Background: Online learning is becoming a global phenomenon and has a steadily growing influence on how learning is delivered at universities worldwide. Motivation of students, however, has become one of the most serious problems in one important aspect of online learning--online collaborative groupwork or online group homework. It is surprising…

  14. Virtual collaboration in the online educational setting: a concept analysis.

    PubMed

    Breen, Henny

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to explore the concept of virtual collaboration within the context of an online learning environment in an academic setting. Rodgers' method of evolutionary concept analysis was used to provide a contextual view of the concept to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of virtual collaboration. Commonly used terms to describe virtual collaboration are collaborative and cooperative learning, group work, group interaction, group learning, and teamwork. A constructivist pedagogy, group-based process with a shared purpose, support, and web-based technology is required for virtual collaboration to take place. Consequences of virtual collaboration are higher order thinking and learning to work with others. A comprehensive definition of virtual collaboration is offered as an outcome of this analysis. Clarification of virtual collaboration prior to using it as a pedagogical tool in the online learning environment will enhance nursing education with the changes in nursing curriculum being implemented today. Further research is recommended to describe the developmental stages of the collaborative process among nursing students in online education and how virtual collaboration facilitates collaboration in practice. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Solitary Learner in Online Collaborative Learning: A Disappointing Experience?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ke, Fengfeng; Carr-Chellman, Alison

    2006-01-01

    Research suggests that the solitary learner's learning preferences might be a mismatch with collaborative instructional settings. A question is therefore posed: "In online learning environments that require collaboration, how do solitary learners experience their own learning?" It is important to answer this question to understand and…

  16. Effective Online Practices for International Learning Collaborations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ray, Waverly C.; Muñiz-Solari, Osvaldo; Klein, Phil; Solem, Michael

    2012-01-01

    The Association of American Geographers' Center for Global Geography Education aims to internationalize geography in higher education by providing materials and activities to support international learning collaborations. From 2007-2011, geographers in different countries collaboratively developed online learning materials and trialed these…

  17. A Pilot Study: Facilitating Cross-Cultural Understanding with Project-Based Collaborative Learning in an Online Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shadiev, Rustam; Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Huang, Yueh-Min

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated three aspects: how project-based collaborative learning facilitates cross-cultural understanding; how students perceive project-based collaborative learning implementation in a collaborative cyber community (3C) online environment; and what types of communication among students are used. A qualitative case study approach…

  18. Stimulating Collaboration and Discussion in Online Learning Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Jim

    2001-01-01

    Discussion of the advantages of online learning environments (OLEs) for distance education focuses on the importance of collaboration and discussion to make the students feel more central to the learning process. Presents methods to stimulate collaboration and discussion in OLEs. (Author/LRW)

  19. Students' Views of Collaboration and Online Participation in Knowledge Forum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Carol K. K.; Chan, Yuen-Yan

    2011-01-01

    This study examined students- views of collaboration and learning, and investigated how these predict students- online participation in a computer-supported learning environment. The participants were 521 secondary school students in Hong Kong, who took part in online collaborative inquiry conducted using Knowledge Forum[TM]. We developed a…

  20. Collaborative Learning in Online Courses: Exploring Students' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faja, Silvana

    2013-01-01

    Virtual collaborative activities have the potential to keep students engaged, create a sense of community in online courses and allow them to experience and practice virtual teamwork skills. This study presents an attempt to explore students' perceptions of online collaborative learning involving both process and product oriented activities. The…

  1. Group Trust, Communication Media, and Interactivity: Toward an Integrated Model of Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Wang, Chuang; Zhou, Mingming; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao; Lei, Saosan

    2018-01-01

    The present investigation examines the multidimensional relationships among several critical components in online collaborative learning, including group trust, communication media, and interactivity. Four hundred eleven university students from 103 groups in the United States responded survey items on online collaboration, interactivity,…

  2. Patterns of Discourse in Online Interaction: Seeking Evidence of the Collaborative Learning Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohd Nor, Nor Fariza; Hamat, Afendi; Embi, Mohamed Amin

    2012-01-01

    Asynchronous communication by means of discussion forums plays an essential role in supporting collaborative learning. Online forums allow learners to ask questions, express their thoughts, share resources, and justify their opinions beyond the four walls of the classroom. Proponents of collaborative learning claim that this type of learning can…

  3. Students' Evaluations of the Use of E-Learning in a Collaborative Project between Two South African Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rohleder, Poul; Bozalek, Vivienne; Carolissen, Ronelle; Leibowitz, Brenda; Swartz, Leslie

    2008-01-01

    Online learning is increasingly being used in Higher Education, with a number of advantages to online learning being identified. One of these advantages is the suggestion that online learning provides for equality of opportunity. This article reports on students' evaluations of the use of e-learning in a collaborative project between two South…

  4. The Impact of an Online Collaborative Learning Program on Students' Attitude towards Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magen-Nagar, Noga; Shonfeld, Miri

    2018-01-01

    This quantitative research examined the contribution of an Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) program on attitudes towards technology in terms of technological anxiety, self-confidence and technology orientation among M.Ed. students. The advanced online collaborative program was implemented at two teacher training colleges in Israel for a period…

  5. Using the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model with a Chat Tool to Enhance Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodríguez-Bonces, Mónica; Ortiz, Kris

    2016-01-01

    In Colombia, many institutions are in the firm quest of virtual learning environments to improve instruction, and making the most of online tools is clearly linked to offering quality learning. Thus, the purpose of this action research was to identify how the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model enhances online collaborative learning by using a chat…

  6. From Assumptions to Practice: Creating and Supporting Robust Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lock, Jennifer; Johnson, Carol

    2017-01-01

    Collaboration is more than an activity. In the contemporary online learning environment, collaboration needs to be conceived as an overarching way of learning that fosters continued knowledge building. For this to occur, design of a learning task goes beyond students working together. There are integral nuances that give rise to: how the task is…

  7. Effects of Online Mentoring in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environments: Mentor Presence and Cognitive Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorner, Helga

    2012-01-01

    This study examines online mentor roles and effects with the online mentoring process in computer-supported collaborative learning environments in communities of in-service teachers. Interest in the online mentors' activity encompassed their participation in the online interactions, the influence of their activity on participants' patterns of…

  8. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.

    2015-10-01

    Using a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest/posttest control group design, the researchers examined the effects of online collaborative learning on eighth-grade student's sense of community in a physical science class. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative activities in a face-to-face learning environment, whereas students in the experimental group participated in online collaborative activities using the Edmodo educational platform in a hybrid learning environment. Students completed the Classroom Community Scale survey as a pretest and posttest. Results indicated that the students who participated in the face-to-face classroom had higher overall sense of community and learning community than students who participated in collaborative activities in the online environment. Results and implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.

  9. Team Members' Perceptions of Online Teamwork Learning Experiences and Building Teamwork Trust: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tseng, Hung Wei; Yeh, Hsin-Te

    2013-01-01

    Teamwork factors can facilitate team members, committing themselves to the purposes of maximizing their own and others' contributions and successes. It is important for online instructors to comprehend students' expectations on learning collaboratively. The aims of this study were to investigate online collaborative learning experiences and to…

  10. Evaluation of Intelligent Grouping Based on Learners' Collaboration Competence Level in Online Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muuro, Maina Elizaphan; Oboko, Robert; Wagacha, Waiganjo Peter

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we explore the impact of an intelligent grouping algorithm based on learners' collaborative competency when compared with (a) instructor based Grade Point Average (GPA) method level and (b) random method, on group outcomes and group collaboration problems in an online collaborative learning environment. An intelligent grouping…

  11. The Relationships among Group Size, Participation, and Performance of Programming Language Learning Supported with Online Forums

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Ruey-Shiang

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the relationships among group size, participation, and learning performance factors when learning a programming language in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) context. An online forum was used as the CSCL environment for learning the Microsoft ASP.NET programming language. The collaborative-learning experiment…

  12. Remix as Professional Learning: Educators' Iterative Literacy Practice in CLMOOC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Anna; West-Puckett, Stephanie; Cantrill, Christina; Zamora, Mia

    2016-01-01

    The Connected Learning Massive Open Online Collaboration (CLMOOC) is an online professional development experience designed as an openly networked, production-centered, participatory learning collaboration for educators. Addressing the paucity of research that investigates learning processes in MOOC experiences, this paper examines the situated…

  13. Analyses of Student Learning in Global Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takle, E. S.; Moser, H.; Sorensen, E. K.

    2004-12-01

    The Global Change course at Iowa State University is a senior undergraduate and graduate level course that has been delivered over the internet with online dialog and learning activities since 1995. Students may enroll in the course as a distance education course, but in doing so they engage in dialog with students in the conventional on-campus face-to-face course. Online delivery and student participation offer opportunities for promoting use of critical thinking skills and collaborative learning not available in face-to-face environments. Students are required to research, post, and defend with authoritative information their positions on a variety of global change issues and specifically identify how they have demonstrated use of critical thinking skills in their online postings. Threaded dialog is used for structuring interactions toward promoting collaborative learning. We analyze collaborative learning by use of a rubric based on the theory of language games. By random selection of 1,350 online dialog comments posted over the last 10 years we evaluated student response to requirements for demonstrating critical thinking skills and collaboration in learning. We found that, by itself, the requirement of demonstrating critical thinking skills in online dialog was insufficient in promoting collaborative learned as measured by the standards of language game theory. But we also found that if an online comment clearly defines a situation and makes a clear expectation of a response, the likelihood is high that a game will be created. And if a game is established, there is a high probability that it will be closed, thereby giving evidence that collaborative learning had occurred. We conclude that a key component in collaborative online learning lies in establishing a lead-off comment that provides sufficient background information to clearly define an engaging situation. It also must include a clear expectation that a response is expected that will provide dialog participants an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking skills in their responding comments.

  14. Harnessing Collaborative Annotations on Online Formative Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Jian-Wei; Lai, Yuan-Cheng

    2013-01-01

    This paper harnesses collaborative annotations by students as learning feedback on online formative assessments to improve the learning achievements of students. Through the developed Web platform, students can conduct formative assessments, collaboratively annotate, and review historical records in a convenient way, while teachers can generate…

  15. Online Collaborative Learning Activities: The Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumi-Yeboah, Alex; Yuan, Guangji; Dogbey, James

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the perceptions of minority graduate students toward online collaborative learning activities. The participants were 20 minority graduate students from diverse cultural backgrounds (10 African Americans, 5 Hispanics, and 5 international students from Africa) enrolled in online graduate instructional technology and…

  16. Developing Collaborative Learning Practices in an Online Language Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Heejin; Windeatt, Scott

    2016-01-01

    There is much evidence to support the occurrence of learning in connection with collaboration, both in face-to-face and online teaching situations, but much less research on how such collaboration develops over the duration of a course. Using Dillenbourg's concepts of "situation," "interactions," "mechanisms," and…

  17. Assessing a Collaborative Online Environment for Music Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele

    2015-01-01

    The current pilot study tested the effectiveness of an e-learning environment built to enable students to compose music collaboratively. The participants interacted online by using synchronous and asynchronous resources to develop a project in which they composed a new music piece in collaboration. After the learning sessions, individual…

  18. Triangulating Assessment of Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lock, Jennifer; Johnson, Carol

    2015-01-01

    Collaboration plays an integral role in the construction of knowledge in online learning environments. A supportive foundation for learning can be created through the intentional design of formative and summative assessments that embrace self-, peer-, and instructor assessment practices. The purpose of this article is to: (1) examine current…

  19. An online app platform enhances collaborative medical student group learning and classroom management.

    PubMed

    Peacock, Justin G; Grande, Joseph P

    2016-01-01

    The authors presented their results in effectively using a free and widely-accessible online app platform to manage and teach a first-year pathology course at Mayo Medical School. The authors utilized the Google "Blogger", "Forms", "Flubaroo", "Sheets", "Docs", and "Slides" apps to effectively build a collaborative classroom teaching and management system. Students were surveyed on the use of the app platform in the classroom, and 44 (94%) students responded. Thirty-two (73%) of the students reported that "Blogger" was an effective place for online discussion of pathology topics and questions. 43 (98%) of the students reported that the "Forms/Flubaroo" grade-reporting system was helpful. 40 (91%) of the students used the remote, collaborative features of "Slides" to create team-based learning presentations, and 39 (89%) of the students found those collaborative features helpful. "Docs" helped teaching assistants to collaboratively create study guides or grading rubrics. Overall, 41 (93%) of the students found that the app platform was helpful in establishing a collaborative, online classroom environment. The online app platform allowed faculty to build an efficient and effective classroom teaching and management system. The ease of accessibility and opportunity for collaboration allowed for collaborative learning, grading, and teaching.

  20. Graduate Students' Knowledge Construction and Attitudes toward Online Synchronous Videoconferencing Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akarasriworn, Chatchada; Ku, Heng-Yu

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated 28 graduate students' knowledge construction and attitudes toward online synchronous videoconferencing collaborative learning environments. These students took an online course, self-selected 3 or 4 group members to form groups, and worked on projects across 16 weeks. Each group utilized Elluminate "Live!" for the…

  1. How Cognitive Styles Affect the Learning Behaviors of Online Problem-Solving Based Discussion Activity: A Lag Sequential Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Sheng-Yi; Hou, Huei-Tse

    2015-01-01

    Cognitive styles play an important role in influencing the learning process, but to date no relevant study has been conducted using lag sequential analysis to assess knowledge construction learning patterns based on different cognitive styles in computer-supported collaborative learning activities in online collaborative discussions. This study…

  2. The importance of social and collaborative learning for online continuing medical education (OCME): directions for future development and research.

    PubMed

    Sandars, John; Kokotailo, Patricia; Singh, Gurmit

    2012-01-01

    There is an increasing use of online continuing medical education (OCME), but the potential use of social and collaborative learning to change professional performance and improve patient care has yet to be fully realised. The integration of the main themes from the presentations and comments from participants at a symposium at AMEE 2011. Sociological perspectives on change in professional performance highlight the need for social and collaborative learning in OCME so that learners can share information (explicit knowledge) and opinion (tacit knowledge). The educational topic should be relevant to the complexity of professional practice and use iterative cycles of implementation and critical reflection in social networks so that proposed solutions can be tested in actual practice. The challenge of developing effective online discussions for collaborative learning is recognised. The provision of OCME requires a shift in both policy and practice to emphasise the importance of social and collaborative learning. Further research is recommended, especially to evaluate the implementation and impact of social and collaborative learning for OCME on patient care and the use of newer Web 2.0 approaches.

  3. How social network analysis can be used to monitor online collaborative learning and guide an informed intervention

    PubMed Central

    Fors, Uno; Tedre, Matti; Nouri, Jalal

    2018-01-01

    To ensure online collaborative learning meets the intended pedagogical goals (is actually collaborative and stimulates learning), mechanisms are needed for monitoring the efficiency of online collaboration. Various studies have indicated that social network analysis can be particularly effective in studying students’ interactions in online collaboration. However, research in education has only focused on the theoretical potential of using SNA, not on the actual benefits they achieved. This study investigated how social network analysis can be used to monitor online collaborative learning, find aspects in need of improvement, guide an informed intervention, and assess the efficacy of intervention using an experimental, observational repeated-measurement design in three courses over a full-term duration. Using a combination of SNA-based visual and quantitative analysis, we monitored three SNA constructs for each participant: the level of interactivity, the role, and position in information exchange, and the role played by each participant in the collaboration. On the group level, we monitored interactivity and group cohesion indicators. Our monitoring uncovered a non-collaborative teacher-centered pattern of interactions in the three studied courses as well as very few interactions among students, limited information exchange or negotiation, and very limited student networks dominated by the teacher. An intervention based on SNA-generated insights was designed. The intervention was structured into five actions: increasing awareness, promoting collaboration, improving the content, preparing teachers, and finally practicing with feedback. Evaluation of the intervention revealed that it has significantly enhanced student-student interactions and teacher-student interactions, as well as produced a collaborative pattern of interactions among most students and teachers. Since efficient and communicative activities are essential prerequisites for successful content discussion and for realizing the goals of collaboration, we suggest that our SNA-based approach will positively affect teaching and learning in many educational domains. Our study offers a proof-of-concept of what SNA can add to the current tools for monitoring and supporting teaching and learning in higher education. PMID:29566058

  4. How social network analysis can be used to monitor online collaborative learning and guide an informed intervention.

    PubMed

    Saqr, Mohammed; Fors, Uno; Tedre, Matti; Nouri, Jalal

    2018-01-01

    To ensure online collaborative learning meets the intended pedagogical goals (is actually collaborative and stimulates learning), mechanisms are needed for monitoring the efficiency of online collaboration. Various studies have indicated that social network analysis can be particularly effective in studying students' interactions in online collaboration. However, research in education has only focused on the theoretical potential of using SNA, not on the actual benefits they achieved. This study investigated how social network analysis can be used to monitor online collaborative learning, find aspects in need of improvement, guide an informed intervention, and assess the efficacy of intervention using an experimental, observational repeated-measurement design in three courses over a full-term duration. Using a combination of SNA-based visual and quantitative analysis, we monitored three SNA constructs for each participant: the level of interactivity, the role, and position in information exchange, and the role played by each participant in the collaboration. On the group level, we monitored interactivity and group cohesion indicators. Our monitoring uncovered a non-collaborative teacher-centered pattern of interactions in the three studied courses as well as very few interactions among students, limited information exchange or negotiation, and very limited student networks dominated by the teacher. An intervention based on SNA-generated insights was designed. The intervention was structured into five actions: increasing awareness, promoting collaboration, improving the content, preparing teachers, and finally practicing with feedback. Evaluation of the intervention revealed that it has significantly enhanced student-student interactions and teacher-student interactions, as well as produced a collaborative pattern of interactions among most students and teachers. Since efficient and communicative activities are essential prerequisites for successful content discussion and for realizing the goals of collaboration, we suggest that our SNA-based approach will positively affect teaching and learning in many educational domains. Our study offers a proof-of-concept of what SNA can add to the current tools for monitoring and supporting teaching and learning in higher education.

  5. Online Computer Games as Collaborative Learning Environments: Prospects and Challenges for Tertiary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papastergiou, Marina

    2009-01-01

    This study is aimed at presenting a critical overview of recent research studies on the use of educational online games as collaborative learning environments in Tertiary Education (TE), namely higher education and vocational training, with a view to identifying: a) the elements that online games should include in order to support fruitful and…

  6. Exploring the Factors Affecting Learners' Continuance Intention of MOOCs for Online Collaborative Learning: An Extended ECM Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Junjie, Zhou

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this paper was to investigate what factors influence learners' continuance intention in massive open online courses (MOOCs) for online collaborative learning. An extended expectation confirmation model (ECM) was adopted as the theoretical foundation. A total of 435 valid samples were collected in mainland China and structural…

  7. Student Perceptions of a Successful Online Collaborative Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waugh, Michael L.; Su, Jian

    2016-01-01

    This paper shares the perceptions of a group of 11 successful online students regarding the value of the collaborative learning community that developed as part of their participation in the first cohort of the WebIT online Master of Science Degree in Instructional Technology program, at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville during 2008-2010.…

  8. An Experimental Study of Satisfaction Response: Evaluation of Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Xusen; Wang, Xueyin; Huang, Jianqing; Zarifis, Alex

    2016-01-01

    On the one hand, a growing amount of research discusses support for improving online collaborative learning quality, and many indicators are focused to assess its success. On the other hand, thinkLets for designing reputable and valuable collaborative processes have been developed for more than ten years. However, few studies try to apply…

  9. Leveraging CRT Awareness in Creating Web-Based Projects through Use of Online Collaborative Learning for Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chuang, Hsueh-Hua

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the roles played by cloud computing technologies and social media in facilitating a learning community for online group collaborative learning, and particularly explores opportunities and challenges in leveraging culturally responsive teaching (CRT) awareness in educational technology. It describes implementation of a…

  10. Investigating Factors That Influence Students' Management of Study Environment in Online Collaborative Groupwork

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao

    2015-01-01

    The present study examines empirical models of students' management of the learning environment in the context of online collaborative groupwork. Such environment management is an important component of students' overall self-regulated learning strategy for effective learning. Student- and group-level predictors for study environment management in…

  11. Reflections on Online Learning Designs and Cross-Institutional Research Collaborations: Revisiting "Classrooms without Walls" in Two Australian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rossi, Dolene; van Rensburg, Henriette; Clark, Damien; Harreveld, R. E.; Beer, Colin; Danaher, P. A.

    2015-01-01

    The article on which this paper reflects ["Exploring a Cross-Institutional Research Collaboration and Innovation: Deploying Social Software and Web 2.0 Technologies to Investigate Online Learning Designs and Interactions in Two Australian Universities"] presented elements of a research project investigating learning interactions in…

  12. Dimensions of Problem Based Learning--Dialogue and Online Collaboration in Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andreasen,, Lars Birch; Nielsen, Jørgen Lerche

    2013-01-01

    The article contributes to the discussions on problem based learning and project work, building on and reflecting the experiences of the authors. Four perspectives are emphasized as central to a contemporary approach to problem- and project-based learning: the exploration of problems, projects as a method, online collaboration, and the dialogic…

  13. How Student Teachers Describe the Online Collaborative Learning Experience and Evaluate Its Contribution to Their Learning and Their Future Work as Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Margaliot, Adva; Gorev, Dvora; Vaisman, Tami

    2018-01-01

    This study examined student teachers' attitudes toward online collaborative learning (OCL) as related to their satisfaction, learning experience, contribution to personal knowledge, and future teaching. One hundred and four students participated in a program that retrains university graduates to become K-12 teachers. The study combines both…

  14. Implementing Collaborative Design in the Next Series of eLearning Platforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kropf, Dorothy

    2013-01-01

    Collaborative design empowers learning management system (LMS) providers and end users (online students) to develop a vibrant teaching and learning community. Successful periodic collaborations utilizing collaborative web tools between these two pivotal groups can produce the next series of eLearning platforms that are fertile grounds for…

  15. A Fundamental Study for Efficient Implementaion of Online Collaborative Activities in Large-Scale Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matsuba, Ryuichi; Suzuki, Yusei; Kubota, Shin-Ichiro; Miyazaki, Makoto

    2015-01-01

    We study tactics for writing skills development through cross-disciplinary learning in online large-scale classes, and particularly are interested in implementation of online collaborative activities such as peer reviewing of writing. The goal of our study is to carry out collaborative works efficiently via online effectively in large-scale…

  16. Using Collaborative Filtering to Support College Students' Use of Online Forum for English Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Pei-Yu; Yang, Hui-Chun

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the impact of collaborative filtering (the so-called recommender) on college students' use of an online forum for English learning. The forum was created with an open-source software, Drupal, and its extended recommender module. This study was guided by three main questions: 1) Is there any difference in online behaviors…

  17. Exploring Collaborative Learning Effect in Blended Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Z.; Liu, R.; Luo, L.; Wu, M.; Shi, C.

    2017-01-01

    The use of new technology encouraged exploration of the effectiveness and difference of collaborative learning in blended learning environments. This study investigated the social interactive network of students, level of knowledge building and perception level on usefulness in online and mobile collaborative learning environments in higher…

  18. Towards Collaboration as Learning: Evaluation of an Open CPD Opportunity for HE Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nerantzi, Chrissi; Gossman, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Flexible, Distance and Online Learning (FDOL) is an open online course offered as an informal cross-institutional collaboration based on a postgraduate module in the context of teacher education in higher education. The second iteration, FDOL132, was offered in 2013 using a problem-based learning (PBL) design (FISh) to foster collaborative…

  19. Care, Communication, Learner Support: Designing Meaningful Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Heather A.; Kilgore, Whitney; Warren, Scott J.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify emergent themes regarding higher education instructors' perceptions concerning the provision of collaborative learning activities and opportunities in their online classroom. Through semi-structured interviews, instructors described their teaching experiences and reported specifically about the online…

  20. Argumentative Knowledge Construction in Online Learning Environments in and across Different Cultures: A Collaboration Script Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weinberger, A.; Clark, D. B.; Haekkinen, P.; Tamura, Y.; Fischer, F.

    2007-01-01

    In recent years, information and communication technology has established new opportunities to participate in online learning environments around the globe. These opportunities include the dissemination of specific online learning environments as well as opportunities for learners to connect to online learning environments in distant locations.…

  1. Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

    2014-01-01

    In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

  2. Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Collaborative Learning in a Differential Equations Mathematics Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hajra, Sayonita Ghosh; Das, Ujjaini

    2015-01-01

    This paper uses collaborative learning strategies to examine students' perceptions in a differential equations mathematics course. Students' perceptions were analyzed using three collaborative learning strategies including collaborative activity, group-quiz and online discussion. The study results show that students identified both strengths and…

  3. Online Collaborative Learning and Communication Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Havard, Byron; Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamics of online collaborative learning and communication media regarding team projects. Media richness and social presence theories are well-accepted rational theories that explain media choices and media behaviors, and serve as the theoretical framework. Quantitative and qualitative data collection…

  4. When Groups Decide to Use Asynchronous Online Discussions: Collaborative Learning and Social Presence under a Voluntary Participation Structure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    So, H.-J.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore how groups decide to use asynchronous online discussion forums in a non-mandatory setting, and, after the group decision is made, how group members use online discussion forums to complete a collaborative learning project requiring complex data gathering and research processes. While a large body of research…

  5. Culture, Role and Group Work: A Social Network Analysis Perspective on an Online Collaborative Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stepanyan, Karen; Mather, Richard; Dalrymple, Roger

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses the patterns of network dynamics within a multicultural online collaborative learning environment. It analyses the interaction of participants (both students and facilitators) within a discussion board that was established as part of a 3-month online collaborative course. The study employs longitudinal probabilistic social…

  6. Socially Challenged Collaborative Learning of Secondary School Students in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pang, Christopher; Lau, Jesslyn; Seah, Chong Poh; Cheong, Linda; Low, Audrey

    2018-01-01

    Using a grounded theory research design, this paper examined the collaborative learning experiences of secondary school students in Singapore. The core phenomenon that emerged was the need for social interactions in collaborative learning, both in classroom and online settings. Educators often take for granted that effective collaborative learning…

  7. Effects of Collaborative Online Learning on EFL Learners' Writing Performance and Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tai, Hung-Cheng

    2016-01-01

    This study explored the effects of collaborative writing instruction on undergraduate nursing students' writing performance and self-efficacy beliefs within an online learning system. A single-group experimental study utilized two instruments, the NCEEC (National College Entrance Examination Center) writing grading criteria (the SRCT) and a…

  8. Analysis of Cross-Cultural Online Collaborative Learning with Social Software

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Law, Effie Lai-Chong; Nguyen-Ngoc, Anh Vu

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The rising popularity of social software poses challenges to the design and evaluation of pedagogically sound cross-cultural online collaborative learning environments (OCLEs). In the literature of computer-mediated communications, there exist only a limited number of related empirical studies, indicating that it is still an emergent…

  9. Students' Groupwork Management in Online Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Jianzhong; Du, Jianxia; Fan, Xitao

    2015-01-01

    The present study investigates empirical models of groupwork management in online collaborative learning environments, based on the data from 298 students (86 groups) in United States. Data revealed that, at the group level, groupwork management was positively associated with feedback and help seeking. Data further revealed that, at the individual…

  10. The Role of Scaffolding and Motivation in CSCL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rienties, Bart; Giesbers, Bas; Tempelaar, Dirk; Lygo-Baker, Simon; Segers, Mien; Gijselaers, Wim

    2012-01-01

    Recent findings from research into Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) have indicated that not all learners are able to successfully learn in online collaborative settings. Given that most online settings are characterised by minimal guidance, which require learners to be more autonomous and self-directed, CSCL may provide conditions…

  11. Collaborative Self-Study of Online Teaching in Early Childhood Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Nicole; Wolodko, Brenda; Stewart, Cherry; Edwards, Helen; Brooks, Margaret; Littledyke, Ros

    2013-01-01

    Six academics at a regional university in Australia engaged in collaborative research examining their teaching and learning practices, their current understandings and beliefs about teacher education pedagogy and, specifically, the online teaching and learning environments. This collegial self-study project was guided by the goal of achieving…

  12. Medical students' online learning technology needs.

    PubMed

    Han, Heeyoung; Nelson, Erica; Wetter, Nathan

    2014-02-01

    This study investigated medical students' online learning technology needs at a medical school. The study aimed to provide evidence-based guidance for technology selection and online learning design in medical education. The authors developed a 120-item survey in collaboration with the New Technology in Medical Education (NTIME) committee at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIUSOM). Overall, 123 of 290 medical students (42%) at the medical school participated in the survey. The survey focused on five major areas: students' hardware and software use; perception of educational technology (ET) in general; online behaviours; perception of ET use at the school; and demographic information. Students perceived multimedia tools, scheduling tools, communication tools, collaborative authoring tools, learning management systems and electronic health records useful educational technologies for their learning. They did not consider social networking tools useful for their learning, despite their frequent use. Third-year students were less satisfied with current technology integration in the curriculum, information sharing and collaborative learning than other years. Students in clerkships perceived mobile devices as useful for their learning. Students using a mobile device (i.e. a smartphone) go online, text message, visit social networking sites and are online during classes more frequently than non-users. Medical students' ET needs differ between preclinical and clinical years. Technology supporting ubiquitous mobile learning and health information technology (HIT) systems at hospitals and out-patient clinics can be integrated into clerkship curricula. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. The Dynamics among Non-English Speaking Online Learners' Language Proficiency, Coping Mechanisms, and Cultural Intelligence: Implications for Effective Practice for Online Cross-Cultural Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ou, Chun-Ming

    2012-01-01

    Cross-cultural online collaboration has evolved as an inevitable trend that people influenced by globalization cannot neglect. The primary purpose of this study was to discover major factors contributing to productive and effective online cross-cultural collaborative learning for people from diverse cultural backgrounds with varying levels of…

  14. Online Collaboration and Cooperation: The Recurring Importance of Evidence, Rationale and Viability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammond, Michael

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigates collaboration in teaching and learning and draws out implications for the promotion of collaboration within online environments. It is divided into four sections. First the case for collaboration, including specifically cooperative approaches, is explored. This case revolves around the impact of collaboration on the quality…

  15. Understanding Online Knowledge Sharing: An Interpersonal Relationship Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Will W. K.; Yuen, Allan H. K.

    2011-01-01

    The unique features and capabilities of online learning are built on the ability to connect to a wider range of learning resources and peer learners that benefit individual learners, such as through discussion forums, collaborative learning, and community building. The success of online learning thus depends on the participation, engagement, and…

  16. Using VoiceThread to Promote Collaborative Learning in On-Line Clinical Nurse Leader Courses.

    PubMed

    Fox, Ola H

    The movement to advance the clinical nurse leader (CNL) as an innovative new role for meeting higher health care quality standards continues with CNL programs offered on-line at colleges and universities nationwide. Collaborative learning activities offer the opportunity for CNL students to gain experience in working together in small groups to negotiate and solve care process problems. The challenge for nurse educators is to provide collaborative learning activities in an asynchronous learning environment that can be considered isolating by default. This article reports on the experiences of 17 CNL students who used VoiceThread, a cloud-based tool that allowed them to communicate asynchronously with one another through voice comments for collaboration and sharing knowledge. Participants identified benefits and drawbacks to using VoiceThread for collaboration as compared to text-based discussion boards. Students reported that the ability to hear the voice of their peers and the instructor helped them feel like they were in a classroom communicating with "real" instructor and peers. Students indicated a preference for on-line classes that used VoiceThread discussions to on-line classes that used only text-based discussion boards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Working with Difference in Online Collaborative Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Regina O.

    2005-01-01

    This qualitative cross-case study explored the experiences that learners describe within online collaborative groups. The study context was a fully online graduate course on adult learning. The findings suggest that the small online groups demonstrated dynamics and process that are characteristic of individual growth and development and group…

  18. Evaluating Two Models of Collaborative Tests in an Online Introductory Statistics Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Björnsdóttir, Auðbjörg; Garfield, Joan; Everson, Michelle

    2015-01-01

    This study explored the use of two different types of collaborative tests in an online introductory statistics course. A study was designed and carried out to investigate three research questions: (1) What is the difference in students' learning between using consensus and non-consensus collaborative tests in the online environment?, (2) What is…

  19. Using Best Practices in Online Discussion and Assessment to Enhance Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Debra L.

    2008-01-01

    The primary purpose of this exploratory study is to provide insight on how to use online discussions to foster collaborative learning and how to design assessment processes to evaluate the effectiveness of those discussions. This study focuses on the pedagogical role of discussion, effective practices in discussion, guidelines for creating…

  20. Wikis for a Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Module for Secondary School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeWitt, Dorothy; Alias, Norlidah; Siraj, Saedah; Spector, Jonathan Michael

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative problem solving (CPS) can support online learning by enabling interactions for social and cognitive processes. Teachers may not have sufficient knowledge to support such interactions, so support needs to be designed into learning modules for this purpose. This study investigates to what extent an online module for teaching nutrition…

  1. EPCAL: ETS Platform for Collaborative Assessment and Learning. Research Report. ETS RR-17-49

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hao, Jiangang; Liu, Lei; von Davier, Alina A.; Lederer, Nathan; Zapata-Rivera, Diego; Jaki, Peter; Bakkenson, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Most existing software tools for online collaboration are designed to support the collaboration itself instead of the study of collaboration with a systematic team and task management system. In this report, we identify six important features for a platform to facilitate the study of online collaboration. We then introduce the Educational Testing…

  2. Facilitating Learning in Multidisciplinary Groups with Transactive CSCL Scripts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noroozi, Omid; Teasley, Stephanie D.; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Weinberger, Armin; Mulder, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge sharing and transfer are essential for learning in groups, especially when group members have different disciplinary expertise and collaborate online. Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environments have been designed to facilitate transactive knowledge sharing and transfer in collaborative problem-solving settings. This…

  3. Development and Validation of the Perception of Students towards Online Learning (POSTOL)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhagat, Kaushal Kumar; Wu, Leon Yufeng; Chang, Chun-Yen

    2016-01-01

    In the twenty-first century, online learning has evolved as a worldwide platform to connect, collaborate and engage users in the learning process. Online learning today is integrated with social network connectivity, which builds an ecosystem for interaction between students, teachers, and professors from every corner of the world, providing them…

  4. A Framework for Collaborative and Convenient Learning on Cloud Computing Platforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharma, Deepika; Kumar, Vikas

    2017-01-01

    The depth of learning resides in collaborative work with more engagement and fun. Technology can enhance collaboration with a higher level of convenience and cloud computing can facilitate this in a cost effective and scalable manner. However, to deploy a successful online learning environment, elementary components of learning pedagogy must be…

  5. The Proposed Model of Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment for Introductory Programming Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Othman, Mahfudzah; Othman, Muhaini

    2012-01-01

    This paper discusses the proposed model of the collaborative virtual learning system for the introductory computer programming course which uses one of the collaborative learning techniques known as the "Think-Pair-Share". The main objective of this study is to design a model for an online learning system that facilitates the…

  6. Using Learning Analytics to Support Engagement in Collaborative Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Ming; Pardo, Abelardo; Liu, Li

    2017-01-01

    Online collaborative writing tools provide an efficient way to complete a writing task. However, existing tools only focus on technological affordances and ignore the importance of social affordances in a collaborative learning environment. This article describes a learning analytic system that analyzes writing behaviors, and creates…

  7. Toward a Faculty-Librarian Collaboration: Enhancement of Online Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owens, Rachel; Bozeman, Dee

    2009-01-01

    Enrollment in online courses is increasing in colleges and universities across the country. The Association of College and Research Libraries calls librarians to provide equivalent services to online and face-to-face students. The provision of library services to online students requires more collaboration with instructors than in the face-to-face…

  8. How to Involve Students in an Online Course: A Redesigned Online Pedagogy of Collaborative Learning and Self-Regulated Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Chia-Wen

    2013-01-01

    In an online course, students learn independently in the virtual environment without teacher's on-the-spot support. However, many students are addicted to the Internet which is filled with a plethora of shopping websites, online games, and social networks (e.g. Facebook). To help keep students focused on and involved in online or blended…

  9. Pilot Study on the Feasibility and Indicator Effects of Collaborative Online Projects on Science Learning for English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Knox, Carolyn; Walden, Emily

    2015-01-01

    The 2006 National Science Board called for new strategies and instructional materials for teachers to better serve English Learners' (EL) needs. Bilingual Collaborative Online Projects in science were created to assist ELs' construction of science knowledge, facilitate academic English acquisition, and improve science learning. Two bilingual…

  10. The Effect of Student Collaboration in Solving Physics Problems Using an Online Interactive Response System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balta, Nuri; Awedh, Mohammad Hamza

    2017-01-01

    Advanced technology helps educational institutes to improve student learning performance and outcomes. In this study, our aim is to measure and assess student engagement and collaborative learning in engineering classes when using online technology in solving physics problems. The interactive response system used in this study is a collaborative…

  11. Distribution of Feedback among Teacher and Students in Online Collaborative Learning in Small Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coll, Cesar; Rochera, Maria Jose; de Gispert, Ines; Diaz-Barriga, Frida

    2013-01-01

    This study explores the characteristics and distribution of the feedback provided by the participants (a teacher and her students) in an activity organized inside a collaborative online learning environment. We analyse 853 submissions made by two groups of graduate students and their teacher (N1 = 629 & N2 = 224) involved in the collaborative…

  12. Online Project-Based Learning: How Collaborative Strategies and Problem Solving Processes Impact Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, W. Randall; Macgregor, S. Kim

    2005-01-01

    The goal of this study was to gain insights into the interactions that occur in online communications in a project-based learning activity implemented in an undergraduate course. A multi-case study was conducted of six collaborative groups, focusing on the types and frequencies of interactions that occurred within each group and the perceptions…

  13. The Effect of Online Collaborative Learning on Middle School Student Science Literacy and Sense of Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian Leigh

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy and sense of community. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design was used. Following IRB approval and district superintendent approval, students at a public middle school in central Virginia completed a…

  14. Using Electronic Communication Tools in Online Group Activities to Develop Collaborative Learning Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalil, Hanan; Ebner, Martin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using synchronous and asynchronous communication tools in online group activities to develop collaborative learning skills. An experimental study was implemented on a sample of faculty of education students in Mansoura University. The sample was divided into two groups, a group studied…

  15. The Effects of Digital Storytelling on Student Achievement, Social Presence, and Attitude in Online Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nam, Chang Woo

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of digital storytelling on student achievement, social presence, and attitude in online collaborative learning environments. Students in one middle school course were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups after they received initial general instruction regarding teamwork skills. The "digital…

  16. Blended Teaching & Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pape, Liz

    2010-01-01

    Blended learning is using online tools to communicate, collaborate and publish, to extend the school day or year and to develop the 21st-century skills students need. With blended learning, teachers can use online tools and resources as part of their daily classroom instruction. Using many of the online tools and resources students already are…

  17. Project-Based Learning and Student Knowledge Construction during Asynchronous Online Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling; Herring, Susan C.; Hew, Khe Foon

    2010-01-01

    Project-based learning engages students in problem solving through artefact design. However, previous studies of online project-based learning have focused primarily on the dynamics of online collaboration; students' knowledge construction throughout this process has not been examined thoroughly. This case study analyzed the relationship between…

  18. Synchronous Collaboration Competencies in Web-Conferencing Environments--Their Impact on the Learning Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bower, Matt

    2011-01-01

    Based on a three-semester design-based research study examining learning and teaching in a web-conferencing environment, this article identifies types of synchronous collaboration competencies and reveals their influence on learning processes. Four levels of online collaborative competencies were observed--operational, interactional, managerial,…

  19. The Community of Inquiry Framework Meets the SOLO Taxonomy: A Process-Product Model of Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shea, Peter; Gozza-Cohen, Mary; Uzuner, Sedef; Mehta, Ruchi; Valtcheva, Anna Valentinova; Hayes, Suzanne; Vickers, Jason

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents both a conceptual and empirical investigation of teaching and learning in online courses. Employing both the Community of Inquiry framework (CoI) and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy, two complete online courses were examined for the quality of both collaborative learning processes and learning…

  20. Online Self-Regulatory Learning Behaviors as a Mediator in the Relationship between Online Course Perceptions with Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnard, Lucy; Paton, Valerie; Lan, William

    2008-01-01

    Positive perceptions of online course communication and collaboration have been associated with better academic outcomes, while self-regulatory learning behaviors have also been linked to academic achievement and other positive learning outcomes. In the current study, we examined whether self-regulatory learning behaviors may be considered as…

  1. A Case Study of the Dynamics of Scaffolding among ESL Learners and Online Resources in Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsieh, Yi Chin

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative learning has been widely applied in education, and has been seen as conducive to student learning. The advent of technology and its applications in education have also greatly enhanced the classroom learning environment, leading to increasing research attention on the combination of technology and collaboration. The case study…

  2. Online Interactions and Social Presence in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Sang Joon; Huang, Kun

    2018-01-01

    The community of inquiry framework identified three essential elements of cognitive, social, and teaching presences for a successful online learning experience. Among them, social presence is key for developing personal relationships and enhancing collaboration and critical discourse in online courses. This study examined whether providing more…

  3. Associations between Collaborative Learning and Personality/Cognitive Style among Online Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheffield, Anneliese

    2016-01-01

    This research study investigated associations between online community college students' personal characteristics and experiences in online courses (n = 123). Specifically, students' personalities and cognitive styles were examined alongside the perceived quality and outcomes of collaboration. Negative correlations were found between the…

  4. Online Reading Informs Classroom Instruction and Promotes Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, L. Kate; Zyto, Sacha; Karger, David R.; Newman, Dina L.

    2013-01-01

    Web-based collaborative annotation tools can facilitate communication among students and their instructors through online reading and communication. Collaborative reading fosters peer interaction and is an innovative way to facilitate discussion and participation in larger enrollment courses. It can be especially powerful as it creates an…

  5. The Right Tools for the Job--Technology Options for Adult Online Learning and Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regional Educational Laboratory, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Many options exist for using technology as a tool for adult learning, and each day, it becomes easier to share information online than it ever has been. Online learning technology has grown from one-sided communications to numerous options for audience engagement and interactivity. This guide introduces a variety of tools, online platforms, and…

  6. Facing the Challenge of e-Learning: Reflections on Teaching Evidence-Based Practice through Online Discussion Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clegg, Phil; Heap, John

    2006-01-01

    The advent of e-learning in higher education has entailed extensive use of online discussion boards to promote collaborative learning among students; however, the role of instructors as online facilitators is typically ill-defined due to a lack of sufficient standards or guidelines for good practice. In their audit of online discussion forum…

  7. Collaborative Rhetorical Structure: A Discourse Analysis Method for Analyzing Student Collaborative Inquiry via Computer Conferencing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kou, Xiaojing

    2011-01-01

    Various formats of online discussion have proven valuable for enhancing learning and collaboration in distance and blended learning contexts. However, despite their capacity to reveal essential processes in collaborative inquiry, current mainstream analytical frameworks, such as the cognitive presence framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer,…

  8. Learning and Design with Online Real-Time Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Michael; Hedberg, John G.

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the use of emerging Cloud technologies that support real-time online collaboration. It considers the extent to which these technologies can be leveraged to develop complex skillsets supporting interaction between multiple learners in online spaces. In a pilot study that closely examines how groups of learners translate two…

  9. Online Music Collaboration Project: Digitally Mediated, Deterritorialized Music Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cremata, Radio; Powell, Bryan

    2017-01-01

    This article investigates and interrogates notions of student-centered music learning through collaboration in digital spaces. By harnessing the power and potential of Internet networks, one music educator in Miami, FL challenged his students to an online music collaboration project (OMCP) where students were asked to engage in deterritorialized…

  10. Online Chemistry Modules: Interaction and Effective Faculty Facilitation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slocum, Laura E.; Towns Marcy Hamby; Zielinski, Theresa Julia

    2004-01-01

    Computer supported collaborative learning, cooperative learning combined with electronic communication, physical chemistry online modules, use of discussion boards, its advantages and limitations are experimented and discussed. The most important finding is the example of effective online faculty facilitation and interaction.

  11. The Use of MOOC as a Means of Creating a Collaborative Learning Environment in a Blended CLIL Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Titova, Svetlana

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this action research is to work out the possible ways of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) integration in a blended Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) course to create an authentic online collaborative community. The theoretical framework of the intervention is based on current MOOC theories, connectivism, and the…

  12. Collaborative Technologies, Higher Order Thinking and Self-Sufficient Learning: A Case Study of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Clare S.

    2017-01-01

    The inclusion of online elements in learning environments is becoming commonplace in Post Compulsory Education. A variety of research into the value of such elements is available, and this study aims to add further evidence by looking specifically at the use of collaborative technologies such as online discussion forums and wikis to encourage…

  13. Blended Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pape, Liz

    2010-01-01

    "Blended learning" is using online tools to communicate, collaborate, and publish, to extend the school day or year and to develop the 21st-century skills students need. With blended learning, teachers can use online tools and resources as part of their daily classroom instruction. Using many of the online tools and resources students already are…

  14. Implications of Online Learning for the Conceptual Development and Practice of Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garrison, Randy

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the foundational principles and practices of distance education for the purpose of understanding recent developments in the areas of online and blended learning. It is argued that mainstream distance education has not embraced the full collaborative potential of online learning. Distance education…

  15. Student Interaction and Community Building: An Evaluation of Social Networking in Online Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cardona-Divale, Maria Victoria

    2012-01-01

    Learners often report difficulty maintaining social connectivity in online courses. Technology is quickly changing how people communicate, collaborate and learn using online social networking sites (SNSs). These sites have transformed education in a way that provides new learning opportunities when integrated with web 2.0 tools. Little research is…

  16. Adaptive Synchronization of Semantically Compressed Instructional Videos for Collaborative Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phung, Dan; Valetto, Giuseppe; Kaiser, Gail E.; Liu, Tiecheng; Kender, John R.

    2007-01-01

    The increasing popularity of online courses has highlighted the need for collaborative learning tools for student groups. In this article, we present an e-Learning architecture and adaptation model called AI2TV (Adaptive Interactive Internet Team Video), which allows groups of students to collaboratively view instructional videos in synchrony.…

  17. Effective collaborative learning in biomedical education using a web-based infrastructure.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yunfeng; Zheng, Fang; Cai, Suxian; Xiang, Ning; Zhong, Zhangting; He, Jia; Xu, Fang

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a feature-rich web-based system used for biomedical education at the undergraduate level. With the powerful groupware features provided by the wiki system, the instructors are able to establish a community-centered mentoring environment that capitalizes on local expertise to create a sense of online collaborative learning among students. The web-based infrastructure can help the instructors effectively organize and coordinate student research projects, and the groupware features may support the interactive activities, such as interpersonal communications and data sharing. The groupware features also provide the web-based system with a wide range of additional ways of organizing collaboratively developed materials, which makes it become an effective tool for online active learning. Students are able to learn the ability to work effectively in teams, with an improvement of project management, design collaboration, and technical writing skills. With the fruitful outcomes in recent years, it is positively thought that the web-based collaborative learning environment can perform an excellent shift away from the conventional instructor-centered teaching to community- centered collaborative learning in the undergraduate education.

  18. Comparing Modes of Delivery: Classroom and On-Line (and Other) Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    deLeon, Linda; Killian, Jerri

    2000-01-01

    Moving beyond question of whether on-line education is beneficial or harmful, explores conditions under which one or another of six instructional methods lecture, collaborative learning, experiential learning, learning contracts, televised courses, and Web-based learning work best. Finds specific methods more appropriate for some subject matters,…

  19. Strong Community, Deep Learning: Exploring the Link

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, Carole; Ramondt, Leonie; Smiley, Glenn

    2005-01-01

    This explores the constructivist understanding that shared practitioner research in collaborative online spaces leads to deeper learning. The research was developed within the context of building the National College of School Leaderships (NCSLs) online learning communities. A community and a learning scale, both emerging through grounded…

  20. Adventure Learning: Transformative Hybrid Online Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doering, Aaron

    2006-01-01

    Adventure learning (AL) is a hybrid distance education approach that provides students with opportunities to explore real-world issues through authentic learning experiences within collaborative learning environments. This article defines this online distance education approach, outlines an AL framework, and showcases an AL archetype. In AL…

  1. Face-to-Face Contact at the Midpoint of an Online Collaboration: Its Impact on the Patterns of Participation, Interaction, Affect, and Behavior over Time

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michinov, Nicolas; Michinov, Estelle

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes some of the consequences of introducing a face-to-face contact during an online collaborative learning session. Previous research on the development of online groups has suggested a critical transition period at the midpoint of a collaborative task in which group members redefine their behavior. The purpose of the present…

  2. Developing Online Learning Resources: Big Data, Social Networks, and Cloud Computing to Support Pervasive Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anshari, Muhammad; Alas, Yabit; Guan, Lim Sei

    2016-01-01

    Utilizing online learning resources (OLR) from multi channels in learning activities promise extended benefits from traditional based learning-centred to a collaborative based learning-centred that emphasises pervasive learning anywhere and anytime. While compiling big data, cloud computing, and semantic web into OLR offer a broader spectrum of…

  3. Virtual Representations in 3D Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shonfeld, Miri; Kritz, Miki

    2013-01-01

    This research explores the extent to which virtual worlds can serve as online collaborative learning environments for students by increasing social presence and engagement. 3D environments enable learning, which simulates face-to-face encounters while retaining the advantages of online learning. Students in Education departments created avatars…

  4. Development of Interactive and Reflective Learning among Malaysian Online Distant Learners: An ESL Instructor's Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murugaiah, Puvaneswary; Thang, Siew Ming

    2010-01-01

    Technology has brought tremendous advancements in online education, spurring transformations in online pedagogical practices. Online learning in the past was passive, using the traditional teacher-centred approach. However, with the tools available today, it can be active, collaborative, and meaningful. A well-developed task can impel learners to…

  5. Understanding the Roles of Online Meetings in a Net-Based Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berge, O.; Fjuk, A.

    2006-01-01

    It is argued elsewhere that online learning environments constitute new conditions for carrying out collaborative learning activities. This article explores the roles of a series of online meetings in such an environment. The online meetings are arranged as part of a net-based course on object-oriented programming, and constitute a recurring…

  6. Workload Reduction in Online Courses: Getting Some Shuteye

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunlap, Joanna C.

    2005-01-01

    Instructors are a key component of any successful facilitated, asynchronous online course. They are tasked with providing the infrastructure for learning; modeling effective participation, collaboration, and learning strategies; monitoring and assessing learning and providing feedback, remediation, and grades; troubleshooting and resolving…

  7. Professional Learning: A Collaborative Model for Online Teaching and Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowser, Audrey; Davis, Kimberley; Singleton, Jacques; Small, Topeka

    2017-01-01

    This article examined a unique collaborative initiative between a team of graduate level faculty to improve the quality of course development and delivery using a collaborative review process. The collaborative review of teaching has become a widely accepted means for assuring quality distance learning coursework and for the purpose of evaluating…

  8. Lives in Context: Facilitating Online, Cross-Course, Collaborative Service Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elwood, Susan A.

    2014-01-01

    An inquiry-based, cross-course, collaborative structure is being implemented toward a graduate program's goals of using project-based learning as a consistent, core learning experience in each course cycle. This paper focuses upon the course collaborative structure and the two key forms of assessment used in each collaborative cycle: a progressive…

  9. Case Study: Collaborative Creation of an On-Line Degree Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Barbara L.; Norwood, Marcella; Ezell, Shirley; Waight, Consuelo

    2006-01-01

    Faculty collaboratively developed an on-line Bachelor of Science degree in Consumer Science and Merchandising (CSM). Part-time faculty and technical support services supported the four-member team. Small grants assisted in the creation and redesign of all CSM major courses for on-line delivery. Issues of appropriate learning strategies, student…

  10. Collaborative Online Projects for English Language Learners in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Knox, Carolyn; Rivas, Carmen

    2013-01-01

    This paper summarizes how collaborative online projects (COPs) are used to facilitate science content-area learning for English Learners of Hispanic origin. This is a Mexico-USA partnership project funded by the National Science Foundation. A COP is a 10-week thematic science unit, completely online, and bilingual (Spanish and English) designed to…

  11. Online Teacher Development: Collaborating in a Virtual Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernest, Pauline; Guitert Catasús, Montse; Hampel, Regine; Heiser, Sarah; Hopkins, Joseph; Murphy, Linda; Stickler, Ursula

    2013-01-01

    Over recent years, educational institutions have been making increasing use of virtual environments to set up collaborative activities for learners. While it is recognized that teachers play an important role in facilitating learner collaboration online, they may not have the necessary skills to do so successfully. Thus, a small-scale professional…

  12. Instructional Design for Cross-Cultural Online Collaboration: Grouping Strategies and Assignment Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Chun-Min

    2011-01-01

    The latest networking technologies have made it easier to provide authentic learning experiences for intercultural collaboration. However, more guidance about how to conduct a successful online, cross-cultural collaboration is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional design for forming a cross-cultural group and…

  13. Using distance technologies to facilitate a learning collaborative to implement stagewise treatment.

    PubMed

    Covell, Nancy H; Foster, Forrest P; Margolies, Paul J; Lopez, Luis O; Dixon, Lisa B

    2015-06-01

    This report describes experiences and outcomes of an online learning collaborative focused on implementation of stagewise treatment. Eleven participating programs convened online monthly for a year. Between meetings, program staff created an implementation plan and programs collected performance indicator data, including assessment of staff knowledge of integrated treatment for people with co-occurring disorders, whether a person's current stage of treatment was documented in his or her chart, and whether the treatments were appropriate for the stage of treatment. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize performance indicators and feedback. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests examined changes in performance indicators over time. Program staff generally demonstrated significant improvements in performance indicators over time and rated the distance learning collaborative favorably. Distance learning collaboratives can be structured to provide opportunities for program staff to interact and learn from one another and to implement and sustain changes.

  14. Decentered Online Bible Instruction: How Active Learning Enhances the Study of Scripture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Troftgruben, Troy M.

    2018-01-01

    The field of biblical studies lends itself well to decentered online learning--a kind that uses active learning to engage primary texts and their interpretations. Not only does such an approach work well in online and hybrid formats, it more readily welcomes readings that are more contextual, constructive, and collaborative. Three aspects best…

  15. The Relationship between an Online Synchronous Learning Environment and Knowledge Acquisition Skills and Traits: The Blackboard Collaborate Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Politis, John; Politis, Denis

    2016-01-01

    Online learning is becoming more attractive to perspective students because it offers them greater accessibility, convenience and flexibility to study at a reduced cost. While these benefits may attract prospective learners to embark on an online learning environment there remains little empirical evidence relating the skills and traits of…

  16. Professional Learning of Observers, Collaborators, and Contributors in a Teacher-Created Online Community in Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seo, Kyounghye

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated professional learning taking place in a teacher-created online community. In particular, this aimed to explore how teachers at different levels of participation learn in an online community. The results showed that teachers usually began as observers, reading others' postings and using contributors' teaching resources, and…

  17. Elearn: A Collaborative Educational Virtual Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michailidou, Anna; Economides, Anastasios A.

    Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) that support collaboration are one of the new technologies that have attracted great interest. VLEs are learning management software systems composed of computer-mediated communication software and online methods of delivering course material. This paper presents ELearn, a collaborative VLE for teaching…

  18. CC-LR: Providing Interactive, Challenging and Attractive Collaborative Complex Learning Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caballé, S.; Mora, N.; Feidakis, M.; Gañán, D.; Conesa, J.; Daradoumis, T.; Prieto, J.

    2014-01-01

    Many researchers argue that students must be meaningfully engaged in the learning resources for effective learning to occur. However, current online learners still report a problematic lack of attractive and challenging learning resources that engage them in the learning process. This endemic problem is even more evident in online collaborative…

  19. Collaborative Production of Learning Objects on French Literary Works Using the LOC Software

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penman, Christine

    2015-01-01

    This case study situates the collaborative design of learning objects (interactive online learning material) using the LOC (Learning Object Creator) software in the context of language activities external to the core learning activities of language students at a UK university. It describes the creative and pedagogical processes leading to the…

  20. Assessing the Application of Three-Dimensional Collaborative Technologies within an E-Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McArdle, Gavin; Bertolotto, Michela

    2012-01-01

    Today, the Internet plays a major role in distributing learning material within third level education. Multiple online facilities provide access to educational resources. While early systems relied on webpages, which acted as repositories for learning material, nowadays sophisticated online applications manage and deliver learning resources.…

  1. Inter-University Collaboration for Online Teaching Innovation: An Emerging Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nerlich, Andrea Perkins; Soldner, James L.; Millington, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    Distance education is constantly evolving and improving. To stay current, effective online instructors must utilize the most innovative, evidence-based teaching methods available to promote student learning and satisfaction in their courses. One emerging teaching method, referred to as blended online learning (BOL), involves collaborative…

  2. The Role of Teacher's Initiation in Online Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Chia-Wen

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The author redesigned a course titled "Applied Information Technology: Networking" and applied online collaborative learning (CL) with initiation and self-regulated learning (SRL) to improve students' involvement in this course in an environment that is full of free online games, shopping websites, and social networking…

  3. The Online Learning Academy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Suzanne Liebowitz; McKay, Donald P.; Culp, Ann; Baumann, Stephen; Elinich, Karen

    This paper describes the Online Learning Academy (OLLA), a World Wide Web-based presence that supports the use of telecomputing in the classroom by: connecting teachers to each other and Internet educational resources; fostering the use of online resources and collaboration; encouraging and enabling the sharing of classroom experiences; and…

  4. The Web Resource Collaboration Center

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunlap, Joanna C.

    2004-01-01

    The Web Resource Collaboration Center (WRCC) is a web-based tool developed to help software engineers build their own web-based learning and performance support systems. Designed using various online communication and collaboration technologies, the WRCC enables people to: (1) build a learning and professional development resource that provides…

  5. Distributed Leadership and Digital Collaborative Learning: A Synergistic Relationship?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Alma; Jones, Michelle; Baba, Suria

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the synergy between distributed leadership and digital collaborative learning. It argues that distributed leadership offers an important theoretical lens for understanding and explaining how digital collaboration is best supported and led. Drawing upon evidence from two online educational platforms, the paper explores the…

  6. Integrating Technology into the Online Classroom through Collaboration to Increase Student Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, Thomas; Larson, Elizabeth; Steele, John; Holbeck, Rick

    2015-01-01

    Technology is one of the most important components in the future of online learning. Instructors in online classes should lead the charge of innovation and integration of technology into the online classroom to ensure that students achieve the best learning outcomes. This article chronicles a theoretical model towards integrating technology as a…

  7. Reframing Pedagogy While Teaching about Teaching Online: A Collaborative Self-Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Tim; Bullock, Shawn M.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to use collaborative self-study to analyze and describe our experiences of teaching about teaching in a digital, online environment. Data were gathered from reflective journal entries, emails and monthly Skype calls. Our findings indicate that the perceived disembodiment of teaching and learning online affected how we…

  8. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Middle School Student Science Misconceptions as an Aspect of Science Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda

    2014-01-01

    This quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design examined the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative face-to-face activities whereas students in the experimental group participated in online…

  9. The Effect of Online Collaboration on Adolescent Sense of Community in Eighth-Grade Physical Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.

    2015-01-01

    Using a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest/posttest control group design, the researchers examined the effects of online collaborative learning on eighth-grade student's sense of community in a physical science class. For a 9-week period, students in the control group participated in collaborative activities in a face-to-face learning…

  10. Perception of collaborative learning in associate degree students in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Shek, Daniel T L; Shek, Moses M W

    2013-01-01

    Although collaborative learning has been widely researched in Western contexts, no study has been carried out to understand how associate degree students look at collaborative learning in Hong Kong. In this study, perceptions of and attitudes to collaborative learning among associate degree students were studied. A total of 44 associate degree students completed an online questionnaire including measures of perceived benefits and attitudes to collaborative learning, and social-emotional competence. Results showed that there were no significant differences between male and female students on perceived benefits of and attitudes towards collaborative learning. Social-emotional competence was related to perceived benefits of and attitudes to collaborative learning. Attitudes were also related to perceived benefits of collaborative learning. This paper is the first known study looking at the relationships among perceived benefits and attitudes to collaborative learning and social-emotional competence in Chinese associate degree students in different Chinese contexts.

  11. Using Cognitive Maps to Promote Self-Managed Learning in Online Communities of Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peacock, Susi; Cowan, John

    2016-01-01

    As online learners become more diverse and less well-prepared individually, particular help is required when transitioning into new, online learning environments, requiring engagement in collaborative, community-based educational activities. Cognitive maps provide one tool for tutors to support individuals in navigating the unfamiliar maze of…

  12. Learning through Participation as a Mass Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lloyd, Justine; Amigo, Maria; Hettitantri, Nanditha

    2016-01-01

    This article highlights the central role of collaboration in higher education programs which involve students in "learning through participation" (LTP). It reports the findings of a project that began with the intention of exploring the range and applicability of online technologies used for enhancing collaboration between the three main…

  13. Communication Behaviors and Trust in Collaborative Online Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulu, Saniye Tugba; Yildirim, Zahide

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates preservice teachers' trust levels and collaborative communication behaviors namely leadership, feedback, social interaction, enthusiasm, task and technical uncertainties, and task-oriented interactions in online learning environment. A case study design involving qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis was…

  14. Virtual Reality for Collaborative E-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monahan, Teresa; McArdle, Gavin; Bertolotto, Michela

    2008-01-01

    In the past, the term e-learning referred to any method of learning that used electronic delivery methods. With the advent of the Internet however, e-learning has evolved and the term is now most commonly used to refer to online courses. A multitude of systems are now available to manage and deliver learning content online. While these have proved…

  15. Designing for Online Collaborations and Local Environmental Action In Citizen Science: A Multiple Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kermish-Allen, Ruth

    Traditional citizen science projects have been based on the scientific communities need to gather vast quantities of high quality data, neglecting to ask what the project participants get in return. How can participants be seen more as collaborative partners in citizen science projects? Online communities for citizen science are expanding rapidly, giving participants the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities, from monitoring invasive species to identifying far-off galaxies. These communities can bring together the virtual and physical worlds in new ways that are egalitarian, collaborative, applied, localized and globalized to solve real environmental problems. There are a small number of citizen science projects that leverage the affordances of an online community to connect, engage, and empower participants to make local change happen. This multiple case study applies a conceptual framework rooted in sociocultural learning theory, Non-Hierarchical Online Learning Communities (NHOLCs), to three online citizen communities that have successfully fostered online collaboration and on-the-ground environmental actions. The purpose of the study is to identify the range and variation of the online and programmatic functions available in each project. The findings lead to recommendations for designing these innovative communities, specifically the technological and programmatic components of online citizen science communities that support environmental actions in our backyards.

  16. All for one and one for all: understanding health professionals' experience in individual versus collaborative online learning.

    PubMed

    MacNeill, Heather; Telner, Deanna; Sparaggis-Agaliotis, Alexandra; Hanna, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) may facilitate continuing interprofessional education while overcoming barriers of time and place for busy health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences, advantages, and challenges of group versus individual online learning. Fifteen multidisciplinary health professionals participated in a 12-week online course on either diabetes or traumatic brain injury. This consisted of background e-modules and a longitudinal build-a-case exercise, done either individually or as a group. Focus group sessions exploring participants' experiences after course completion and at 4 months were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes. Participant reflection homework and video-recorded group sessions were used for triangulation of results. Individual learners appreciated the flexibility and control, but experienced decreased motivation. Group learners appreciated the immediate feedback from their co-learners and felt social pressure to come to the weekly sessions prepared but expressed challenges in determining group goal-setting for the session. Both groups felt they learned about interprofessional roles; however, group learners described a richer learning experience and understanding of interprofessional roles through the online collaboration exercise. The intense resources necessary for interprofessional CSCL, including time, faculty development, and technological issues, are described. CSCL is a valuable educational strategy in online learning. While individual online learning may be better suited for short and simple educational interventions such as knowledge acquisition, CSCL seems to allow for richer and deeper learning in complex and interprofessional educational experiences. However, strategies, resources, and faculty development required to enhance CSCL need to be addressed carefully. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

  17. Assessment of Online Discussion in Work-Integrated Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNamara, Judith; Brown, Catherine

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how online discussion can be used in work-integrated learning as a vehicle for students to demonstrate their learning in the workplace and to facilitate collaborative learning where face-to-face classes are not feasible. Design/methodology/approach: The paper evaluates the use of assessable online…

  18. Utilizing Learners' Negative Ratings in Semantic Content-Based Recommender System for e-Learning Forum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Albatayneh, Naji Ahmad; Ghauth, Khairil Imran; Chua, Fang-Fang

    2018-01-01

    Nowadays, most of e-learning systems embody online discussion forums as a medium for collaborative learning that supports knowledge sharing and information exchanging between learners. The exponential growth of the available shared information in e-learning online discussion forums has caused a difficulty for learners in discovering interesting…

  19. Teachers as Designers of Collaborative Distance Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spector, J. Michael

    There is an obvious growth in the use of distributed and online learning environments. There is some evidence to believe that collaborative learning environments can be effective, especially when using advanced technology to support learning in and about complex domains. There is also an extensive body of research literature in the areas of…

  20. New perspectives on health professions students' e-learning: Looking through the lens of the "visitor and resident" model.

    PubMed

    Druce, Maralyn; Howden, Stella

    2017-07-01

    The growth of e-learning in health professional education reflects expansion of personal use of online resources. Understanding the user perspective in a fast-changing digital world is essential to maintain the currency of our approach. Mixed methods were used to investigate a cohort of postgraduate, e-learning healthcare students' perspectives on their use of online resources for personal and/or professional roles, via questionnaire and student-constructed diagrams, capturing use of online resources (underpinned by White's model of "resident" and "visitor" online engagement). Semistructured interviews explored the use and value of resources afforded via the online environment. The 45 study participants described a range of prior experiences with online resources in personal and professional capacities, but overall students tended to use online "tools" ("visitor" mode) rather than highly collaborative networks ("resident" mode). In relation to e-learning, the dominant interview theme was valuing knowledge transfer from the tutor and using "visitor" behaviors to maximize knowledge acquisition. Peer-learning opportunities were less valued and barriers to collaborative "resident" modes were identified. These findings help to inform e-learning course design to promote engagement. The results enable recommendations for use of the "Visitor and Residents" model and for planning activities that learners might utilize effectively.

  1. Achieving effective learning effects in the blended course: a combined approach of online self-regulated learning and collaborative learning with initiation.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Chia-Wen

    2011-09-01

    In many countries, undergraduates are required to take at least one introductory computer course to enhance their computer literacy and computing skills. However, the application software education in Taiwan can hardly be deemed as effective in developing students' practical computing skills. The author applied online self-regulated learning (SRL) and collaborative learning (CL) with initiation in a blended computing course and examined the effects of different combinations on enhancing students' computing skills. Four classes, comprising 221 students, participated in this study. The online SRL and CL with initiation (G1, n = 53), online CL with initiation (G2, n = 68), and online CL without initiation (G3, n = 68) were experimental groups, and the last class, receiving traditional lecture (G4, n = 32), was the control group. The results of this study show that students who received the intervention of online SRL and CL with initiation attained significantly best grades for practical computing skills, whereas those that received the traditional lectures had statistically poorest grades among the four classes. The implications for schools and educators who plan to provide online or blended learning for their students, particularly in computing courses, are also provided in this study.

  2. Engaged Learning through Online Collaborative Public Relations Projects across Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smallwood, Amber M. K.; Brunner, Brigitta R.

    2017-01-01

    Online learning is complementing and even replacing traditional face-to-face educational models at colleges and universities across the world. Distance education offers pedagogical and resource advantages--flexibility, greater access to education, and increased university revenues. Distance education also presents challenges such as learning to…

  3. Developing Dialogic Learning Space: The Case of Online Undergraduate Research Journals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walkington, Helen

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the learning spaces associated with two geography undergraduate research journals. Wikis provide dedicated spaces for postgraduate reviewers to collaboratively develop constructive feedback to authors creating a supportive online learning environment. In becoming published authors, undergraduates reported that they gained not…

  4. Designing Effective Classroom Assignments: Intellectual Work Worth Sharing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchings, Pat; Jankowski, Natasha A.; Schultz, Kathryn E.

    2016-01-01

    The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment's (NILOA's) online library of faculty-created assignments that both produce and demonstrate learning makes pedagogical work visible and available for colleagues to learn from, build on, and reward. This online library allows faculty to collaborate in sharing, critiquing, and improving…

  5. Theoretical and practical considerations for the development of online international collaborative learning for dental hygiene students.

    PubMed

    Gussy, M G; Knevel, R J M; Sigurdson, V; Karlberg, G

    2006-08-01

    Globalization and concurrent development in computer and communication technology has increased interest in collaborative online teaching and learning for students in higher education institutions. Many institutions and teachers have introduced computer-supported programmes in areas including dental hygiene. The potential for the use of this technology is exciting; however, its introduction should be careful and considered. We suggest that educators wanting to introduce computer-supported programmes make explicit their pedagogical principles and then select technologies that support and exploit these principles. This paper describes this process as it was applied to the development of an international web-based collaborative learning programme for dental hygiene students.

  6. Working Together Online to Enhance Learner Autonomy: Analysis of Learners' Perceptions of Their Online Learning Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eneau, Jerome; Develotte, Christine

    2012-01-01

    This study concerns the development of autonomy in adult learners working on an online learning platform as part of a professional master's degree programme in "French as a Foreign Language". Our goal was to identify the influence of reflective and collaborative dimensions on the construction of autonomy for online learners in this programme. The…

  7. Improving Students' Summary Writing Ability through Collaboration: A Comparison between Online Wiki Group and Conventional Face-To-Face Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wichadee, Saovapa

    2013-01-01

    Wikis, as one of the Web 2.0 social networking tools, have been increasingly integrated into second language (L2) instruction to promote collaborative writing. The current study examined and compared summary writing abilities between students learning by wiki-based collaboration and students learning by traditional face-to-face collaboration.…

  8. Creating and Testing a Model for Tutors and Participants to Support the Collaborative Construction of Knowledge Online

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seddon, Kathy; Postlethwaite, Keith

    2007-01-01

    This paper describes the construction and testing of a model designed to inform contributors to online collaborative dialogues about the nature of their contribution, and to guide the input from tutors who facilitate these dialogues. In particular, the model was designed to assist reflection on learning behaviours in online dialogues by…

  9. Managing the Process of International Collaboration in Online Course Development: A Case-Example Involving Higher Education Institutions in Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, and the United Kingdom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Cathal; Bergin, Michael; Titze, Sylvia; Ruf, Wolfgang; Kunz, Stefan; Mazza, Riccardo; Chalder, Trudie; Windgassen, Sula; Miner, Dianne Cooney; Wells, John S. G.

    2017-01-01

    There has been significant growth recently in online learning and joint programmes of education involving collaborative partnerships between and among higher education institutions in different jurisdictions. Utilising an interdisciplinary team model (Care and Scanlan 2001), we describe in this article the process of collaboration among four…

  10. Cooperative Learning Principles Enhance Online Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, George; Seow, Peter

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes eight principles that can be used to promote cooperative interactions among students working in online environments. The principles derive from a well-established approach to education, known variously as cooperative learning and collaborative learning. Each principle is explained as to what it means, why it is important and…

  11. Performance and Motivation in a Middle School Flipped Learning Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winter, Joshua W.

    2018-01-01

    Flipped learning is a teaching approach that promotes collaboration by using technology to 'flip' traditional instruction. Content is delivered outside of class in the individual space (online) and the group space (classroom) is used to engage in collaborative activities. Flipped learning shifts the teacher's role toward facilitation. Research on…

  12. Widget, Widget on the Wall, Am I Performing Well at All?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scheffel, Maren; Drachsler, Hendrik; de Kraker, Joop

    2017-01-01

    In collaborative learning environments, students work together on assignments in virtual teams and depend on each other's contribution to achieve their learning objectives. The online learning environment, however, may not only facilitate but also hamper group communication, coordination, and collaboration. Group awareness widgets that visualize…

  13. Studying the Effectiveness of Multi-User Immersive Environments for Collaborative Evaluation Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lorenzo, Carlos-Miguel; Sicilia, Miguel Angel; Sanchez, Salvador

    2012-01-01

    Massively Multiuser On-line Learning (MMOL) Platforms, often called "virtual learning worlds", constitute a still unexplored context for communication-enhanced learning, where synchronous communication skills in an explicit social setting enhance the potential of effective collaboration. In this paper, we report on an experimental study of…

  14. Real-Time Collaboration of Virtual Laboratories through the Internet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jara, Carlos A.; Candelas, Francisco A.; Torres, Fernando; Dormido, Sebastian; Esquembre, Francisco; Reinoso, Oscar

    2009-01-01

    Web-based learning environments are becoming increasingly popular in higher education. One of the most important web-learning resources is the virtual laboratory (VL), which gives students an easy way for training and learning through the Internet. Moreover, on-line collaborative communication represents a practical method to transmit the…

  15. Using Wikis for Learning and Knowledge Building: Results of an Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimmerle, Joachim; Moskaliuk, Johannes; Cress, Ulrike

    2011-01-01

    Computer-supported learning and knowledge building play an increasing role in online collaboration. This paper outlines some theories concerning the interplay between individual processes of learning and collaborative processes of knowledge building. In particular, it describes the co-evolution model that attempts to examine processes of learning…

  16. Instructor Training and Instructional Design in Online Courses Using Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, Patricia K.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory multi-case study was to examine the role of instructional design and instructor training on student learning outcomes and student satisfaction within the online class using group work, a form of collaborative learning. Group work has been strongly recommended for online classes. Data allowing insight into…

  17. Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning: An Online Wiki Experience in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele; EL-Deghaidy, Heba

    2015-01-01

    In the current research study the use of Wikis as an online didactic tool to apply project-based learning in higher education was reported. The study was conducted in university teacher education programmes. During the online activities, participants developed interdisciplinary projects for the primary school working collaboratively in small…

  18. Online Student Perceptions of the Need for a Proximate Community of Engagement at an Independent Study Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oviatt, Darin R.; Graham, Charles R.; Borup, Jered; Davies, Randall S.

    2016-01-01

    Research suggests that collaborative learning designs, which require interaction with teachers and peers, can promote engagement and learning for online courses. Many K-12 students seek supplemental online courses to meet graduation requirements and desire flexibility, which often conflicts with required interactions. This paper asserts that…

  19. Google Docs in an Out-of-Class Collaborative Writing Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Wenyi; Simpson, Elizabeth; Domizi, Denise Pinette

    2012-01-01

    Google Docs, an online word processing application, is a promising tool for collaborative learning. However, many college instructors and students lack knowledge to effectively use Google Docs to enhance teaching and learning. Goals of this study include (1) assessing the effectiveness of using Google Docs in an out-of-class collaborative writing…

  20. Towards an Agile Approach to Adapting Dynamic Collaboration Support to Student Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adamson, David; Dyke, Gregory; Jang, Hyeju; Rosé, Carolyn Penstein

    2014-01-01

    This paper investigates the use of conversational agents to scaffold on-line collaborative learning discussions through an approach called Academically Productive Talk (APT). In contrast to past work on dynamic support for collaborative learning, where agents were used to elevate conceptual depth by leading students through directed lines of…

  1. Discussing the Factors Contributing to Students' Involvement in an EFL Collaborative Wiki Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Hsiao-chien; Wang, Pei-ling

    2013-01-01

    A growing number of researchers have acknowledged the potential for using wikis in online collaborative language learning. While researchers appreciate the wikis platform for engaging students in virtual team work and authentic language learning, many also have recognized the limitations of using wikis to promote student collaboration (Alyousef…

  2. Investigating the Drivers of Student Interaction and Engagement in Online Courses: A Study of State-of-the-Art

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purarjomandlangrudi, Afrooz; Chen, David; Nguyen, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Online learning has become a widespread method for providing learning at different levels of education. It has facilitated the learning in many ways and made it more flexible and available by providing learners with more opportunities to learn information, further access to different learning resources, and collaboration rather than face-to-face…

  3. Examining the Roles of Blended Learning Approaches in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environments: A Delphi Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    So, Hyo-Jeong; Bonk, Curtis J.

    2010-01-01

    In this study, a Delphi method was used to identify and predict the roles of blended learning approaches in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments. The Delphi panel consisted of experts in online learning from different geographic regions of the world. This study discusses findings related to (a) pros and cons of blended…

  4. The Potential for University Collaboration and Online Learning to Internationalise Geography Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Charlotte H.; Wilson, Benjamin P.

    2017-01-01

    International partnerships between universities, facilitated by online pedagogies, have great potential to bring together students and teachers from widely differing backgrounds, cultures and locations to combine global perspectives and local relevance in the widely interdisciplinary subject area of geography. However, collaboration between…

  5. Teamwork Orientation, Group Cohesiveness, and Student Learning: A Study of the Use of Teams in Online Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Ethlyn A.; Duray, Rebecca; Reddy, Venkateshwar

    2006-01-01

    This research examines computer-supported collaborative learning. Master's of business administration (MBA) students in an online program were surveyed to examine the extent to which an orientation toward teamwork and the development of group cohesiveness affect overall student learning and the learning that results specifically from team…

  6. Blogging as a Social Medium in Undergraduate Courses: Sense of Community Best Predictor of Perceived Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Top, Ercan

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine pre-service teachers' sense of community, perception of collaborative learning, and perceived learning. Fifty pre-service teachers from two undergraduate ICT courses which incorporated blogs participated in this study. The data were obtained via three online questionnaires (Collaborative Learning scale,…

  7. Pre-Service Teachers' Learning Styles and Preferences towards Instructional Technology Activities and Collaborative Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yusop, Farrah Dina; Sumari, Melati

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate pre-service teachers' learning styles and their preferences with respect to 15 technology-based instructional activities and collaborative work tasks. Felder and Silverman's online Index of Learning Style (ILS) and a questionnaire were used to measure students' learning styles and…

  8. The Influence of Students and Teachers Characteristics on the Efficacy of Face-to-Face and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solimeno, Andrea; Mebane, Minou Ella; Tomai, Manuela; Francescato, Donata

    2008-01-01

    In this paper we compared the efficacy of face-to-face and computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) in increasing academic knowledge and professional competences. We also explored how students' personality characteristics and learning strategies and teachers' characteristics were associated with better learning outcomes in online or…

  9. The Student Experience of a Collaborative E-Learning University Module

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present a picture of student experience of a collaborative e-learning module in an asynchronous e-learning environment. A distance learning module on music education worth five credit points for a bachelor online degree for primary school educating teachers was assessed using a self-evaluation questionnaire that…

  10. Blended learning in health education: three case studies.

    PubMed

    de Jong, Nynke; Savin-Baden, Maggi; Cunningham, Anne Marie; Verstegen, Daniëlle M L

    2014-09-01

    Blended learning in which online education is combined with face-to-face education is especially useful for (future) health care professionals who need to keep up-to-date. Blended learning can make learning more efficient, for instance by removing barriers of time and distance. In the past distance-based learning activities have often been associated with traditional delivery-based methods, individual learning and limited contact. The central question in this paper is: can blended learning be active and collaborative? Three cases of blended, active and collaborative learning are presented. In case 1 a virtual classroom is used to realize online problem-based learning (PBL). In case 2 PBL cases are presented in Second Life, a 3D immersive virtual world. In case 3 discussion forums, blogs and wikis were used. In all cases face-to-face meetings were also organized. Evaluation results of the three cases clearly show that active, collaborative learning at a distance is possible. Blended learning enables the use of novel instructional methods and student-centred education. The three cases employ different educational methods, thus illustrating diverse possibilities and a variety of learning activities in blended learning. Interaction and communication rules, the role of the teacher, careful selection of collaboration tools and technical preparation should be considered when designing and implementing blended learning.

  11. Online Learners' Preferences for Interaction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Northrup, Pamela T.

    2002-01-01

    Describes a study that investigated types of interaction that graduate students perceived to be important for elearning (electronic learning). Discusses content interaction, conversation and collaboration, interpersonal and metacognitive skills, and need for support; explains the Online Learning Interaction Inventory; and reports that flexibility…

  12. No Pain, No Game: Use of an Online Game to Explore Issues of Online Identity and the Implications for Collaborative E-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Gwyneth; Scott, Catherine

    2005-01-01

    As computer-mediated communication (CMC) is becoming more mainstream in higher education (HE), the issue of social interaction online and its impact on learning has been raised. CMC theorists have argued that shared group identity produces the online social presence necessary for successful interaction but that other identities may be inhibiting.…

  13. Developing Collaborative Autonomous Learning Abilities in Computer Mediated Language Learning: Attention to Meaning among Students in Wiki Space

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kessler, Greg; Bikowski, Dawn

    2010-01-01

    This study reports on attention to meaning among 40 NNS pre-service EFL teachers as they collaboratively constructed a wiki in a 16-week online course. Focus is placed upon the nature of individual and group behavior when attending to meaning in a long-term wiki-based collaborative activity as well as the students' collaborative autonomous…

  14. Collaboration for Education with the Apple Learning Interchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Patrick A.; Zimmerman, T.; Knierman, K. A.

    2006-12-01

    We present a progressive effort to deliver online education and outreach resources in collaboration with the Apple Learning Interchange, a free community for educators. We have created a resource site with astronomy activities, video training for the activities, and the possibility of interactive training through video chat services. Also in development is an online textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in stellar evolution, featuring an updatable and annotated text with multimedia content, online lectures, podcasts, and a framework for interactive simulation activities. Both sites will be highly interactive, combining online discussions, the opportunity for live video interaction, and a growing library of student work samples. This effort promises to provide a compelling model for collaboration between science educators and corporations. As scientists, we provide content knowledge and a compelling reason to communicate, while Apple provides technical expertise, a deep knowledge of online education, and a way for us to reach a wide audience of higher education, community outreach, and K-12 educators.

  15. Promoting collaborative dementia care via online interprofessional education.

    PubMed

    Cartwright, Jade; Franklin, Diane; Forman, Dawn; Freegard, Heather

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an online interprofessional education (IPE) dementia case study for health science students. The IPE initiative aimed to develop collaborative interprofessional capabilities and client-centred mindsets that underpin high-quality dementia care. A mixed methods research design was used to assess students' values, attitudes and learning outcomes using an interprofessional socialization and valuing scale (ISVS) completed pre and post the online case study and via thematic analysis of free text responses. Students' ISVS scores improved significantly following online participation, and the qualitative results support a shift towards interprofessional collaboration and client-centred care. This online IPE case study was successful in developing the collaborative mindsets and interprofessional capabilities required by a future workforce to meet the complex, client-centred needs of people living with dementia. © 2013 ACOTA.

  16. The Personal Learning Planner: Collaboration through Online Learning and Publication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, David; Sherry, Lorraine; Havelock, Bruce

    2007-01-01

    This paper discusses the online Personal Learning Planner (PLP) project underway at the National Institute of Community Innovations (NICI), one of the partners in the Teacher Education Network (TEN), a 2000 PT3 Catalyst grantee. The Web-based PLP provides a standards-linked "portfolio space" for both works in progress and demonstration collections…

  17. Influence of Participation, Facilitator Styles, and Metacognitive Reflection on Knowledge Building in Online University Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cacciamani, Stefano; Cesareni, Donatella; Martini, Francesca; Ferrini, Tiziana; Fujita, Nobuko

    2012-01-01

    Understanding how to foster knowledge building in online and blended learning environments is a key for computer-supported collaborative learning research. Knowledge building is a deeply constructivist pedagogy and kind of inquiry learning focused on theory building. A strong indicator of engagement in knowledge building activity is the…

  18. Military Social Perspectives in an Online Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bishop, Gregory Irvin

    2018-01-01

    Article one of this dissertation utilizes a comprehensive literature review to depict the many cultural and social differences that are inherent to military personnel and how it may be translated into an online learning environment. In recent years, the military began the transition from an organizational and collaborative learning model to an…

  19. Online Self-Assessment Materials: Do These Make a Difference to Student Learning?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peat, Mary

    2000-01-01

    Examines the use of Web-based online self-assessment in a large first-year biology class at the University of Sydney (Australia). Discusses a more student-centered focus to aid lifelong learning; collaborative learning; suitable and timely feedback; the use of Bloom's taxonomy; and student evaluations of self-assessment modules. (LRW)

  20. Using the Constructivist Tridimensional Design Model for Online Continuing Education for Health Care Clinical Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seo, Kay Kyeong-Ju; Engelhard, Chalee

    2014-01-01

    This article presents a new paradigm for continuing education of Clinical Instructors (CIs): the Constructivist Tridimensional (CTD) model for the design of an online curriculum. Based on problem-based learning, self-regulated learning, and adult learning theory, the CTD model was designed to facilitate interactive, collaborative, and authentic…

  1. Toward Effective Group Formation in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sadeghi, Hamid; Kardan, Ahmad A.

    2016-01-01

    Group formation task as a starting point for computer-supported collaborative learning plays a key role in achieving pedagogical goals. Various approaches have been reported in the literature to address this problem, but none have offered an optimal solution. In this research, an online learning environment was modeled as a weighted undirected…

  2. Using Wiki to Teach Part-Time Adult Learners in a Blended Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basar, Siti Mariam Muhammad Abdul; Yusop, Farrah Dina

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of 31 part-time adult learners who participated in an online collaborative writing experience. Situated in the context of a blended learning environment of an advanced English learning course, this study looked into learners' perceptions with respect to the benefits of collaborative writing using…

  3. An Online Task-Based Language Learning Environment: Is It Better for Advanced- or Intermediate-Level Second Language Learners?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arslanyilmaz, Abdurrahman

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship of language proficiency to language production and negotiation of meaning that non-native speakers (NNSs) produced in an online task-based language learning (TBLL) environment. Fourteen NNS-NNS dyads collaboratively completed four communicative tasks, using an online TBLL environment specifically designed…

  4. Social Presence for Different Tasks and Perceived Learning in Online Hospitality Culture Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Mei-jung; Chen, Hsueh Chu

    2013-01-01

    This study utilized online discussion and project construction tasks to determine the extent of social presence and collaborative learning for hospitality culture exchange. The online culture exchange lasted for 6 weeks from September to November 2011. Forty-four English majors from a hospitality college in Taiwan and an institute of education in…

  5. Online Learning Environments in Higher Education: Connectivism vs. Dissociation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reese, Sasha A.

    2015-01-01

    Over the last decade online education has emerged as a way for students and faculty to collaborate more freely, attain greater flexibility, and utilize new media to learn. The burning debate lies in whether online educational options are harmful to traditional education or offer endless benefits necessary to accommodate a 21st century learner.…

  6. Online Comic in Mandarin Chinese's Vocabulary Learning: A Case Study of Budi Utama Multilingual School in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilujeng, Nuning Catur Sri; Lan, Yu-Ju

    2015-01-01

    This study was aimed to investigate (1) the improvement of CFL elementary-school students' skill in learning Mandarin Chinese (hereafter referred to as Mandarin) vocabulary through creating comic without online resources, creating online comics individually and collaboratively; (2) the CFL elementary-school students' attitude towards the…

  7. The Brains behind Brain-Based Research: The Tale of Two Postsecondary Online Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGuckin, Dawn; Ladhani, Mubeen

    2010-01-01

    This paper is written from the perspective of two postsecondary students who realized the implications for brain-based learning in the online environment. This paper explores the relationship between online learning in regards to how the brain generates meaning and understanding, the role of emotions, the collaborative construction of knowledge,…

  8. How the study of online collaborative learning can guide teachers and predict students' performance in a medical course.

    PubMed

    Saqr, Mohammed; Fors, Uno; Tedre, Matti

    2018-02-06

    Collaborative learning facilitates reflection, diversifies understanding and stimulates skills of critical and higher-order thinking. Although the benefits of collaborative learning have long been recognized, it is still rarely studied by social network analysis (SNA) in medical education, and the relationship of parameters that can be obtained via SNA with students' performance remains largely unknown. The aim of this work was to assess the potential of SNA for studying online collaborative clinical case discussions in a medical course and to find out which activities correlate with better performance and help predict final grade or explain variance in performance. Interaction data were extracted from the learning management system (LMS) forum module of the Surgery course in Qassim University, College of Medicine. The data were analyzed using social network analysis. The analysis included visual as well as a statistical analysis. Correlation with students' performance was calculated, and automatic linear regression was used to predict students' performance. By using social network analysis, we were able to analyze a large number of interactions in online collaborative discussions and gain an overall insight of the course social structure, track the knowledge flow and the interaction patterns, as well as identify the active participants and the prominent discussion moderators. When augmented with calculated network parameters, SNA offered an accurate view of the course network, each user's position, and level of connectedness. Results from correlation coefficients, linear regression, and logistic regression indicated that a student's position and role in information relay in online case discussions, combined with the strength of that student's network (social capital), can be used as predictors of performance in relevant settings. By using social network analysis, researchers can analyze the social structure of an online course and reveal important information about students' and teachers' interactions that can be valuable in guiding teachers, improve students' engagement, and contribute to learning analytics insights.

  9. Teaching and learning innovations for postgraduate education in nursing.

    PubMed

    Phillips, Diane; Forbes, Helen; Duke, Maxine

    2013-01-01

    This paper begins with a literature review of blended learning approaches, including the creation of learning spaces in the online environment and the model of community of inquiry and collaborative learning promoted by Garrison and others. This model, comprising of three elements including 'social presence', 'cognitive presence' and 'teaching presence', guides academics in the development and delivery of quality programs designed to enhance each student's experience of their course. The second part of this paper is the application of blended learning for the Deakin University Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner), including a range of online independent learning activities, Elluminate Live use (a real time online program) and on-campus contact with students. The application of these flexible and innovative online modalities offered in this course, have been designed to promote quality learning experiences for students around their employment commitments and lifestyle factors. As an off-campus course, the Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner) presents as a more flexible option for nurses residing in various parts of Australia. The three core elements of the model of community of inquiry and collaborative learning by Garrison and others have been integrated through online teaching and learning access and face-to-face contact for one day in two trimesters of the academic year. The success of blended learning approaches are underpinned by effective communication and interactions between both academics and students.

  10. Student use of a Learning Management System for group projects: A case study investigating interaction, collaboration, and knowledge construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lonn, Steven D.

    Web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) allow instructors and students to share instructional materials, make class announcements, submit and return course assignments, and communicate with each other online. Previous LMS-related research has focused on how these systems deliver and manage instructional content with little concern for how students' constructivist learning can be encouraged and facilitated. This study investigated how students use LMS to interact, collaborate, and construct knowledge within the context of a group project but without mediation by the instructor. The setting for this case study was students' use in one upper-level biology course of the local LMS within the context of a course-related group project, a mock National Institutes of Health grant proposal. Twenty-one groups (82 students) voluntarily elected to use the LMS, representing two-thirds of all students in the course. Students' peer-to-peer messages within the LMS, event logs, online surveys, focus group interviews, and instructor interviews were used in order to answer the study's overarching research question. The results indicate that students successfully used the LMS to interact and, to a significant extent, collaborate, but there was very little evidence of knowledge construction using the LMS technology. It is possible that the ease and availability of face-to-face meetings as well as problems and limitations with the technology were factors that influenced whether students' online basic interaction could be further distinguished as collaboration or knowledge construction. Despite these limitations, students found several tools and functions of the LMS useful for their online peer interaction and completion of their course project. Additionally, LMS designers and implementers are urged to consider previous literature on computer-supported collaborative learning environments in order to better facilitate independent group projects within these systems. Further research is needed to identify the best types of scaffolds and overall technological improvements in order to provide support for online collaboration and knowledge construction.

  11. Improving Engineering Student Team Collaborative Discussions by Moving Them Online: An Investigation of Synchronous Chat and Face-to-Face Team Conversations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fowler, Robin Revette

    2014-01-01

    Collaborative learning, particularly in the context of team-based, project-based learning, is common in undergraduate engineering education and is associated with deeper learning and enhanced student motivation and retention. However, grouping students in teams for project-based learning sometimes has negative outcomes, which can include lowered…

  12. The Design of Modular Web-Based Collaboration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Intapong, Ploypailin; Settapat, Sittapong; Kaewkamnerdpong, Boonserm; Achalakul, Tiranee

    Online collaborative systems are popular communication channels as the systems allow people from various disciplines to interact and collaborate with ease. The systems provide communication tools and services that can be integrated on the web; consequently, the systems are more convenient to use and easier to install. Nevertheless, most of the currently available systems are designed according to some specific requirements and cannot be straightforwardly integrated into various applications. This paper provides the design of a new collaborative platform, which is component-based and re-configurable. The platform is called the Modular Web-based Collaboration (MWC). MWC shares the same concept as computer supported collaborative work (CSCW) and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), but it provides configurable tools for online collaboration. Each tool module can be integrated into users' web applications freely and easily. This makes collaborative system flexible, adaptable and suitable for online collaboration.

  13. Peer Online Discourse Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Ke; Carr-Chellman, Ali

    Research shows that learning in groups improves students' achievement of learning objectives. Some indicate that a facilitator will smooth the process of collaboration (Johnson et al, 1987; Hooper, 1992; Moore and Kearsley, 1996; Brandon & Hollingshead, 1999; Bernard et al, 2000). Advocates for peer-controlled collaboration claim that learners…

  14. Facilitating Argumentative Knowledge Construction through a Transactive Discussion Script in CSCL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noroozi, Omid; Weinberger, Armin; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Mulder, Martin; Chizari, Mohammad

    2013-01-01

    Learning to argue is prerequisite to solving complex problems in groups, especially when they are multidisciplinary and collaborate online. Environments for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) can be designed to facilitate argumentative knowledge construction. This study investigates how argumentative knowledge construction in…

  15. German-French Case Study: Using Multi-Online Tools to Collaborate across Borders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brautlacht, Regina; Ducrocq, Csilla

    2013-01-01

    This paper examines how students learn to collaborate in English by participating in an intercultural project that focuses on teaching students to work together on a digital writing project using various online tools, and documents their reflections working in an intercultural context. Students from Université Paris Sud Orsay and Bonn…

  16. Towards a Framework for Creative Online Collaboration: A Research on Challenges and Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stockleben, Björn; Thayne, Martyn; Jäminki, Seija; Haukijärvi, Ilkka; Mavengere, Nicholas Blessing; Demirbilek, Muhammet; Ruohonen, Mikko

    2017-01-01

    The OnCreate project was initiated by ten universities with expertise in collaborative work in online-based learning environments and explores the specific challenges of implementing university courses in creative disciplines in such an environment. The first research phase comprises a literature search on creativity and its contextual factors in…

  17. Developing Communication Confidence and Professional Identity in Chemistry through International Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skagen, Darlene; McCollum, Brett; Morsch, Layne; Shokoples, Brandon

    2018-01-01

    The use of online collaborative assignments (OCAs) between two flipped organic chemistry classrooms, one in Canada and the other in the United States, was examined for impact on learners. The intervention was designed to support content mastery, aid in increasing students' communication skills through chemistry drawing and verbalization,…

  18. Instructional Design for Online Learning Environments and the Problem of Collaboration in the Cloud

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehlenbacher, Brad; Kelly, Ashley Rose; Kampe, Christopher; Kittle Autry, Meagan

    2018-01-01

    To investigate how college students understand and use cloud technology for collaborative writing, the authors studied two asynchronous online courses, on science communication and on technical communication. Students worked on a group assignment (3-4 per group) using Google Docs and individually reflected on their experience writing…

  19. Key Factors in Online Collaboration and Their Relationship to Teamwork Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tseng, Hungwei; Ku, Heng-Yu; Wang, Chien-Hsin; Sun, Ling

    2009-01-01

    Online instructors today search for ways to engage students in authentic activities in their courses to create real-world learning experiences. Collaborative grouping is 1 way that instructors promote students' creativity and productivity during the teamwork process. The present study is an attempt to enhance our understanding of students'…

  20. Online Group Work Patterns: How to Promote a Successful Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliveira, I.; Tinoca, L.; Pereira, A.

    2011-01-01

    Participation is a complex process, engaging the whole person, implying cognitive, emotional and relational aspects. In online open and distant learning, group work is a commonly used strategy, given its collaborative nature and constructivist framework ([Bates and Poole, 2003], [Garrison and Anderson, 2003] and [Jonassen, 2005]). In this context,…

  1. Critical and Higher Order Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions in the Slovak Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pisutova-Gerber, Katarina; Malovicova, Jana

    2009-01-01

    This article describes and analyzes efforts to use collaborative asynchronous discussion forums in a three semester online education program for NGO leaders and managers in Slovakia. Slovakia, as a country with autocratic styles of teacher-centered education, presents strong barriers to the implementation of collaborative learning activities. The…

  2. Collaborative Learning in Online Study Groups: An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiong, Raymond; Jovanovic, Jelena

    2012-01-01

    Educational benefits of online collaborative group work have been confirmed in numerous research studies. Most frequently cited advantages include the development of skills of critical thinking and problem solving as well as skills of self-reflection and co-construction of knowledge and meaning. However, the establishment and maintenance of active…

  3. Online Experiential Learning: Effective Applications for Geoscience Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matias, A.; Eriksson, S. C.

    2015-12-01

    Students today are rarely satisfied with a one-size-fits-all educational experience. The rapid changing landscape of the web and other technologies are breaking down communicationand geographic barries. More students are increasingly turning to the web for quality education that fits into their lives. As a result, higher education institutions are expanding their offerings through online courses. Nonetheless, online learning brings challenges as well as a fresh opportunityfor exploring practices not present in traditional higher education programs, particularly in the sciences. We are in a unique position to empower students to make strategic academic and professional decisions in global terms. Online learning, supportedwith hands-on and minds-on activities, actively engages student with critical thinking skills and higher level learning. This presentation will showcase examples from a series of geoscience and environmental science courses currently offered fully online at SUNY Empire State College (ESC). Taking advantage of the proliferation of tools currently available for online learning management systems, we will explore how we approach course developent to create an interactive learning environment. Students learn through case studies, group projects and understanding real-world issues while learning concepts. Particular focus will be given to an international collaboration with the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Chihuahua Campus. This collaboration took place during the Spring of 2015 with students from the fully-online, lower-level Geology and the Environment course at ESC and the upper-level, face-to-face Mobile Programming course in Mexico. Ultimately, the goal of this presentation is to show faculty members and afministrators the pedagogical principles and approach used with the expectation that it could help support development of online learning opportunities at their institutions.

  4. Students' Perceived Challenges in an Online Collaborative Learning Environment: A Case of Higher Learning Institutions in Nairobi, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muuro, Maina Elizaphan; Wagacha, Waiganjo Peter; Oboko, Robert; Kihoro, John

    2014-01-01

    Earlier forms of distance education were characterized by minimal social interaction like correspondence, television, video and radio. However, the World Wide Web (WWW) and online learning introduced the opportunity for much more social interaction, particularly among learners, and this has been further made possible through social media in Web…

  5. The Interactions between Facilitator Identity, Conflictual Presence, and Social Presence in Peer-Moderated Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xie, Kui; Lu, Lin; Cheng, Sheng-Lun; Izmirli, Serkan

    2017-01-01

    Research has focused on the significance of social presence in online learning. However, peer interaction does not always result in positive emotions and feelings; it can trigger tension, distress, and anger within a learning community. Therefore, conflictual presence, as a carrier of negative valence within presence, is also a critical element…

  6. The Voice of Feedback: A Study of Asynchronous Audio Communication in the Online Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson Van Den Elzen, Jolene M.

    2011-01-01

    The interaction between learners and the instructor in an online learning environment has been shown to contribute to increases in learning through promotion of a cooperative and collaborative environment, which allows students to learn from course materials, the instructor, and each other (Jiang & Ting, 2000; Jung et al., 2002; Kollock, 1998;…

  7. Personality Traits and Performance in Online Game-Based Learning: Collaborative versus Individual Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lara, Miguel Angel

    2013-01-01

    Extant research indicates that, in face-to-face settings, cooperative learning and game-based learning strategies can be effective. However, in online settings (e.g., in distance education), there is a paucity of research in this area. This study was designed to investigate performance and attitudes of university students who played an educational…

  8. Factors for Development of Learning Content and Task for MOOCs in an Asian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nordin, Norazah; Norman, Helmi; Embi, Mohamed Amin; Mansor, Ahmad Zamri; Idris, Fazilah

    2016-01-01

    The rapid advancement of emergent learning technologies has led to the introduction of massive open online courses (MOOCs) which offer open-based online learning courses to a large number of students. In line with the advancement, the Malaysia Ministry of Education has recently initiated Malaysia MOOCs via collaboration with four public…

  9. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) and the Forum: A Tool for Writers in Distance Education Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terryberry, Karl

    2002-01-01

    Demonstrates how to integrate static web pages with the dynamic forum for an effective learning experience on the online writing lab (OWL). Explains why asynchronous feedback provides effective, individualized writing instruction to students with various learning styles and how collaborative learning is fostered through threaded discussion groups.…

  10. Exploring Writing Individually and Collaboratively Using Google Docs in EFL Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alsubaie, Jawaher; Ashuraidah, Ali

    2017-01-01

    Online teaching and learning became popular with the evolution of the World Wide Web now days. Implementing online learning tools within EFL contexts will help better address the multitude of teaching and learning styles. Difficulty in academic writing can be considered one of the common problems that students face in and outside their classrooms.…

  11. An e-Learning Collaborative Filtering Approach to Suggest Problems to Solve in Programming Online Judges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toledo, Raciel Yera; Mota, Yailé Caballero

    2014-01-01

    The paper proposes a recommender system approach to cover online judge's domains. Online judges are e-learning tools that support the automatic evaluation of programming tasks done by individual users, and for this reason they are usually used for training students in programming contest and for supporting basic programming teachings. The…

  12. A Methodological Approach to Support Collaborative Media Creation in an E-Learning Higher Education Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ornellas, Adriana; Muñoz Carril, Pablo César

    2014-01-01

    This article outlines a methodological approach to the creation, production and dissemination of online collaborative audio-visual projects, using new social learning technologies and open-source video tools, which can be applied to any e-learning environment in higher education. The methodology was developed and used to design a course in the…

  13. Facilitating Social Collaboration in Mobile Cloud-Based Learning: A Teamwork as A Service (TaaS) Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Geng; Shen, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Mobile learning is an emerging trend that brings many advantages to distributed learners, enabling them to achieve collaborative learning, in which the virtual teams are usually built to engage multiple learners working together towards the same pedagogical goals in online courses. However, the socio-technical mechanisms to enhance teamwork…

  14. Cognitive Presence in Virtual Collaborative Learning: Assessing and Improving Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Forums

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beckmann, Jennifer; Weber, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to introduce a virtual collaborative learning setting called "Net Economy", which we established as part of an international learning network of currently six universities, and present our approach to continuously improve the course in each cycle. Design/ Methodology/Approach: Using the community of…

  15. Learning in the "Café": Pilot Testing the Collaborative Application for Education in Facebook

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Josh

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on a pilot study using the "Café," the collaborative application for education as an online learning environment within the Facebook framework, for first-year tertiary design students. The "Café," a new e-learning application, has been designed based on five principles of user interface design--visibility,…

  16. Cognitive Presence in Virtual Collaborative Learning: Assessing and Improving Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Forums

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beckmann, Jennifer; Weber, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The paper introduces a virtual collaborative learning setting called "Net Economy," which we established as part of an international learning network of currently seven universities. Using the Community of Inquiry framework as guidance and Canonical Action Research (CAR) as the chosen research design, the discussion forum of the online…

  17. A Case Study of Using a Social Annotation Tool to Support Collaboratively Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Fei

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to understand student interaction and learning supported by a collaboratively social annotation tool--Diigo. The researcher examined through a case study how students participated and interacted when learning an online text with the social annotation tool--Diigo, and how they perceived their experience. The findings…

  18. E-Tutorial Support for Collaborative Online Learning: An Explorative Study on Experienced and Inexperienced E-Tutors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kopp, Birgitta; Matteucci, Maria Cristina; Tomasetto, Carlo

    2012-01-01

    The e-tutor plays a major role in supporting virtual collaborative learning, as he/she supervises learners in collaboratively solving tasks, acquiring new skills, and applying new knowledge. This study is aimed at gaining further insights into the daily support practices of e-tutors. Seventy-six e-tutors from 17 different European countries were…

  19. Space ALIVE!: A Multimedia-Enhanced Collaborative Learning Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Looi, Chee-Kit; Ang, D.

    2000-01-01

    Discusses online text-based collaborative learning environments such as Multi-User Dimensions (MUDs) and Object-Oriented MUDs (MOOs) and describes a multimedia-enhanced, Web-based MOO (WOO) called SpaceALIVE! that was the subject of a pilot project with Singapore secondary school students. (Contains 15 references.) (LRW)

  20. Automating Expertise in Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LaVoie, Noelle; Streeter, Lynn; Lochbaum, Karen; Wroblewski, David; Boyce, Lisa; Krupnick, Charles; Psotka, Joseph

    2010-01-01

    We have developed a set of tools for improving online collaborative learning including an automated expert that monitors and moderates discussions, and additional tools to evaluate contributions, semantically search all posted comments, access a library of hundreds of digital books and provide reports to instructors. The technology behind these…

  1. Online learning in dentistry: an overview of the future direction for dental education.

    PubMed

    Schönwetter, D J; Reynolds, P A; Eaton, K A; De Vries, J

    2010-12-01

    This paper provides an overview of the diversity of tools available for online learning and identifies the drivers of online learning and directives for future research relating to online learning in dentistry. After an introduction and definitions of online learning, this paper considers the democracy of knowledge and tools and systems that have democratized knowledge. It identifies assessment systems and the challenges of online learning. This paper also identifies the drivers for online learning, including those for instructors, administrators and leaders, technology innovators, information and communications technology personnel, global dental associations and government. A consideration of the attitudes of the stakeholders and how they might work together follows, using the example of the unique achievement of the successful collaboration between the Universities of Adelaide, Australia and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The importance of the interaction of educational principles and research on online learning is discussed. The paper ends with final reflections and conclusions, advocating readers to move forward in adopting online learning as a solution to the increasing worldwide shortage of clinical academics to teach dental clinicians of the future. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. "Refreshed…reinforced…reflective": A qualitative exploration of interprofessional education facilitators' own interprofessional learning and collaborative practice.

    PubMed

    Evans, Sherryn; Shaw, Nicole; Ward, Catherine; Hayley, Alexa

    2016-11-01

    While there is extensive research examining the outcomes of interprofessional education (IPE) for students, minimal research has investigated how facilitating student learning influences the facilitators themselves. This exploratory case study aimed to explore whether and how facilitating IPE influences facilitators' own collaborative practice attitudes, knowledge, and workplace behaviours. Sixteen facilitators of an online pre-licensure IPE unit for an Australian university participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Inductive thematic analysis revealed three emergent themes and associated subthemes characterising participants' reflexivity as IPE facilitators: interprofessional learning; professional behaviour change; and collaborative practice expertise. Participants experienced interprofessional learning in their role as facilitators, improving their understanding of other professionals' roles, theoretical and empirical knowledge underlying collaborative practice, and the use and value of online communication. Participants also reported having changed several professional behaviours, including improved interprofessional collaboration with colleagues, a change in care plan focus, a less didactic approach to supervising students and staff, and greater enthusiasm impressing the value of collaborative practice on placement students. Participants reported having acquired their prior interprofessional collaboration expertise via professional experience rather than formal learning opportunities and believed access to formal IPE as learners would aid their continuing professional development. Overall, the outcomes of the IPE experience extended past the intended audience of the student learners and positively impacted on the facilitators as well.

  3. Collaborative online projects for English language learners in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Knox, Carolyn; Rivas, Carmen

    2013-12-01

    This paper summarizes how collaborative online projects (COPs) are used to facilitate science content-area learning for English Learners of Hispanic origin. This is a Mexico-USA partnership project funded by the National Science Foundation. A COP is a 10-week thematic science unit, completely online, and bilingual (Spanish and English) designed to provide collaborative learning experiences with culturally and linguistically relevant science instruction in an interactive and multimodal learning environment. Units are integrated with explicit instructional lessons that include: (a) hands-on and laboratory activities, (b) interactive materials and interactive games with immediate feedback, (c) animated video tutorials, (d) discussion forums where students exchange scientific learning across classrooms in the USA and in Mexico, and (e) summative and formative assessments. Thematic units have been aligned to U.S. National Science Education Standards and are under current revisions for alignment to the Common Core State Standards. Training materials for the teachers have been integrated into the project website to facilitate self-paced and independent learning. Preliminary findings of our pre-experimental study with a sample of 53 students (81 % ELs), distributed across three different groups, resulted in a 21 % statistically significant points increase from pretest to posttest assessments of science content learning, t( 52) = 11.07, p = .000.

  4. Analysis of an Asynchronous Online Discussion as a Supportive Model for Peer Collaboration and Reflection in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plešec Gasparic, Romina; Pecar, Mojca

    2016-01-01

    Professional development of future teachers is based on connecting theory and practice with the aim of supporting and developing critical, independent, responsible decision-making and active teaching. With this aim we designed a blended learning environment with an asynchronous online discussion, enabling collaboration and reflection even when…

  5. Patterns of Physics Reasoning in Face-to-Face and Online Forum Collaboration around a Digital Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Eaton, Grant; Clark, Douglas B.; Smith, Blaine E.

    2015-01-01

    Students playing digital learning games in the classroom rarely play alone, even in digital games that are ostensibly "single-player" games. This study explores the patterns of physics reasoning that emerge in face-to-face and online forum collaboration while students play a physics-focused educational game in their classroom. We…

  6. Leveraging Learning Technologies for Collaborative Writing in an Online Pharmacotherapy Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pittenger, Amy L.; Olson-Kellogg, Becky

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this project was to evaluate the development and delivery of a hypertext case scenario document to be used as the capstone assessment tool for doctoral-level physical therapy students. The integration of Web-based collaborative tools (PBworks[TM] and Google Sites[TM]) allowed students in this all-online course to apply their…

  7. The Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science: A Nine-State Online Collaboration to Improve the Turfgrass Short Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koch, Paul L.; Soldat, Douglas J.; Horgan, Brian P.; Bauer, Samuel J.; Patton, Aaron J.

    2017-01-01

    Increasing costs and decreasing numbers of university Extension faculty have made it difficult to provide quality turfgrass short course education. In response, faculty from nine institutions collaborated to develop the Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science. This 12-week online course provides students with unique learning experiences through a…

  8. Collaboration Scripts for Mastership Skills: Online Game about Classroom Dilemmas in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hummel, Hans; Geerts, Walter; Slootmaker, Aad; Kuipers, Derek; Westera, Wim

    2015-01-01

    Serious games are seen to hold potential to facilitate workplace learning in a more dynamic and flexible way. This article describes an empirical study into the feasibility of an online collaboration game that facilitates teachers-in-training to deal with classroom management dilemmas. A script to support these students in carrying out such…

  9. The Interrelationship of Emotion and Cognition when Students Undertake Collaborative Group Work Online: An Interdisciplinary Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Kathy

    2013-01-01

    In order to determine how emotions and cognition are experienced during collaborative group work online students' descriptions of their learning experience were interpreted using a qualitative approach. A common feature of these accounts was reference to difficulties and problems. Four main themes were identified from this data set. Two of the…

  10. Student Perception of Online Learning in ESL Bilingual Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniel, Mayra C.; Schumacher, Gail; Stelter, Nicole; Riley, Carolyn

    2016-01-01

    Current technologies are changing delivery options for post-graduate teacher education. Many practicing teachers who return to school to prepare to educate English learners choose distance learning. This article explores teachers' perceived satisfaction with the quality of online courses, with the collaborative tasks required in these, and the…

  11. Personalized Learning and the Ultraversity Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, Stephen; Tindal, Ian; Millwood, Richard

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes a model of personalized work-integrated learning that is collaborative in nature, uses emerging Internet technologies and is accessed fully online. The Ultraversity project was set up by Ultralab at Anglia Ruskin University to develop a fully online, 3-year duration, undergraduate degree program with an emphasis on action…

  12. Chinese Students' Perceptions of a Collaborative E-Learning Environment and Factors Affecting Their Performance: Implementing a Flemish E-Learning Course in a Chinese Educational Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhu, Chang; Valcke, Martin; Schellens, Tammy; Li, Yifei

    2009-01-01

    This study was set up in a Chinese university in Beijing by implementing a Flemish e-learning course in a Chinese setting. A main feature of the e-learning environment is the asynchronous "task-based" online group discussion. The purpose of the study is to understand Chinese students' perceptions of a collaborative e-learning environment…

  13. Use of FirstClass as a Collaborative Learning Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Persico, Donatella; Manca, Stefania

    2000-01-01

    Describes the use of SoftArc Intranet FirstClass, a collaborative learning environment that uses computer conferencing, and discusses pros and cons of choosing this system for running online courses from a distance. Presents case studies from Italy and presents viewpoints of students, tutors, designers and administrators. (Author/LRW)

  14. Envisioning Collaborative Composing in Music Education: Learning and Negotiation of Meaning in "operabyyou.com"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Partti, Heidi; Westerlund, Heidi

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative instrumental case study examines collaborative composing in the "operabyyou.com" online music community from the perspective of learning by utilising the concept of a "community of practice" as a heuristic frame. The article suggests that although informal music practices offer important opportunities for…

  15. Collaborative Recommendation of E-Learning Resources: An Experimental Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manouselis, N.; Vuorikari, R.; Van Assche, F.

    2010-01-01

    Repositories with educational resources can support the formation of online learning communities by providing a platform for collaboration. Users (e.g. teachers, tutors and learners) access repositories, search for interesting resources to access and use, and in many cases, also exchange experiences and opinions. A particular class of online…

  16. The effect of online collaborative learning on middle school student science literacy and sense of community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wendt, Jillian Leigh

    This study examines the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy and sense of community. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design was used. Following IRB approval and district superintendent approval, students at a public middle school in central Virginia completed a pretest consisting of the Misconceptions-Oriented Standards-Based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART) Physical Science assessment and the Classroom Community Scale. Students in the control group received in-class assignments that were completed collaboratively in a face-to-face manner. Students in the experimental group received in-class assignments that were completed online collaboratively through the Edmodo educational platform. Both groups were members of intact, traditional face-to-face classrooms. The students were then post tested. Results pertaining to the MOSART assessment were statistically analyzed through ANCOVA analysis while results pertaining to the Classroom Community Scale were analyzed through MANOVA analysis. Results are reported and suggestions for future research are provided.

  17. Individual and Collaborative Technology-Mediated Learning Using Question & Answer Online Discussion Forums--Perceptions of Public Health Learners in Dubai, UAE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Awofeso, Niyi; Hassan, Moustafa; Hamidi, Samer

    2016-01-01

    This case study provides evidence-based suggestions for the use of Question and Answer discussion forums for improving quality and assessment of online learning. General online discussion forums are accessible at any time to all subscribers, making it possible for some learners to update, concur with or paraphrase discussions posted earlier by…

  18. An Investigation of a Computer Training Company's Migration to a New Distance Learning Platform and the Implementation of an Online Professional Development Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudd, Denis; Bernadowski, Carianne

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine if the Training Partner Program was successful in preparing trainers to use a new distance learning platform. Results indicate the program was a success in improving self-efficacy, engagement, and collaboration among trainers. Additionally, characteristics of online trainers are identified. Online learning…

  19. Blended Learning: An Innovative Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lalima; Dangwal, Kiran Lata

    2017-01-01

    Blended learning is an innovative concept that embraces the advantages of both traditional teaching in the classroom and ICT supported learning including both offline learning and online learning. It has scope for collaborative learning; constructive learning and computer assisted learning (CAI). Blended learning needs rigorous efforts, right…

  20. Integrating On-Line Technology into Teaching Activities to Enhance Student and Teacher Learning in a New Zealand Primary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baskerville, Delia

    2012-01-01

    Continuing emphasis given to computer technology resourcing in schools presents potential for web-based initiatives which focus on quality arts teaching and learning, as ways to improve arts outcomes for all students. An arts e-learning collaborative research project between specialist on-line teacher/researchers and generalist primary teachers…

  1. Incorporating a collaborative web-based virtual laboratory in an undergraduate bioinformatics course.

    PubMed

    Weisman, David

    2010-01-01

    Face-to-face bioinformatics courses commonly include a weekly, in-person computer lab to facilitate active learning, reinforce conceptual material, and teach practical skills. Similarly, fully-online bioinformatics courses employ hands-on exercises to achieve these outcomes, although students typically perform this work offsite. Combining a face-to-face lecture course with a web-based virtual laboratory presents new opportunities for collaborative learning of the conceptual material, and for fostering peer support of technical bioinformatics questions. To explore this combination, an in-person lecture-only undergraduate bioinformatics course was augmented with a remote web-based laboratory, and tested with a large class. This study hypothesized that the collaborative virtual lab would foster active learning and peer support, and tested this hypothesis by conducting a student survey near the end of the semester. Respondents broadly reported strong benefits from the online laboratory, and strong benefits from peer-provided technical support. In comparison with traditional in-person teaching labs, students preferred the virtual lab by a factor of two. Key aspects of the course architecture and design are described to encourage further experimentation in teaching collaborative online bioinformatics laboratories. Copyright © 2010 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Theory-Led Design of Instruments and Representations in Learning Analytics: Developing a Novel Tool for Orchestration of Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Nick; Thompson, Kate; Yeoman, Pippa

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes theory-led design as a way of developing novel tools for learning analytics (LA). It focuses upon the domain of automated discourse analysis (ADA) of group learning activities to help an instructor to orchestrate online groups in real-time. The paper outlines the literature on the development of LA tools within the domain of…

  3. Emotion Management in Online Groupwork Reported by Chinese Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Jianzhong; Du, Jianxia; Fan, Xitao

    2014-01-01

    Emotion and emotion regulation are increasingly viewed as critical issues in online learning environments. Online collaborative environments in particular create novel challenges for emotion regulation. Few studies, however, have focused on a range of factors that may influence students' efforts to manage their emotion in online collaborative…

  4. Eagle Racing: Addressing Corporate Collaboration Challenges through an Online Simulation Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Angehrn, Albert A.; Maxwell, Katrina

    2009-01-01

    Effective collaboration is necessary for corporation-wide learning, knowledge exchange, and innovation. However, it is difficult to create a corporate culture that encourages collaboration; the complexity of such collaboration is increased substantially by the diverse and distributed nature of knowledge sources and decision makers in the global…

  5. Participation, Interaction and Social Presence: An Exploratory Study of Collaboration in Online Peer Review Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhao, Huahui; Sullivan, Kirk P. H.; Mellenius, Ingmarie

    2014-01-01

    A key reason for using asynchronous computer conferencing in instruction is its potential for supporting collaborative learning. However, few studies have examined collaboration in computer conferencing. This study examined collaboration in six peer review groups within an asynchronous computer conferencing. Eighteen tertiary students participated…

  6. Using multimedia and peer assessment to promote collaborative e-learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barra, Enrique; Aguirre Herrera, Sandra; Ygnacio Pastor Caño, Jose; Quemada Vives, Juan

    2014-04-01

    Collaborative e-learning is increasingly appealing as a pedagogical approach that can positively affect student learning. We propose a didactical model that integrates multimedia with collaborative tools and peer assessment to foster collaborative e-learning. In this paper, we explain it and present the results of its application to the "International Seminars on Materials Science" online course. The proposed didactical model consists of five educational activities. In the first three, students review the multimedia resources proposed by the teacher in collaboration with their classmates. Then, in the last two activities, they create their own multimedia resources and assess those created by their classmates. These activities foster communication and collaboration among students and their ability to use and create multimedia resources. Our purpose is to encourage the creativity, motivation, and dynamism of the learning process for both teachers and students.

  7. Resolving Bottlenecks: Converting Three High-Enrollment Nursing Courses to an Online Format.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ken-Zen; Anderson, Jeff; Hannah, Elizabeth Lyon; Bauer, Christine; Provant-Robishaw, Corinna

    2015-07-01

    Converting large undergraduate classes from the classroom to online has been an effective way to increase enrollments in high-demand courses in undergraduate education. However, challenges exist to maintaining students' high-quality learning interaction and engagement in large online courses. This article presents a collaborative model between faculty in health sciences and instructional designers to redesign and redevelop three high-enrollment courses to online at Boise State University. Health studies course faculty and eCampus instructional designers conducted this study to reflect the collaborative online course development process at Boise State. The offering of high-enrollment nursing courses met enrollment demand and maintained student retention. Challenges related to instruction were addressed by using a careful course redesign process and continuous improvement. Implications of this educational innovation for health science educators, instructional designers, and lessons learned are provided. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  8. Fantasy Island Meets the Real World: Using Online Discussion Forums in Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martens-Baker, Susan

    2009-01-01

    This article describes the Tribal Paradise Project the author and her colleagues designed for their high school students. This project was a bold attempt to bring together the real-world skills of collaboration and online writing into one major, cross-school project. Adapted from the famous "Flimibuff" assignment cited by Ray Saitz on his teacher…

  9. Knowledge Strands: Enhancing Student Perception of Online Postings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaudry-Hudson, Christine; Yalda, Sepideh

    2008-01-01

    An important component of student-centered learning is students' ability to connect to their own experiences and to build on their initial perspectives. In this collaborative project, two courses, one in foreign language and one in meteorology, use online postings and threaded discussions to guide the student in a self-study of progress, learning,…

  10. Online Professional Learning Networks: A Viable Solution to the Professional Development Dilemma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Rebecca J.; Jones-Bromenshenkel, Melissa; Huisinga, Shawn; Mullins, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Quality professional development must meet the demands and needs of the person engaging in the activity. However, many opportunities for special educators are often less than optimal in terms of timeliness, expertise, or applicability. This article describes the idea of online professional learning networks (PLNs) which allow for collaboration and…

  11. Exploring the Complex Computer-Mediated Communication Needs of Learners in a Multilingual, Multicultural Online Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burger, William Peter

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand student perceptions of social presence that resulted from communicating and collaborating via different forms of Internet-based communication technologies in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual online learning environment. In that it describes how non-native English speaking students from different…

  12. Designing Online Learning for Developing Pre-Service Teachers' Capabilities in Mathematical Modelling and Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geiger, Vince; Date-Huxtable, Liz; Ahlip, Rehez; Herberstein, Marie; Jones, D. Heath; May, E. Julian; Rylands, Leanne; Wright, Ian; Mulligan, Joanne

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the processes utilised to develop an online learning module within the Opening Real Science (ORS) project--"Modelling the present: Predicting the future." The module was realised through an interdisciplinary collaboration, among mathematicians, scientists and mathematics and science educators that…

  13. Strategic Tooling: Technology for Constructing a Community of Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Penny; Vogler, Jane S.; Xiu, Ying

    2017-01-01

    The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework describes online learning as a collaborative process supported by social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence, which work together to facilitate critical thinking and learning. The technology used in an online class can facilitate a CoI when its features support, rather than constrain,…

  14. Thematic Analysis of the "Games" Students Play in Asynchronous Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacMillan, Thalia; Forte, Michele; Grant, Cynthia

    2014-01-01

    The dynamics of the student-student relationship within the asynchronous online classroom, as evidenced by conversations in an online discussion board, is a balancing act potentially more complex than those occurring in real-time. In order for learning to truly be considered effective, a collaborative, safe environment needs to exist among…

  15. Fostering Experiential Learning and Service through Client Projects in Graduate Business Courses Offered Online

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hagan, Linda M.

    2012-01-01

    Undergraduate marketing and public relations capstone courses utilize client projects to allow students to apply their knowledge and encourage collaboration. Yet, at the graduate level, especially with courses offered in an online modality, experiential service learning in the form of client project assignments presents unique challenges. However,…

  16. Web 2.0 Technologies and Back Channel Communication in an Online Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kearns, Lorna R.; Frey, Barbara A.

    2010-01-01

    Communication, collaboration and community development are processes that contribute to student satisfaction and learning in online courses. This paper describes a study that investigated how campus and distance graduate students in a library science program communicated with one another outside the official boundaries of their courses. We…

  17. Creating Meaning through Multimodality: Multiliteracies Assessment and Photo Projects for Online Portfolios

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmerbeck, Nicola; Lucht, Felecia

    2017-01-01

    Actively engaged in online media, learners today are surrounded by texts overtly and covertly transmitted by visual images, sound effects, and voices as well as the written word. Language learning portfolios can engage students in the literacy-oriented learning processes of interpretation, collaboration, and problem solving as outlined by Kern…

  18. Using a Synchronous Online Learning Environment to Promote and Enhance Transactional Engagement beyond the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wdowik, Steven

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to create a synchronous online learning community through the use of "Blackboard Collaborate!" to promote and enhance transactional engagement outside the classroom. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employs a quantitative and qualitative approach where data were sourced from a third year…

  19. Online Learning in Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghanaian University Students' Experiences and Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asunka, Stephen

    2008-01-01

    This study adopted a qualitative case-study approach to examine the attitudes, experiences, and perceptions of undergraduate students who were enrolled in an online, collaborative learning course at a Ghanaian private university. Data sources included surveys, student and instructor journal entries, email records, individual interviews, and…

  20. TeamXchange: A Team Project Experience Involving Virtual Teams and Fluid Team Membership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dineen, Brian R.

    2005-01-01

    TeamXchange, an online team-based exercise, is described. TeamXchange is consistent with the collaborative model of learning and provides a means of fostering enhanced student learning and engagement through collaboration in virtual teams experiencing periodic membership changes. It was administered in an undergraduate Organizational Behavior…

  1. Designing Collaborative Learning Environments Mediated by Computer Conferencing: Issues and Challenges in the Asian Socio-Cultural Context.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gunawardena, Charlotte N.

    1998-01-01

    Explores issues related to the design of collaborative-learning environments mediated by computer conferencing from the perspective of challenges faced in the sociocultural context of the Indian sub-continent. Examines the impact of online features on social cohesiveness, group dynamics, interaction, communication anxiety, and participation.…

  2. Pattern of Non-Task Interactions in Asynchronous Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abedin, Babak; Daneshgar, Farhad; D'Ambra, John

    2014-01-01

    Despite the importance of the non-task interactions in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments as emphasized in the literature, few studies have investigated online behavior of people in the CSCL environments. This paper studies the pattern of non-task interactions among postgraduate students in an Australian university. The…

  3. Collaborative Learning through Formative Peer Review: Pedagogy, Programs and Potential

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sondergaard, Harald; Mulder, Raoul A.

    2012-01-01

    We examine student peer review, with an emphasis on formative practice and collaborative learning, rather than peer grading. Opportunities to engage students in such formative peer assessment are growing, as a range of online tools become available to manage and simplify the process of administering student peer review. We consider whether…

  4. Adventure Learning: Theory and Implementation of Hybrid Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doering, A.

    2008-12-01

    Adventure Learning (AL), a hybrid distance education approach, provides students and teachers with the opportunity to learn about authentic curricular content areas while interacting with adventurers, students, and content experts at various locations throughout the world within an online learning environment (Doering, 2006). An AL curriculum and online environment provides collaborative community spaces where traditional hierarchical classroom roles are blurred and learning is transformed. AL has most recently become popular in K-12 classrooms nationally and internationally with millions of students participating online. However, in the literature, the term "adventure learning" many times gets confused with phrases such as "virtual fieldtrip" and activities where someone "exploring" is posting photos and text. This type of "adventure learning" is not "Adventure Learning" (AL), but merely a slideshow of their activities. The learning environment may not have any curricular and/or social goals, and if it does, the environment design many times does not support these objectives. AL, on the other hand, is designed so that both teachers and students understand that their online and curriculum activities are in synch and supportive of the curricular goals. In AL environments, there are no disparate activities as the design considers the educational, social, and technological affordances (Kirschner, Strijbos, Kreijns, & Beers, 2004); in other words, the artifacts of the learning environment encourage and support the instructional goals, social interactions, collaborative efforts, and ultimately learning. AL is grounded in two major theoretical approaches to learning - experiential and inquiry-based learning. As Kolb (1984) noted, in experiential learning, a learner creates meaning from direct experiences and reflections. Such is the goal of AL within the classroom. Additionally, AL affords learners a real-time authentic online learning experience concurrently as they study the AL curriculum. AL is also grounded in an inquiry- based approach to learning where learners are pursuing answers to questions they have posed rather than focusing on memorizing and regurgitating isolated, irrelevant facts. Both the curriculum and the online classroom are developed to foster students' abilities to inquire via "identifying and posing questions, designing and conducting investigations, analyzing data and evidence, using models and explanations, and communicating findings" (Keys and Bryan, 2001, p 121). The union of experiential and inquiry-based learning is the foundation of AL, guiding and supporting authentic learning endeavors. Based on these theoretical foundations, the design of the adventure learning experiences follows seven interdependent principles that further operationalize AL: researched curriculum grounded in inquiry; collaboration and interaction opportunities between students, experts, peers, and content; utilization of the Internet for curriculum and learning environment delivery; enhancement of curriculum with media and text from the field delivered in a timely manner; synched learning opportunities with the AL curriculum; pedagogical guidelines of the curriculum and the online learning environment; and adventure-based education. (Doering, 2006).

  5. Grounding Service-Learning in the Digital Age: Exploring a Virtual Sense of Geographic Place through Online Collaborative Mapping and Mixed Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandy, Marie G.; Franco, Zeno E.

    2014-01-01

    A sense of place has been an integral part of service-learning since the field's inception; it describes one's attachment to a particular geographic place and is often a precursor to engaging in action to care for localities and their inhabitants. But practicing service-learning in online environments requires reconsidering this core value. Should…

  6. Technology Support for Discussion Based Learning: From Computer Supported Collaborative Learning to the Future of Massive Open Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosé, Carolyn Penstein; Ferschke, Oliver

    2016-01-01

    This article offers a vision for technology supported collaborative and discussion-based learning at scale. It begins with historical work in the area of tutorial dialogue systems. It traces the history of that area of the field of Artificial Intelligence in Education as it has made an impact on the field of Computer-Supported Collaborative…

  7. Collaborative Filtering for Expansion of Learner's Background Knowledge in Online Language Learning: Does "Top-Down" Processing Improve Vocabulary Proficiency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamada, Masanori; Kitamura, Satoshi; Matsukawa, Hideya; Misono, Tadashi; Kitani, Noriko; Yamauchi, Yuhei

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, collaborative filtering, a recommendation algorithm that incorporates a user's data such as interest, has received worldwide attention as an advanced learning support system. However, accurate recommendations along with a user's interest cannot be ideal as an effective learning environment. This study aims to develop and…

  8. Wondering + Online Inquiry = Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sekeres, Diane Carver; Coiro, Julie; Castek, Jill; Guzniczak, Lizabeth A.

    2014-01-01

    Digital information sources can form the basis of effective inquiry-based learning if teachers construct the information and exercises in ways that will promote collaboration, communication, and problem solving.

  9. Learning pathology using collaborative vs. individual annotation of whole slide images: a mixed methods trial.

    PubMed

    Sahota, Michael; Leung, Betty; Dowdell, Stephanie; Velan, Gary M

    2016-12-12

    Students in biomedical disciplines require understanding of normal and abnormal microscopic appearances of human tissues (histology and histopathology). For this purpose, practical classes in these disciplines typically use virtual microscopy, viewing digitised whole slide images in web browsers. To enhance engagement, tools have been developed to enable individual or collaborative annotation of whole slide images within web browsers. To date, there have been no studies that have critically compared the impact on learning of individual and collaborative annotations on whole slide images. Junior and senior students engaged in Pathology practical classes within Medical Science and Medicine programs participated in cross-over trials of individual and collaborative annotation activities. Students' understanding of microscopic morphology was compared using timed online quizzes, while students' perceptions of learning were evaluated using an online questionnaire. For senior medical students, collaborative annotation of whole slide images was superior for understanding key microscopic features when compared to individual annotation; whilst being at least equivalent to individual annotation for junior medical science students. Across cohorts, students agreed that the annotation activities provided a user-friendly learning environment that met their flexible learning needs, improved efficiency, provided useful feedback, and helped them to set learning priorities. Importantly, these activities were also perceived to enhance motivation and improve understanding. Collaborative annotation improves understanding of microscopic morphology for students with sufficient background understanding of the discipline. These findings have implications for the deployment of annotation activities in biomedical curricula, and potentially for postgraduate training in Anatomical Pathology.

  10. Creating a Community of Inquiry in Online Library Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rapchak, Marcia E.

    2017-01-01

    According to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000), an enriching educational experience online in a collaborative learning environment requires three interdependent elements: social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. Social presence provides interaction in the online environment that allows…

  11. Task-Related and Social Regulation during Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janssen, Jeroen; Erkens, Gijsbert; Kirschner, Paul A.; Kanselaar, Gellof

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated how students collaborate in a CSCL environment and how this collaboration affects group performance. To answer these questions, the collaborative process of 101 groups of secondary education students when working on a historical inquiry task was analyzed. Our analyses show that group members devote most of their efforts to…

  12. How a Historically Black College University (HBCU) Established a Sustainable Online Learning Program in Partnership with Quality Matters™

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harkness, S. Suzan J.

    2015-01-01

    This case study describes an initiative approach to establishing online learning at a medium-size historically black college university. The study reveals the collaborative efforts between university administration and faculty, Quality Matters™, and Blackboard. The strategic initiative spanned a period of five academic years (2010-2014) during…

  13. Utilizing Twitter and #Hashtags toward Enhancing Student Learning in an Online Course Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bledsoe, T. Scott; Harmeyer, Dave; Wu, Shuang Frances

    2014-01-01

    The authors offer an answer to the research question, To what extent and in what ways is Twitter helpful to student learning when group hashtags are created and used in collaborative educational environments? Sixty-two students in a spring 2012 graduate online Research Methodology course worked individually and in groups to create discussions on…

  14. Knowledge-Building Quality in Online Communities of Practice: Focusing on Learning Dialogue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorensen, Elsebeth K.; Takle, Eugene S.; Moser, Heather M.

    2006-01-01

    This paper reports on a case study on the implementation of "language games" as a pedagogical tool for analyzing, assessing and promoting the quality and the level of collaborative knowledge building in online learning dialogues. Part of the overall objective is to explore the use, strength, weaknesses, and limitations of using the…

  15. Online Problem-Based Learning in Postgraduate Medical Education--Content Analysis of Reflection Comments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Maria L.; Salmoni, Alan J.

    2008-01-01

    We developed the Med-e-Conference, an online tool to teach clinical skills to medical students, which integrated problem-based learning with collaborative group tasks. The final task asked students to consider what they had done (reflection). These comments were analysed using content analysis, and 10 themes were elicited. The number of agreements…

  16. Exploring Arizona K-12 Virtual Educator Experiences and Perspectives Developing Collaborative Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, Deborah Iyron

    2015-01-01

    Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) provided an instructional alternative to nearly fifty thousand K-12 students in Arizona during the 2012-2013 school year. Growth in online education underscores the importance of evolving the role of the K-12 virtual teacher as the human agent (Turvey, 2008) demonstrating social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) by…

  17. A Formative Evaluation of WIKI's as a Learning Tool in a Face to Face Juvenile Justice Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowman, Scott Wm.

    2013-01-01

    Current literature indicates an increased pedagogical value of technology integration in university coursework. One form of technology that encourages collaborative, online teaching and learning is a "wiki," an online application that allows participants to partner and direct a website. This article describes the design and formative evaluation of…

  18. Reflective Outcomes of Convergent and Divergent Group Tasking in the Online Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawkes, Mark

    2007-01-01

    Using collaborative critical reflection as an index, this study examines the asynchronous and face-to-face discourse of 28 suburban Chicago elementary teachers developing problem based learning (PBL) curriculum. Statistical analysis of the corpus produced by the 2 mediums shows that the asynchronous online network emerges as the medium of choice…

  19. E-Learning and North-South collaboration: the experience of two public health schools in France and Benin.

    PubMed

    Edouard, Guévart; Dominique, Billot; Moussiliou, Paraïso Noël; Francis, Guillemin; Khaled, Bessaoud; Serge, Briançon

    2009-10-14

    Distance learning (e-learning) can facilitate access to training. Yet few public health E-learning experiments have been reported; institutes in developing countries experience difficulties in establishing on-line curricula, while developed countries struggle with adapting existing curricula to realities on the ground. In 2005, two schools of public health, one in France and one in Benin, began collaborating through contact sessions organised for Nancy University distance-learning students. This experience gave rise to a partnership aimed at developing training materials for e-Learning for African students. The distance-learning public health course at Nancy teaches public health professionals through a module entitled "Health and Development." The module is specifically tailored for professionals from developing countries. To promote student-teacher exchanges, clarify content and supervise dissertations, contact sessions are organized in centres proximate and accessible to African students. The Benin Institute's main feature is residential team learning; distance-learning courses are currently being prepared. The two collaborating institutions have developed a joint distance-learning module geared toward developing countries. The collaboration provides for the development, diffusion, and joint delivery of teaching modules featuring issues that are familiar to African staff, gives the French Institute credibility in assessing research work produced, and enables modules on specific African issues and approaches to be put online. While E-learning is a viable educational option for public health professionals, periodic contact can be advantageous. Our analysis showed that the benefit of the collaboration between the two institutions is mutual; the French Institute extends its geographical, cultural and contextual reach and expands its pool of teaching staff. The Benin Institute benefits from the technical partnership and expertise, which allow it to offer distance learning for Africa-specific contexts and applications.

  20. Peer-led team learning in an online course on controversial medication issues and the US healthcare system.

    PubMed

    Pittenger, Amy L; LimBybliw, Amy L

    2013-09-12

    To implement peer-led team learning in an online course on controversial issues surrounding medications and the US healthcare system. The course was delivered completely online using a learning management system. Students participated in weekly small-group discussions in online forums, completed 3 reflective writing assignments, and collaborated on a peer-reviewed grant proposal project. In a post-course survey, students reported that the course was challenging but meaningful. Final projects and peer-reviewed assignments demonstrated that primary learning goals for the course were achieved and students were empowered to engage in the healthcare debate. A peer-led team-learning is an effective strategy for an online course offered to a wide variety of student learners. By shifting some of the learning and grading responsibility to students, the instructor workload for the course was rendered more manageable.

  1. Exploring Students' Knowledge Construction Strategies in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Discussions Using Sequential Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shukor, Nurbiha A.; Tasir, Zaidatun; Van der Meijden, Henny; Harun, Jamalludin

    2014-01-01

    Online collaborative learning allows discussion to occur at greater depth where knowledge can be constructed remotely. However students were found to construct knowledge at low-level where they discussed by sharing and comparing opinions; those are inadequate for new knowledge creation. As such, this research attempted to investigate the students'…

  2. An Effective Online Teaching Method: The Combination of Collaborative Learning with Initiation and Self-Regulation Learning with Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Chia-Wen

    2013-01-01

    In modern business environments, work and tasks have become more complex and require more interdisciplinary skills to complete, including collaborative and computing skills for website design. However, the computing education in Taiwan can hardly be recognised as effective in developing and transforming students into competitive employees. In this…

  3. Rochester Castle MMORPG: Instructional Gaming and Collaborative Learning at a Western Australian School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Mark J. W.; Eustace, Ken; Fellows, Geoff; Bytheway, Allan; Irving, Leah

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on the first stage of a project to develop and test the use of massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) for promoting computer supported collaborative learning through instructional gaming in the high school classroom. Teachers and students of English and Science at Swan View Senior High School, Western…

  4. Incorporating Collaborative Technologies into University Curricula: Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunt, C. Steven; Smith, Lola B.; Chen, Minder

    2010-01-01

    Web-based collaboration tools and groupware are uniquely qualified to address the emerging business opportunities heretofore hindered by location barriers, constraints of time, and expensive travel costs. Global business enterprises are implementing online collaboration software to augment their face-to-face meetings and group decision making in…

  5. Analyzing Team Based Engineering Design Process in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Dong-Kuk; Lee, Eun-Sang

    2016-01-01

    The engineering design process has been largely implemented in a collaborative project format. Recently, technological advancement has helped collaborative problem solving processes such as engineering design to have efficient implementation using computers or online technology. In this study, we investigated college students' interaction and…

  6. Students' Experiences of Learning in a Virtual Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gedera, Dilani S. P.

    2014-01-01

    Online learning environments can offer learners opportunities for flexibility, interaction and collaboration distinctly different from face-to-face learning environments. However, the integration of educational technologies also presents challenges and concerns in relation to students' learning. This article attempts to develop a better…

  7. Exploring College Students' Online Help-Seeking Behavior in a Flipped Classroom with a Web-Based Help-Seeking Tool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Er, Erkan; Kopcha, Theodore J.; Orey, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Today's generation often seeks help from each other in online environments; however, only a few investigated the role of Internet technologies and the nature of online help-seeking behavior in collaborative learning environments. This paper presents an educational design research project that examines college students' online help-seeking…

  8. The Google Online Marketing Challenge and Research Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neale, Larry; Treiblmaier, Horst; Henderson, Vani; Hunter, Lee; Hudson, Karen; Murphy, Jamie

    2009-01-01

    The Google Online Marketing Challenge is an ongoing collaboration between Google and academics, to give students experiential learning. The Challenge gives student teams US$200 in AdWords, Google's flagship advertising product, to develop online marketing campaigns for actual businesses. The end result is an engaging in-class exercise that…

  9. Reconceptualising Higher Education Pedagogy in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Nicole C.; Edwards, Helen; Wolodko, Brenda; Stewart, Cherry; Brooks, Margaret; Littledyke, Ros

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this collaborative inquiry project was to examine teacher education practices in two early childhood degree programmes in a school of education at a regional university in Australia. All students are enrolled in these online courses as distance learners. The reconceptualised online pedagogy immersed students, peers and their…

  10. Professional Practices Online: Renovating Past Practices or Building New Ones?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schofield, Kaye; Melville, Bernice; Bennet, Deb; Walsh, Anne

    The extent of vocational education and training (VET) teachers' knowledge about and experiences of online learning and teaching was examined in a collaborative research project undertaken with leading practitioners of VET online in technical and further education (TAFE) in South Australia in 2000. Eighteen VET practitioners considered at the…

  11. Collaborative Technologies: Three Ways Web Conferencing is Transforming PD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raths, David

    2013-01-01

    The first five articles of this series on technologies that enable collaboration, highlighted ways to foster shared learning experiences among students. For this, the final installment, focus is shifted to teachers. States, districts, and groups of teachers are enhancing their collaboration opportunities through synchronous online meetings and…

  12. Using wikis to stimulate collaborative learning in two online health sciences courses.

    PubMed

    Zitzelsberger, Hilde; Campbell, Karen A; Service, Dorothea; Sanchez, Otto

    2015-06-01

    The use of wiki technology fits well in courses that encourage constructive knowledge building and social learning by a community of learners. Pedagogically, wikis have attracted interest in higher education environments because they facilitate the collaborative processes required for developing student group assignments. This article describes a pilot project to assess the implementation of wikis in two online small- and mid-sized elective courses comprising nursing students in third- or fourth-year undergraduate levels within interdisciplinary health sciences courses. The need exists to further develop the pedagogical use of wiki environments before they can be expected to support collaboration among undergraduate nursing students. Adapting wiki implementation to suitable well-matched courses will make adaptation of wikis into nursing curricula more effective and may increase the chances that nursing students will hone the collaborative abilities that are essential in their future professional roles in communities of practice. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  13. Fostering Verbal and Non-Verbal Social Interactions in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment: A Case Study of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Learning Social Competence in iSocial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Xianhui; Laffey, James; Xing, Wanli; Galyen, Krista; Stichter, Janine

    2017-01-01

    This case study describes the verbal and nonverbal social interaction of 11 youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment-iSocial. The youth were developing social competence through participation in a social competence intervention curriculum implemented online so as to provide access to high quality…

  14. Scaffolding scientific discussion using socially relevant representations in networked multimedia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoadley, Christopher M.

    1999-11-01

    How do students make use of social cues when learning on the computer? This work examines how students in a middle-school science course learned through on-line peer discussion. Cognitive accounts of collaboration stress interacting with ideas, while socially situated accounts stress the interpersonal context. The design of electronic environments allows investigation into the interrelation of cognitive and social dimensions. I use on-line peer discussion to investigate how socially relevant representations in interfaces can aid learning. First, I identify some of the variables that affect individual participation in on-line discussion, including interface features. Individual participation is predicted by student attitudes towards learning from peers. Second, I describe the range of group outcomes for these on-line discussions. There is a large effect of discussion group on learning outcomes which is not reducible to group composition or gross measures of group process. Third, I characterize how students (individually) construct understanding from these group discussions. Learning in the on-line discussions is shown to be a result of sustained interaction over time, not merely encountering or expressing ideas. Experimental manipulations in the types of social cues available to students suggest that many students do use socially relevant representations to support their understanding of multiple viewpoints and science reasoning. Personalizing scientific disputes can afford reflection on the nature of scientific discovery and advance. While there are many individual differences in how social representations are used by students in learning, overall learning benefits for certain social representations can be shown. This work has profound implications for design of collaborative instructional methods, equitable access to science learning, design of instructional technology, and understanding of learning and cognition in social settings.

  15. The Integration of Personal Learning Environments & Open Network Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tu, Chih-Hsiung; Sujo-Montes, Laura; Yen, Cherng-Jyh; Chan, Junn-Yih; Blocher, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Learning management systems traditionally provide structures to guide online learners to achieve their learning goals. Web 2.0 technology empowers learners to create, share, and organize their personal learning environments in open network environments; and allows learners to engage in social networking and collaborating activities. Advanced…

  16. Teaching, Learning, & Technology: The Connected Classroom. Proceedings of the Annual Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference (7th, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, April 7-9, 2002).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Middle Tennessee State Univ., Murfreesboro.

    This proceedings of the seventh annual Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference on Teaching, Learning, and Technology contains the following papers: "A Tale of Two Classes: Face-to-Face versus Online" (Carol Wilson); "Best Practices in Organization Highlighting 360 Degree Feedback" (Bonita Barger); "Collaborating Online To Teach Information…

  17. Hook, Line and Canvas: Launching a Professional Development Program to Help Librarians Navigate the Still and Stormy Waters of Online Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bliquez, Rebecca; Deeken, Lynn

    2016-01-01

    Professional development is critically important for librarians trying to establish an embedded presence in online and hybrid courses. The institutional learning management system (LMS) provides a medium for enhanced visibility of both library resources and librarians as instructional collaborators and curriculum designers. This case study…

  18. Dyads versus Groups: Using Different Social Structures in Peer Review to Enhance Online Collaborative Learning Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pozzi, Francesca; Ceregini, Andrea; Ferlino, Lucia; Persico, Donatella

    2016-01-01

    The Peer Review (PR) is a very popular technique to support socio-constructivist and connectivist learning processes, online or face-to-face, at all educational levels, in both formal and informal contexts. The idea behind this technique is that sharing views and opinions with others by discussing with peers and receiving and providing formative…

  19. Book Study Blogs: Creating Self-Sustaining Online Learning Communities for Graduate Students of Educational Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stonehouse, Pauline P.; Splichal, Susan

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative online learning has been adopted at all levels of education, in PK-12 public schools and universities, yet studies find student responses to the experience somewhat unpredictable. In this study, the authors draw on the practice of incorporating book study blogs at the University of North Dakota to engage doctoral students in a…

  20. Collaboration among Faculty Members and Community Partners: Increasing the Quality of Online Library and Information Science Graduate Programs through Academic Service-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Angel, Christine M.

    2016-01-01

    Finding innovative ways to deliver effective classroom instruction resulting in demonstration of student proficiency of the eight American Library Association core competencies within the online learning environment is challenging. While the use of technology is very important in the delivery of course content, focusing on the pedagogy of teaching…

  1. A Collaborative Approach to Experiential Learning in University Newswriting and Editing Classes: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Perry

    2015-01-01

    This case study examines a creative approach by two journalism professors to enhance experiential learning in separate skills-based newswriting and editing courses by collaborating to produce a live online news report from campus each week on a four-hour deadline. The study builds on previous research into how innovative classroom structures that…

  2. Does Collaboration Occur when Children Are Learning with the Support of a Wiki?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allsop, Yasemin

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on the outcomes of a mini-research project about visible forms of collaboration when children are learning with the support of Wikis-online editable websites. The findings were based on observing the children using the Wiki, analysis of the video recording of the task and the survey that was completed by the children using the…

  3. Teachers' roles in light of massive open online courses (MOOCs): Evolution and challenges in higher distance education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gil-Jaurena, Inés; Domínguez, Daniel

    2018-03-01

    This article analyses the challenges teachers face when entering a digital and open online environment in higher education. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have become a popular phenomenon, making online learning more visible in the educational agenda; therefore, it is appropriate to analyse their expansion and diversification to help inform the next generation of courses. In this article, MOOCs are contextualised in a historical and wider approach to online education, building upon lessons learned from open and distance education, and exploring the introduction of technologies in providing higher education to massive populations over the past 45 years. In particular, the research study presented in this article used the open scholarship approach to analyse many of the changes that can occur in teaching when an open context applies, as in the case of MOOCs. Taking into account that a collaborative online learning experience is influenced by the simultaneous presence and overlap of cognitive, social and teaching elements, the study also used the community of inquiry model as a theoretical framework. In the study, 24 teachers (from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia [UNED] in Madrid, Spain) were surveyed about their experiences of MOOCs in terms of their current tasks, and the main changes they have observed compared to teaching in a more traditional electronic learning (e-learning) environment (at both graduate and postgraduate levels). These changes in roles, as well as teachers' views about the impact of "massiveness" and "openness" on their understanding and teaching practice, are presented and analysed. Finally, the article also discusses how the evolution towards adapted learning, collaborative learning and assessment supported by technical tools, for example, was already in progress at UNED before MOOCs were initiated.

  4. Social Phenomenon of Community on Online Learning: Digital Interaction and Collaborative Learning Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Magzan, Masha; Juric, Visnja

    2009-01-01

    Digital interaction in e-learning offers great opportunities for education quality improvement in both--the classical teaching combined with e-learning, and distance learning. Zagreb School of Economics & Management (ZSEM) is one of the few higher education institutions in Croatia that systematically uses e-learning in teaching. Systematically…

  5. Learning Tools for Knowledge Nomads: Using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in Web-based Learning Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loh, Christian Sebastian

    2001-01-01

    Examines how mobile computers, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), can be used in a Web-based learning environment. Topics include wireless networks on college campuses; online learning; Web-based learning technologies; synchronous and asynchronous communication via the Web; content resources; Web connections; and collaborative learning. (LRW)

  6. Distance Learning: A Way of Life-Long Learning

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-09-01

    promise of future benefits. 15. SUBJECT TERMS training, educational technology , distributed learning , distance learning , collaboration, online instruction...knowledge." - Aristotle Introduction Modern learning technology assumes various names: distance learning , distributed training, computer-based...training, web-based learning , or advanced distributed learning . No matter the name, the basic concept is using computer technology for instruction with no

  7. Teaching Honors Online at a Public College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nightingale, Barbra

    2014-01-01

    In this article, the author contends that it is possible to offer online honors classes without sacrificing quality or giving up either group projects or service learning experiences. Students today are particularly savvy to all the possibilities for face time in a multitude of environments and see no obstacle to collaborating in an online class.…

  8. Exploring the Utility of a Video-Based Online EFL Discussion Forum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Heng-Tsung Danny; Hung, Shao-Ting Alan

    2013-01-01

    Online discussion forums represent "online collaborative learning spaces in which communities become engaged in the discourse on a topic about which they share common interests or goals" (Montero, Watts & Garcia-Carbonell, 2007, p. 568). This digital communication modality has been claimed to enhance second/foreign language (L2)…

  9. A New Paradigm in ESL Teaching and Learning Environments: Online Professional Development for Taiwanese Instructors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chu, Shiao-wei

    2013-01-01

    This case study investigates the perspectives of four Taiwanese English ESL (English as a second language) teachers with regard to their participation in an online professional development course. To build a collaborative online professional development community, in which teachers acquire professional knowledge to improve teaching instruction and…

  10. Examining Online Forum Discussions as Practices of Digital Literacy in College-Level ESL Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bauler, Clara Vaz

    2012-01-01

    This research study examines the role of digital media, more specifically online forums, in the development of academic literacy and language learning in English as a Second Language (ESL) college writing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition suggest that participation in online forum discussions can potentially foster collaboration,…

  11. The Impact of Cognitive Style on Social Networks in On-Line Discussions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jablokow, Kathryn; Vercellone-Smith, Pamela

    2011-01-01

    With the rise of e-Learning in engineering education, understanding the impact of individual differences on the ways students communicate and collaborate on-line has become increasingly important. The research described here investigates the influence of cognitive style on the interactions within student social networks in an on-line learning…

  12. Using Online Tools for Communication and Collaboration: Understanding Educators' Experiences in an Online Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boling, Erica C.; Holan, Erica; Horbatt, Brent; Hough, Mary; Jean-Louis, Jennifer; Khurana, Chesta; Krinsky, Hindi; Spiezio, Christina

    2011-01-01

    This designed-based research study explored educators' experiences in an online course to better understand how course design and pedagogical delivery can best support student learning. Using the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model (Collins et al., 1987) as a theoretical lens, researchers investigated the following: 1) What methods of instruction, as…

  13. Reading-Strategy Use by English as a Second Language Learners in Online Reading Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Ho-Ryong; Kim, Deoksoon

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates adult English language learners' reading-strategy use when they read online texts in hypermedia learning environments. The learners joined the online Independent English Study Group (IESG) and worked both individually and collaboratively. This qualitative case study aims (a) to assess college-level ESL learners' use of…

  14. Agency Online: Trends in a University Learning Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ligorio, Maria Beatrice; Impedovo, Maria Antonietta; Arcidiacono, Francesco

    2017-01-01

    This article aims to investigate how university students perform agency in an online course and whether the collaborative nature of the course affects such expression. A total of 11 online web forums involving 18 students (N = 745 posts in total) were qualitatively analysed through the use of a codebook composed of five categories (individual,…

  15. Collaborative Virtual Gaming Worlds in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitton, Nicola; Hollins, Paul

    2008-01-01

    There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider…

  16. Evolving from Course-Centric to Learning-Centric: Portfolios, Wikis, and Social Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Everhart, Deborah

    2006-01-01

    Teaching and learning strategies for using course management systems have evolved from basic "fill in the blank" models to interactive designs that encourage multi-formatted individual contributions and collaborative forms of learning. In keeping with the participatory development of online resources, web-based courses are shifting from…

  17. Online Collaborative Learning in Health Care Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westbrook, Catherine

    2012-01-01

    At our University, the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education has delivered a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses via flexible distance learning for many years. Distance learning can be a lonely experience for students who may feel isolated and unsupported. However e-learning provides an opportunity to use technology to…

  18. Factors Affecting Selection of Learning Management Systems in Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spelke, Kenneth A.

    2011-01-01

    Learning Management Systems, or LMSs, are widely used throughout higher education to deliver a range of instructional services including content delivery, discussion boards and collaborative work space, testing tools, and gradebook functions. LMSs can be used asynchronously or synchronously in support of online learning, classroom-based learning,…

  19. Using Interprofessional Learning for Continuing Education: Development and Evaluation of the Graduate Certificate Program in Health Professional Education for Clinicians.

    PubMed

    Henderson, Saras; Dalton, Megan; Cartmel, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Health professionals may be expert clinicians but do not automatically make effective teachers and need educational development. In response, a team of health academics at an Australian university developed and evaluated the continuing education Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education Program using an interprofessional learning model. The model was informed by Collins interactional expertise and Knowles adult learning theories. The team collaboratively developed and taught four courses in the program. Blended learning methods such as web-based learning, face-to-face workshops, and online discussion forums were used. Twenty-seven multidisciplinary participants enrolled in the inaugural program. Focus group interview, self-report questionnaires, and teacher observations were used to evaluate the program. Online learning motivated participants to learn in a collaborative virtual environment. The workshops conducted in an interprofessional environment promoted knowledge sharing and helped participants to better understand other discipline roles, so they could conduct clinical education within a broader health care team context. Work-integrated assessments supported learning relevance. The teachers, however, observed that some participants struggled because of lack of computer skills. Although the interprofessional learning model promoted collaboration and flexibility, it is important to note that consideration be given to participants who are not computer literate. We therefore conducted a library and computer literacy workshop in orientation week which helped. An interprofessional learning environment can assist health professionals to operate outside their "traditional silos" leading to a more collaborative approach to the provision of care. Our experience may assist other organizations in developing similar programs.

  20. A Working Model for Intercultural Learning and Engagement in Collaborative Online Language Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Geoff

    2013-01-01

    Given the emerging focus on the intercultural dimension in language teaching and learning, language educators have been exploring the use of information and communications technology ICT-mediated language learning environments to link learners in intercultural language learning communities around the globe. Despite the potential promise of…

  1. Innovative Collaborative Learning Strategies for Integrated Interactive E-Learning in the 21st Century

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Son, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    There is a constant challenge for online programs, instructional designers and instructors to tailor eLearning materials for different learning styles. We examined this issue by closely looking at the innovative interactive learning models at the previous AACE Conferences (Son & Goldstone, 2011, Son & Goldstone, 2012, Son & Simonian,…

  2. The Effects of Integrating Social Learning Environment with Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raspopovic, Miroslava; Cvetanovic, Svetlana; Medan, Ivana; Ljubojevic, Danijela

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present the learning and teaching styles using the Social Learning Environment (SLE), which was developed based on the computer supported collaborative learning approach. To avoid burdening learners with multiple platforms and tools, SLE was designed and developed in order to integrate existing systems, institutional…

  3. New Learning Design in Distance Education: The Impact on Student Perception and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martens, Rob; Bastiaens, Theo; Kirschner, Paul A.

    2007-01-01

    Many forms of e-learning (such as online courses with authentic tasks and computer-supported collaborative learning) have become important in distance education. Very often, such e-learning courses or tasks are set up following constructivist design principles. Often, this leads to learning environments with authentic problems in ill-structured…

  4. Getting Their Feet Wet: Trainee EFL Teachers in Germany and Israel Collaborate Online to Promote Their Telecollaboration Competence through Experiential Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waldman, Tina; Harel, Efrat; Schwab, Götz

    2016-01-01

    The paper presents a telecollaboration project between 54 pre-service teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) studying at a teacher training college in Israel and a university in Germany. The telecollaboration involved a collaborative Project Based Learning Task (PBLT) in which the students compared and evaluated the ways EFL is taught in…

  5. Peer learning a pedagogical approach to enhance online learning: A qualitative exploration.

    PubMed

    Raymond, Anita; Jacob, Elisabeth; Jacob, Darren; Lyons, Judith

    2016-09-01

    Flexible online programs are becoming increasingly popular method of education for students, allowing them to complete programs in their own time and cater for lifestyle differences. A mixture of delivery modes is one way which allows for enhanced learning. Peer learning is another method of learning which is shown to foster collaboration and prepare healthcare students for their future careers. This paper reports on a project to combine peer and online learning to teach pharmacology to nursing students. To explore undergraduate nursing student opinions of working in peer groups for online learning sessions in a pharmacology course. A qualitative study utilising a self-reported questionnaire. A rural campus of an Australian university. Second year nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing Program. A hard copy questionnaire was distributed to all students who attended the final semester lecture for the course. Content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to identify themes in the written data. Of the 61 students enrolled in the nursing subject, 35 students chose to complete the survey (57%). Students reported a mixed view of the benefits and disadvantages of peer online learning. Sixty 6% (66%) of students liked peer online learning, whilst 29% disliked it and 6% were undecided. Convenience and ease of completion were reported as the most common reason to like peer online learning, whilst Information Technology issues, communication and non-preferred learning method were reasons for not liking peer online learning. Peer online learning groups' acted as one further method to facilitate student learning experiences. Blending peer online learning with traditional face-to-face learning increases the variety of learning methods available to students to enhance their overall learning experience. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Networked Learning: Design Considerations for Online Instructors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Czerkawski, Betul C.

    2016-01-01

    The considerable increase in web-based knowledge networks in the past two decades is strongly influencing learning environments. Learning entails information retrieval, use, communication, and production, and is strongly enriched by socially mediated discussions, debates, and collaborative activities. It is becoming critical for educators to…

  7. Most Courses Are Not Born Digital: An Overview of the Quality Matters Peer Review Process for Online Course Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varonis, Evageline Marlos

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design…

  8. Learner Perceptions of Online Interaction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Northrup, Pam; Lee, Russell; Burgess, Vance

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of interactions that students perceived to be important for online learning. The interaction attributes investigated included content interaction, conversation and collaboration, intrapersonal/metacognitive skills, and need for support. Also investigated were reasons why learners were taking…

  9. Using innovative instructional technology to meet training needs in public health: a design process.

    PubMed

    Millery, Mari; Hall, Michelle; Eisman, Joanna; Murrman, Marita

    2014-03-01

    Technology and distance learning can potentially enhance the efficient and effective delivery of continuing education to the public health workforce. Public Health Training Centers collaborate with instructional technology designers to develop innovative, competency-based online learning experiences that meet pressing training needs and promote best practices. We describe one Public Health Training Center's online learning module design process, which consists of five steps: (1) identify training needs and priority competencies; (2) define learning objectives and identify educational challenges; (3) pose hypotheses and explore innovative, technology-based solutions; (4) develop and deploy the educational experience; and (5) evaluate feedback and outcomes to inform continued cycles of revision and improvement. Examples illustrate the model's application. These steps are discussed within the context of design practices in the fields of education, engineering, and public health. They incorporate key strategies from across these fields, including principles of programmatic design familiar to public health professionals, such as backward design. The instructional technology design process we describe provides a structure for the creativity, collaboration, and systematic strategies needed to develop online learning products that address critical training needs for the public health workforce.

  10. Determinants of College Students' Use of Online Collaborative Help-Seeking Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ding, Lu; Er, Erkan

    2018-01-01

    Research has noted the effectiveness of online tools (e.g., discussion boards) for supporting help seeking among class members. However, help seeking is not necessarily warranted via online learning tools because some factors (e.g., low Internet self-efficacy) may influence students' intention to use them. This study aims to identify the…

  11. Using Formative & Summative Assessment to Evaluate Library Instruction in an Online First Year Writing Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haber, Natalie; Mitchell, Tiffany N.

    2017-01-01

    Ensuring quality library instruction in an online-exclusive First Year Writing (FYW) course is important and challenging. Assessing what the students learned and how is equally important. The authors collaborate and co-teach the information literacy portion of an online-exclusive second semester FYW course at the University of Tennessee at…

  12. Multiplayer Online Games as Educational Tools: Facing New Challenges in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paraskeva, Fotini; Mysirlaki, Sofia; Papagianni, Aikaterini

    2010-01-01

    This paper outlines a proposal for the development of educational multiplayer online games based on the activity theory, as an alternative to the current trend in multiplayer gaming and a means of promoting collaboration among students. In order to examine whether online games are engaging for learners, we consider multiple factors regarding game…

  13. Cohort-Specific Online Discussion Experiences: A Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Approach to Improving Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Selhorst, Adam L.; Klein, Eric; Harrison, Justin

    2017-01-01

    Research addressing the effects of cohort size on student success in asynchronous online discussions is sparse. As such, the following study attempted to determine an optimal student cohort size to enhance success and engagement within online discussions in general education courses at a large post-secondary university consisting of predominately…

  14. Embedded Library Services: From Cooperation to Collaboration to Enhance Student Learning in Asynchronous Online Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olesova, Larisa A.; Melville, Anne Driscoll

    2017-01-01

    The online environment presents a unique challenge to higher education. Shifting from the face-to-face format to online not only involves rethinking course design, but requires careful consideration of when and how to teach students, how to find and evaluate information needed to successfully complete coursework. One solution is faculty teaming…

  15. Impacts of Online Technology Use in Second Language Writing: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Show Mei; Griffith, Priscilla

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews the literature on computer-supported collaborative learning in second language and foreign language writing. While research has been conducted on the effects of online technology in first language reading and writing, this article explores how online technology affects second and foreign language writing. The goal of this…

  16. Creating Online Community: A Response to the Needs of 21st Century Faculty Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohn, Jenae; Stewart, Mary K.; Theisen, Cara Harwood; Comins, Dan

    2016-01-01

    Centers for teaching and learning (CTL) have traditionally relied upon on-campus programming to support faculty professional development, but as increasing numbers of faculty access resources and collaborate online, CTLs could do more to build online community. To meet this challenge, our team developed a website, EdTech Commons, which features…

  17. Achievement of Joint Perception in a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Afacan Adanir, Gulgun

    2017-01-01

    The case study focuses on the interactional mechanisms through which online collaborative teams co-construct a shared understanding of an analytical geometry problem by using dynamic geometry representations. The collaborative study consisted of an assignment on which the learners worked together in groups to solve a ship navigation problem as…

  18. Using Mendeley to Support Collaborative Learning in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khwaja, Tehmina; Eddy, Pamela L.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the use of Mendeley, a free online reference management and academic networking software, as a collaborative tool in the college classroom. Students in two iterations of a Graduate class used Mendeley to collaborate on a policy research project over the course of a semester. The project involved…

  19. Strategies for Smooth and Effective Cross-Cultural Online Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Junfeng; Kinshuk; Yu, Huiju; Chen, Sue-Jen; Huang, Ronghuai

    2014-01-01

    As the communication between different cultures is becoming more and more frequent, the competence of cross-cultural awareness and collaboration is emerging as a key ability in the 21st century. Face to face communication is the most efficient way to cultivate the competence of cross-cultural awareness and collaboration. However, there are very…

  20. Online Learner Satisfaction and Collaborative Learning: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alkhalaf, Salem; Nguyen, Jeremy; Nguyen, Anne; Drew, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Despite the considerable potential for e-learning to improve learning outcomes, particularly for female students and students who need to rely on distance learning, feedback from current users of e-learning systems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) suggests a relatively low level of satisfaction. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach in…

  1. The Effects of Digital Learning Material on Students' Mathematics Learning in Vocational Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zwart, Diana P.; Van Luit, Johannes E. H.; Noroozi, Omid; Goei, Sui Lin

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the effects of Digital Learning Material (DLM) including instructional clips, online guidance, structuring of content, and a collaboration tool on students' mathematics learning in Dutch vocational education. A pretest-posttest design was used. Apprenticeship students were asked to complete assignments and to discuss them…

  2. The Best of All Worlds: Immersive Interfaces for Art Education in Virtual and Real World Teaching and Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grenfell, Janette

    2013-01-01

    Selected ubiquitous technologies encourage collaborative participation between higher education students and educators within a virtual socially networked e-learning landscape. Multiple modes of teaching and learning, ranging from real world experiences, to text and digital images accessed within the Deakin studies online learning management…

  3. Distance Learning for Teacher Professional Development in Statistics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meletiou-Mavrotheris, Maria; Mavrotheris, Efstathios; Paparistodemou, Efi

    2011-01-01

    We provide an overview of "EarlyStatistics," an online professional development course in statistics education targeting European elementary and middle school teachers. The course facilitates intercultural collaboration of teachers using contemporary technological and educational tools. An online information base offers access to all of…

  4. A Single-Display Groupware Collaborative Language Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calderón, Juan Felipe; Nussbaum, Miguel; Carmach, Ignacio; Díaz, Juan Jaime; Villalta, Marco

    2016-01-01

    Language learning tools have evolved to take into consideration new teaching models of collaboration and communication. While second language acquisition tasks have been taken online, the traditional language laboratory has remained unchanged. By continuing to follow its original configuration based on individual work, the language laboratory…

  5. Elective Self-Care Course Emphasizing Critical Reasoning Principles

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Objectives. To create, implement, and assess a self-directed online course based on 3 critical reasoning principles to develop pharmacy students’ skills in literature appraisal, content, metacognition, and assessment. Design. Students completed 3 assignments for the course: compile a literature appraisal on a healthcare topic; plan learning objectives and meta-cognitive skills for a learning module; and create a case-based online lesson with multi-structured feedback. Assessment. An online exit survey evaluated students’ perceptions regarding development of ACE (agency, collaboration, expertise) principles and preparation for competency. Students reported acquisition of ACE principles and noted improvements in their learning approaches, sense of responsibility for individual and community learning, skills, and confidence. Conclusions. An online elective course in self-care addressed practice standards for patient safety, maintenance of competency, and interprofessional education by emphasizing critical reasoning skills. PMID:22171110

  6. The quality and impact of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) in radiology case-based learning.

    PubMed

    Kourdioukova, Elena V; Verstraete, Koenraad L; Valcke, Martin

    2011-06-01

    The aim of this research was to explore (1) clinical years students' perceptions about radiology case-based learning within a computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) setting, (2) an analysis of the collaborative learning process, and (3) the learning impact of collaborative work on the radiology cases. The first part of this study focuses on a more detailed analysis of a survey study about CSCL based case-based learning, set up in the context of a broader radiology curriculum innovation. The second part centers on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 52 online collaborative learning discussions from 5th year and nearly graduating medical students. The collaborative work was based on 26 radiology cases regarding musculoskeletal radiology. The analysis of perceptions about collaborative learning on radiology cases reflects a rather neutral attitude that also does not differ significantly in students of different grade levels. Less advanced students are more positive about CSCL as compared to last year students. Outcome evaluation shows a significantly higher level of accuracy in identification of radiology key structures and in radiology diagnosis as well as in linking the radiological signs with available clinical information in nearly graduated students. No significant differences between different grade levels were found in accuracy of using medical terminology. Students appreciate computer supported collaborative learning settings when tackling radiology case-based learning. Scripted computer supported collaborative learning groups proved to be useful for both 5th and 7th year students in view of developing components of their radiology diagnostic approaches. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Strangers and Friends: Collaborative Play in World of Warcraft

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nardi, Bonnie; Harris, Justin

    We analyze collaborative play in an online video game, World of Warcraft, the most popular multiplayer video game with 11 million players in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Based on an immersive ethnographic study, we describe how the social organization of the game and player culture affect players' enjoyment and learning of the game. We discovered that play is characterized by a multiplicity of collaborations from brief informal encounters to highly organized play in structured groups. The variety of collaborations makes the game more fun and provides rich learning opportunities. We contrast these varied collaborations, including those with strangers, to the “gold standard” of Gemeinschaft-like communities of close relations in tightknit groups.

  8. Building Virtual Teams: Experiential Learning Using Emerging Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Haihong

    2015-01-01

    Currently, virtual teams are being used exponentially in higher education and business because of the development of technologies and globalization. These teams have become an essential approach for collaborative learning as well as task completion. Team learning, especially in an online format, can be challenging due to lack of effective…

  9. Synchronous E-Learning: Reflections and Design Considerations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tabak, Filiz; Rampal, Rohit

    2014-01-01

    This paper is a personal reflection on the design, development, and delivery of online synchronous conferencing as a pedagogical tool complementing traditional, face-to-face content delivery and learning. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how instructors can combine collaborative and virtual learning principles in course design. In…

  10. Student Engagement in Learning Vocabulary with CALL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stroud, Robert

    2014-01-01

    Ensuring that students are "engaged" in learning is a key concern for instructors across many fields. With regards to vocabulary in language learning, teachers should provide students with tasks which promote high levels of motivation and resultant engagement. The recent trend of online systems which have dynamic, collaborative, and even…

  11. Learning Objects, Repositories, Sharing and Reusability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koppi, Tony; Bogle, Lisa; Bogle, Mike

    2005-01-01

    The online Learning Resource Catalogue (LRC) Project has been part of an international consortium for several years and currently includes 25 institutions worldwide. The LRC Project has evolved for several pragmatic reasons into an academic network whereby members can identify and share reusable learning objects as well as collaborate in a number…

  12. Student Engagement with a Content-Based Learning Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Padilla Rodriguez, Brenda Cecilia; Armellini, Alejandro

    2013-01-01

    While learning is commonly conceptualised as a social, collaborative process in organisations, online courses often provide limited opportunities for communication between people. How do students engage with content-based courses? How do they find answers to their questions? How do they achieve the learning outcomes? This paper aims to answer…

  13. Universal Design for Learning: Guidelines for Accessible Online Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers-Shaw, Carol; Carr-Chellman, Davin J.; Choi, Jinhee

    2018-01-01

    Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for the teaching-learning transaction that conceptualizes knowledge through learner-centered foci emphasizing accessibility, collaboration, and community. Given the importance of access to achieving social justice, UDL is a promising approach to meeting all learners' needs more effectively. In…

  14. Effects of Discussion Constraints, Discourse Maps, and Interactive Intercultural Elaboration in Online Discussions on Students' Knowledge Construction, Critical Thinking, and Intercultural Sensitivity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Hien Thu

    2009-01-01

    Research shows both benefits and challenges of online discussion as a collaborative learning activity. Online discussion is especially challenging for novice college students who have limited metacognitive skills as well as limited knowledge of the subject domain. With limited metacognitive skills, it can be challenging for novice students to…

  15. Understanding the Use of Online Role-Play for Collaborative Argument through Teacher Experiencing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Li; Beach, Richard; Sheng, Yue

    2016-01-01

    As computers and the Internet are increasingly employed in language teaching and learning, preparing teachers for the impending reality of online teaching is of paramount importance. This study investigated 10 in-service teachers participating in an online role-play as part of a digital education methods course to acquire an understanding of the…

  16. Online Scholarly Conversations in General Education Astronomy Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Qijie; Wong, Ka-Wah

    2018-01-01

    In general education astronomy courses, many students are struggling with understanding the foundational concepts and theories in astronomy. One of the possible reasons is that, due the large class size, many of the courses are taught using a lecture mode, where human interactions and active learning are limited (Freeman et al., 2014). To address this challenge, we have applied the knowledge building framework (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006) to design an online collaborative learning component, called Scholarly Conversations, to be integrated into a general education astronomy course at a public, comprehensive university.During Scholarly Conversations, students are treated as scholars to advance knowledge frontiers (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006). The whole process involves the creation of new ideas and requires discourse and collective work for the advancement and creation of artifacts, such as theories and models (van Aalst, 2009). Based on the knowledge building principles (Scardamalia, 2002; Zhang, Scardamalia, Reeve, & Messina, 2009), several features have been built into Scholarly Conversations so that students are guided to deepen understanding of the astronomy concepts through three phases: knowledge sharing, knowledge construction and knowledge building, and reflections on learning growth (van Aalst, 2009; Cai, 2017). The online Scholarly Conversation is an extension of the lecture component of the general education astronomy course. It promotes student interactions and collaborative learning, and provides scaffolds for students to construct meanings of the essential concepts in astronomy through social learning and online technology. In this presentation, we will explain the specific design principles of the online Scholarly Conversation, and share the artifacts created to facilitate the online conversations in an general education astronomy course.Note: This project has been supported by the College of Education Research Grant Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

  17. Motivation and Engagement in Authorship Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donaldson, Jonan Phillip; Bucy, Mary

    2016-01-01

    Constructionist principles provide fertile ground for developing innovative approaches to learning. Using a grounded theory qualitative research design, we analyzed participant reports of their experience in an online course in which they collaboratively authored a book. Our qualitative analysis suggested that participants experienced…

  18. Collaboration in E-Learning: A Study Using the Flexible E-Learning Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vandenhouten, C.; Gallagher-Lepak, S.; Reilly, J.; Ralston-Berg, P.

    2014-01-01

    E-Learning remains a new frontier for many faculty. When compared to the traditional classroom, E- Learning requires the talents of many team members from a variety of departments as well as the use of different teaching and learning strategies. Pedagogy as well as team configurations must change when moving to the online environment. As a result,…

  19. A State for Excellence: New Jersey Boosts Learning Power with Online Video Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duff, Victoria; Sauer, Wendy; Gleason, Sonia Caus

    2011-01-01

    The New Jersey Department of Education supports all districts with a tool kit of valuable resources for planning and creating collaborative learning structures that focus on getting results for all students. This tool kit was the basis for the creation of Learning Forward's "Becoming a Learning School" (2009). The tool kit helps…

  20. A Novel Wiki-Based Remote Laboratory Platform for Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Ning; Chen, Xuemin; Lan, Qianlong; Song, Gangbing; Parsaei, Hamid R.; Ho, Siu-Chun

    2017-01-01

    With the unprecedented growth of e-learning, more and more new IT technologies are used to develop e-learning tools. As one of the most common forms of social computing, Wiki technology has been used to develop the collaborative and cooperative learning platform to support multiple users learning online effectively. In this paper, we propose a new…

  1. Developing asynchronous online interprofessional education.

    PubMed

    Sanborn, Heidi

    2016-09-01

    For many health programmes, developing interprofessional education (IPE) has been a challenge. Evidence on the best method for design and implementation of IPE has been slow to emerge, with little research on how to best incorporate IPE in the asynchronous online learning environment. This leaves online programmes with no clear guidance when embarking upon an initiative to integrate IPE into the curriculum. One tool that can be effective at guiding the incorporation of IPE across all learning platforms is the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies. A project was designed to integrate the nationally defined IPEC competencies throughout an asynchronous, online baccalaureate nursing completion programme. A programme-wide review led to targeted revision of course and unit-level objectives, learning experiences, and assessments based on the IPEC framework. As a result of this effort, the programme curriculum now provides interprofessional learning activities across all courses. This report provides a method for using the IPEC competencies to incorporate IPE within various asynchronous learning assessments, assuring students learn about, with, and from other professions.

  2. Professionals learning together with patients: An exploratory study of a collaborative learning Fellowship programme for healthcare improvement.

    PubMed

    Myron, Rowan; French, Catherine; Sullivan, Paul; Sathyamoorthy, Ganesh; Barlow, James; Pomeroy, Linda

    2018-05-01

    Improving the quality of healthcare involves collaboration between many different stakeholders. Collaborative learning theory suggests that teaching different professional groups alongside each other may enable them to develop skills in how to collaborate effectively, but there is little literature on how this works in practice. Further, though it is recognised that patients play a fundamental role in quality improvement, there are few examples of where they learn together with professionals. To contribute to addressing this gap, we review a collaborative fellowship in Northwest London, designed to build capacity to improve healthcare, which enabled patients and professionals to learn together. Using the lens of collaborative learning, we conducted an exploratory study of six cohorts of the year long programme (71 participants). Data were collected using open text responses from an online survey (n = 31) and semi-structured interviews (n = 34) and analysed using an inductive open coding approach. The collaborative design of the Fellowship, which included bringing multiple perspectives to discussions of real world problems, was valued by participants who reflected on the safe, egalitarian space created by the programme. Participants (healthcare professionals and patients) found this way of learning initially challenging yet ultimately productive. Despite the pedagogical and practical challenges of developing a collaborative programme, this study indicates that opening up previously restricted learning opportunities as widely as possible, to include patients and carers, is an effective mechanism to develop collaborative skills for quality improvement.

  3. Improving Language Production Using Subtitled Similar Task Videos

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arslanyilmaz, Abdurrahman; Pedersen, Susan

    2010-01-01

    This study examines the effects of subtitled similar task videos on language production by nonnative speakers (NNSs) in an online task-based language learning (TBLL) environment. Ten NNS-NNS dyads collaboratively completed four communicative tasks, using an online TBLL environment specifically designed for this study and a chat tool in…

  4. Information Seeking and Avoidance Behavior in School Library Distance Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Yunfei

    2010-01-01

    Library science students in school librarianship were surveyed to determine their information seeking and avoidance behaviors in Web-based online environments. Two coping styles were identified among students. Barriers to student online collaboration, such as individual preferences, concerns on efficiency, and lack of mutual trust, were observed.…

  5. A Study of the Predictive Relationship between Online Social Presence and ONLE Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tu, Chih-Hsiung; Yen, Cherng-Jyh; Blocher, J. Michael; Chan, Junn-Yih

    2012-01-01

    Open Network Learning Environments (ONLE) are online networks that afford learners the opportunity to participate in creative content endeavors, personalized identity projections, networked mechanism management, and effective collaborative community integration by applying Web 2.0 tools in open environments. It supports social interaction by…

  6. Right on Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Don W.

    2011-01-01

    Lane County, Oregon, has 16 school districts, and up until last year, every one of them had its own online learning program. Some were more like correspondence courses, while others were closer to online curriculum delivery. No one had ever explored the options available, the cost savings that district collaboration might provide, or the benefits…

  7. A Digital Teaching Platform to Further and Assess Use of Evidence-Based Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bondie, Rhonda

    2015-01-01

    Advances in online learning have benefited rural special education teacher preparation programs through increased recruitment, access, and collaboration. This paper describes how additional challenges, such as monitoring teacher candidate use of evidence-based practices, can be addressed through a digital teaching platform. Project REACH online is…

  8. Promoting Critical Thinking in Online Intercultural Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Batardière, Marie-Thérèse

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates the educational experience arising from the use of an online discussion forum in an undergraduate blended learning language programme; to do this, it focuses on the type of cognitive processes that learners experience during a computer-mediated collaborative task and explores the potential causal relationship between the…

  9. A Coding Scheme to Analyse the Online Asynchronous Discussion Forums of University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele

    2017-01-01

    The current study describes the development of a content analysis coding scheme to examine transcripts of online asynchronous discussion groups in higher education. The theoretical framework comprises the theories regarding knowledge construction in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) based on a sociocultural perspective. The coding…

  10. Lay Theories Regarding Computer-Mediated Communication in Remote Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parke, Karl; Marsden, Nicola; Connolly, Cornelia

    2017-01-01

    Computer-mediated communication and remote collaboration has become an unexceptional norm as an educational modality for distance and open education, therefore the need to research and analyze students' online learning experience is necessary. This paper seeks to examine the assumptions and expectations held by students in regard to…

  11. Collaborating with Your Clients Using Social Media & Mobile Communications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Typhina, Eli; Bardon, Robert E.; Gharis, Laurie W.

    2015-01-01

    Many Extension educators are still learning how to effectively integrate social media into their programs. By using the right social media platforms and mobile applications to create engaged, online communities, Extension educators can collaborate with clients to produce and to share information expanding and enhancing their social media and…

  12. Whose Place Is This Anyway? Reflecting upon Hospitality and Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loewen, Nathan

    2016-01-01

    In this essay I propose that using online tools to connect geographically-separated classrooms for real-time collaborative learning experiences may effectively develop intercultural competency in the religious studies classroom. I explore personal examples from several international and inter-institutional collaborations with Jacques Derrida's…

  13. Challenges of Using CSCL in Open Distributed Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nilsen, Anders Grov; Instefjord, Elen J.

    As a compulsory part of the study in Pedagogical Information Science at the University of Bergen and Stord/Haugesund College (Norway) during the spring term of 1999, students participated in a distributed group activity that provided experience on distributed collaboration and use of online groupware systems. The group collaboration process was…

  14. Transforming and Constructing Academic Knowledge through Online Peer Feedback in Summary Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Yu-Fen

    2016-01-01

    Recognizing that graduate students seldom have the opportunity to participate collaboratively, either in providing or receiving feedback to improve their academic writing skills, this study reports on the design of a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) system used to investigate how graduate students transform and construct their…

  15. RELM: developing a serious game to teach evidence-based medicine in an academic health sciences setting.

    PubMed

    Gleason, Ann Whitney

    2015-01-01

    Gaming as a means of delivering online education continues to gain in popularity. Online games provide an engaging and enjoyable way of learning. Gaming is especially appropriate for case-based teaching, and provides a conducive environment for adult independent learning. With funding from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region (NN/LM PNR), the University of Washington (UW) Health Sciences Library, and the UW School of Medicine are collaborating to create an interactive, self-paced online game that teaches players to employ the steps in practicing evidence-based medicine. The game encourages life-long learning and literacy skills and could be used for providing continuing medical education.

  16. "Concept to Classroom": Web-based Workshops for Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donlevy, James G.; Donlevy, Tia Rice

    2000-01-01

    Describes "Concept to Classroom", a series of free, online workshops developed by channel Thirteen/WNET New York and Disney Learning Partnerships to help teachers explore issues in education including multiple intelligences, constructivism, academic standards, cooperative and collaborative learning, assessment, curriculum redesign,…

  17. Making Mitosis Visible

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Michelle; Linn, Marcia C.; Hollowell, Gail P.

    2008-01-01

    The Technology-Enhanced Learning in Science (TELS) center, a National Science Foundation-funded Center for Learning and Teaching, offers research-tested science modules for students in grades 6-12 (Linn et al. 2006). These free, online modules engage students in scientific inquiry through collaborative activities that include online…

  18. General relativity in upper secondary school: Design and evaluation of an online learning environment using the model of educational reconstruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kersting, Magdalena; Henriksen, Ellen Karoline; Bøe, Maria Vetleseter; Angell, Carl

    2018-06-01

    Because of its abstract nature, Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity is rarely present in school physics curricula. Although the educational community has started to investigate ways of bringing general relativity to classrooms, field-tested educational material is rare. Employing the model of educational reconstruction, we present a collaborative online learning environment that was introduced to final year students (18-19 years old) in six Norwegian upper secondary physics classrooms. Design-based research methods guided the development of the learning resources, which were based on a sociocultural view of learning and a historical-philosophical approach to teaching general relativity. To characterize students' learning from and interaction with the learning environment we analyzed focus group interviews and students' oral and written responses to assigned problems and discussion tasks. Our findings show how design choices on different levels can support or hinder understanding of general relativity, leading to the formulation of design principles that help to foster qualitative understanding and encourage collaborative learning. The results indicate that upper secondary students can obtain a qualitative understanding of general relativity when provided with appropriately designed learning resources and sufficient scaffolding of learning through interaction with teacher and peers.

  19. Teachers' and students' perspectives on teaching and learning through virtual learning environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Limniou, M.; Smith, M.

    2010-12-01

    The aim of this investigation was to get an insight into how teachers and students responded to the use of virtual learning environments (VLE) in engineering education and what their expectations were from online courses. Teachers designed their online courses with the assistance of a support e-learning team and questionnaires were used for teachers and students to express their views on the online courses. Teachers pointed out that the online courses by themselves would be able to tackle limited lecture time and strengthen the students' background knowledge. Students, on the other hand, stated that their difficulties regarding the courses could be facilitated by using a more interactive teaching approach with the use of collaboration tools and receiving individual feedback. Thus, students suggested that teachers adopt a more student-centred approach by using VLE. Teachers' and students' perspectives were related to their personal characteristics, as students were more familiar with everyday e-communication tools.

  20. Examining a One-Hour Synchronous Chat in a Microblogging-Based Professional Development Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Fei; Li, Lan

    2017-01-01

    Research on microblogging in education has suggested its potential to promote community building and collaborative learning, but little is known about the nature of interaction in such microblogging communities. More research is needed to understand how online learning communities can be designed in a way that supports effective learning. The…

  1. EarthShapes: Potential for Place-Based Teacher Learning between the Virtual and the Actual

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Triggs, Valerie

    2009-01-01

    This contribution investigates a recent research project involving in-service teacher learning as experienced through an online/offline art studio in which common experiences of relationships to particular local landforms generate imaginative and collaborative processes and practices of teaching and learning. EarthShapes Studio is both a…

  2. Learning as "Knowing": Towards Retaining and Visualizing Use in Virtual Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akoumianakis, Demosthenes

    2011-01-01

    The paper elaborates on the assumption that in modern organisations collaborative learning is an enacted capability that is more about "acting" and co-engaging in shared practices. In such settings, virtual learning can be conceived as an emergent knowledge process with no pre-determined outcomes that occupies multiple online and offline…

  3. Learner Perspectives on Task Design for Oral-Visual eTandem Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    El-Hariri, Yasmin

    2016-01-01

    Constituting a more specific form of online collaboration, eTandem Language Learning (eTLL) shows great potential for non-formal, self-directed language learning. Research in this field, particularly regarding task design, is still scarce. Focusing on their beliefs and attitudes, this article examines what learners think about how…

  4. Facilitating Attitudinal Learning in an Animal Behaviour and Welfare MOOC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Sunnie Lee

    2017-01-01

    This case study examines the design and facilitation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that focused on attitudinal learning about the topic of animal behaviour and welfare. Findings showed that a team of instructors worked together collaboratively towards realising learning goals and found the experience rewarding. While learners had mixed…

  5. Developing Global Leaders: Building Effective Global- Intercultural Collaborative Online Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivy, Karen Lynne-Daniels

    2017-01-01

    This paper shares the findings of a study conducted on a virtual inter-cultural global leadership development learning project. Mixed Methods analysis techniques were used to examine the interviews of U.S. and Uganda youth project participants. The study, based on cultural and social constructivist learning theories, investigated the effects of…

  6. Adaptation and Evaluation of Online Self-learning Modules to Teach Critical Appraisal and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: An International Collaboration.

    PubMed

    Gagnon, Johanne; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Buteau, Rose-Anne; Azizah, Ginette Mbourou; Jetté, Sylvie; Lampron, Amélie; Simonyan, David; Asua, José; Reviriego, Eva

    2015-07-01

    Healthcare professionals need to update their knowledge and acquire skills to continually inform their practice based on scientific evidence. This study was designed to evaluate online self-learning modules on critical appraisal skills to promote the use of research in clinical practice among nurses from Quebec (Canada) and the Basque Country (Spain). The teaching material was developed in Quebec and adapted to the Basque Country as part of an international collaboration project. A prospective pre-post study was conducted with 36 nurses from Quebec and 47 from the Basque Country. Assessment comprised the administration of questionnaires before and after the course in order to explore the main intervention outcomes: knowledge acquisition and self-learning readiness. Satisfaction was also measured at the end of the course. Two of the three research hypotheses were confirmed: (1) participants significantly improved their overall knowledge score after the educational intervention; and (2) they were, in general, satisfied with the course, giving it a rating of seven out of 10. Participants also reported a greater readiness for self-directed learning after the course, but this result was not significant in Quebec. The study provides unique knowledge on the cultural adaptation of online self-learning modules for teaching nurses about critical appraisal skills and evidence-based practice.

  7. Digital collaborative learning: identifying what students value

    PubMed Central

    Hemingway, Claire; Adams, Catrina; Stuhlsatz, Molly

    2015-01-01

    Digital technologies are changing the learning landscape and connecting classrooms to learning environments beyond the school walls.  Online collaborations among students, teachers, and scientists are new opportunities for authentic science experiences.  Here we present findings generated on PlantingScience ( www.plantingscience.org), an online community where scientists from more than 14 scientific societies have mentored over 14,000 secondary school students as they design and think through their own team investigations on plant biology.  The core intervention is online discourse between student teams and scientist mentors to enhance classroom-based plant investigations.  We asked: (1) what attitudes about engaging in authentic science do students reveal, and (2) how do student attitudes relate to design principles of the program? Lexical analysis of open-ended survey questions revealed that students most highly value working with plants and scientists.  By examining student responses to this cognitive apprenticeship model, we provide new perspectives on the importance of the personal relationships students form with scientists and plants when working as members of a research community. These perspectives have implications for plant science instruction and e-mentoring programs. PMID:26097690

  8. Digital collaborative learning: identifying what students value.

    PubMed

    Hemingway, Claire; Adams, Catrina; Stuhlsatz, Molly

    2015-01-01

    Digital technologies are changing the learning landscape and connecting classrooms to learning environments beyond the school walls.  Online collaborations among students, teachers, and scientists are new opportunities for authentic science experiences.  Here we present findings generated on PlantingScience ( www.plantingscience.org), an online community where scientists from more than 14 scientific societies have mentored over 14,000 secondary school students as they design and think through their own team investigations on plant biology.  The core intervention is online discourse between student teams and scientist mentors to enhance classroom-based plant investigations.  We asked: (1) what attitudes about engaging in authentic science do students reveal, and (2) how do student attitudes relate to design principles of the program? Lexical analysis of open-ended survey questions revealed that students most highly value working with plants and scientists.  By examining student responses to this cognitive apprenticeship model, we provide new perspectives on the importance of the personal relationships students form with scientists and plants when working as members of a research community. These perspectives have implications for plant science instruction and e-mentoring programs.

  9. Online learning: the brave new world of massive open online courses and the role of the health librarian.

    PubMed

    Spring, Hannah

    2016-03-01

    In a wired, virtual and information rich society, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are leading us into a brave new world in which their key role is to support lifelong networked learning. This feature looks at the broad role of MOOCs and considers them within the context of health, and health librarianship. In particular, it provides examples of where health librarians have developed MOOCs and what opportunities there are in the future for health librarians to collaborate in the development and delivery of health MOOCs. H.S. © 2016 Health Libraries Group.

  10. An Empirical Verification of a-priori Learning Models on Mailing Archives in the Context of Online Learning Activities of Participants in Free\\Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mukala, Patrick; Cerone, Antonio; Turini, Franco

    2017-01-01

    Free\\Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) environments are increasingly dubbed as learning environments where practical software engineering skills can be acquired. Numerous studies have extensively investigated how knowledge is acquired in these environments through a collaborative learning model that define a learning process. Such a learning…

  11. A Skype-Buddy Model for Blended Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macharaschwili, Carmen E.; Coggin, Linda Skidmore

    2013-01-01

    Online learning in higher education allows distance education students to complete degree requirements in virtual environments. Universities are challenged with providing quality education experiences for these students and meet the students' needs for engagement and challenge within a collaborative framework. This study proposes how Voice over…

  12. Connectivism: 21st Century's New Learning Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kropf, Dorothy C.

    2013-01-01

    Transformed into a large collaborative learning environment, the Internet is comprised of information reservoirs namely, (a) online classrooms, (b) social networks, and (c) virtual reality or simulated communities, to expeditiously create, reproduce, share, and deliver information into the hands of educators and students. Most importantly, the…

  13. Building Global Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cochrane, Thomas; Buchem, Ilona; Camacho, Mar; Cronin, Catherine; Gordon, Averill; Keegan, Helen

    2013-01-01

    Within the background where education is increasingly driven by the economies of scale and research funding, we propose an alternative online open and connected framework (OOC) for building global learning communities using mobile social media. We critique a three year action research case study involving building collaborative global learning…

  14. Research and Policy: Can Online Learning Communities Foster Professional Development?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beach, Richard

    2012-01-01

    This column posits enhancing professional development through uses of digital tools to create professional learning communities (PLCs) designed to support collective inquiry and action research leading to schoolwide improvement. These digital tools include a social networking/discussion forum for teacher collaboration; teachers' individual…

  15. Emergency department knowledge management in the age of Web 2.0: evaluation of a new concept.

    PubMed

    Dinh, Michael; Tan, Timothy; Bein, Kendall; Hayman, Jon; Wong, Yuk Kuen; Dinh, David

    2011-02-01

    The objective of the present study was to describe the implementation of an organizational learning model and evaluate the effectiveness and usability of an application used to facilitate it in an ED setting. This was an implementation case study and technology evaluation. The organizational learning model was implemented using an online Web 2.0 collaborative learning application developed by the investigating team. Online use was tracked over a 9-month period. At the end of the study period, a usability assessment was conducted as well as a semistructured interview of participants to assess perceptions of usefulness and effect on learning capacity in the ED. Over a period of 9 months, a total of 54 individual sites from 74 eligible staff members were created within a specific web domain. There were 251 registered users including users outside the ED, who accessed learning materials within these sites 7494 times. The majority of staff members interviewed agreed or strongly agreed that the collaborative learning application had improved learning capacity within this ED (88%, 95% CI 74-94%). We demonstrate the implementation of an organizational learning model based on independent online sites networking together within an organization. This appears to be both usable and acceptable to staff members working in a large ED as a means of knowledge management. © 2011 The Authors. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  16. A Web-Based Learning Support System for Inquiry-Based Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Dong Won; Yao, Jingtao

    The emergence of the Internet and Web technology makes it possible to implement the ideals of inquiry-based learning, in which students seek truth, information, or knowledge by questioning. Web-based learning support systems can provide a good framework for inquiry-based learning. This article presents a study on a Web-based learning support system called Online Treasure Hunt. The Web-based learning support system mainly consists of a teaching support subsystem, a learning support subsystem, and a treasure hunt game. The teaching support subsystem allows instructors to design their own inquiry-based learning environments. The learning support subsystem supports students' inquiry activities. The treasure hunt game enables students to investigate new knowledge, develop ideas, and review their findings. Online Treasure Hunt complies with a treasure hunt model. The treasure hunt model formalizes a general treasure hunt game to contain the learning strategies of inquiry-based learning. This Web-based learning support system empowered with the online-learning game and founded on the sound learning strategies furnishes students with the interactive and collaborative student-centered learning environment.

  17. The implementation of an integrated on-line health education system at RMIT.

    PubMed

    Zylinski, J; Allan, G L; Jamieson, P; Maher, K P; Green, R; Hislop, J

    1998-06-01

    The Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences at RMIT has been developing an on-line health education system using a systems thinking approach, to create a learning environment whose basis is supported by Information Technology (IT). The centre-piece of this system is the Faculty Learning Centre, which has been created, both in space and layout, to promote collaborative learning between the students, so that the educator is physically assimilated with the student body. This facility is supplemented by the Faculty WWW server, which has been the main vehicle for course material dissemination to students. To ensure an effective on-line teaching environment, the position of an on-line facilitator has been created, whose responsibilities include both the continual evaluation of the system and the implementation of appropriate system changes. Aspects have included the production of a staff development training program and extensive user documentation. This paper discusses the systems thinking approach used to implement this integrated on-line system, and the establishment of explicit educational rationales in the use of IT to support learning strategies. Some examples of the on-line educational programs are also presented.

  18. Expanding the Traditional Physiology Class with Asynchronous Online Discussions and Collaborative Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taradi, Suncana Kukolja; Taradi, Milan

    2004-01-01

    Discussion and writing are very powerful ways to support learning. This article describes the use of a free, synchronous online forum to expand student-teacher discussions beyond the time/place constraints of the physical physiology classroom. The main participants were medical students enrolled in physiology class at the University of Zagreb…

  19. From Interaction to Intersubjectivity: Facilitating Online Group Discourse Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dennen, Vanessa Paz; Wieland, Kristina

    2007-01-01

    This article examines the online discourse that took place in representative threads from two classes, seeking to document indicators that students did or did not engage in co-construction of knowledge. Stahl's (2006) social theory of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is used along with discourse analysis methods to examine these…

  20. Comparing Learner Community Behavior in Multiple Presentations of a Massive Open Online Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallagher, Silvia Elena; Savage, Timothy

    2015-01-01

    Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) can create large scale communities of learners who collaborate, interact and discuss learning materials and activities. MOOCs are often delivered multiple times with similar content to different cohorts of learners. However, research into the differences of learner communication, behavior and expectation between…

  1. Comparing Learner Community Behavior in Multiple Presentations of a Massive Open Online Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallagher, Silvia Elena; Savage, Timothy

    2016-01-01

    Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) can create large scale communities of learners who collaborate, interact and discuss learning materials and activities. MOOCs are often delivered multiple times with similar content to different cohorts of learners. However, research into the differences of learner communication, behavior and expectation between…

  2. The Benefits and Limitations of Online Group Work in a Teacher Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    An, Heejung; Kim, Sangkyung

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the benefits and difficulties that graduate student teachers perceived while participating in online collaborative group activities during their first year of a masters program. Overall, it was discovered that the three most prominent perceived learning outcomes involved 1) the teachers' recognition of the value of a supportive…

  3. Online English Language Learning: Theory-Based Course Design and Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrade, Maureen Snow

    2017-01-01

    The demand for higher education is increasing worldwide. To meet this demand, and to provide increased access, flexible forms of delivery are needed. Although online courses are criticized for a lack of interaction, when intentionally designed, they can provide learners with opportunities for collaboration that supports the achievement of desired…

  4. Graphical Interaction Analysis Impact on Groups Collaborating through Blogs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fessakis, Georgios; Dimitracopoulou, Angelique; Palaiodimos, Aggelos

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents empirical research results regarding the impact of Interaction Analysis (IA) graphs on groups of students collaborating through online blogging according to a "learning by design" scenario. The IA graphs used are of two categories; the first category summarizes quantitatively the activity of the users for each blog,…

  5. Scripting for Construction of a Transactive Memory System in Multidisciplinary CSCL Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noroozi, Omid; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Weinberger, Armin; Mulder, Martin; Chizari, Mohammad

    2013-01-01

    Establishing a Transactive Memory System (TMS) is essential for groups of learners, when they are multidisciplinary and collaborate online. Environments for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) could be designed to facilitate the TMS. This study investigates how various aspects of a TMS (i.e., specialization, coordination, and trust)…

  6. Discussion Tool Effects on Collaborative Learning and Social Network Structure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomsic, Astrid; Suthers, Daniel D.

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the social network structure of booking officers at the Honolulu Police Department and how the introduction of an online discussion tool affected knowledge about operation of a booking module. Baseline data provided evidence for collaboration among officers in the same district using e-mail, telephone and face-to-face media…

  7. Online Concept Maps: Enhancing Collaborative Learning by Using Technology with Concept Maps.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canas, Alberto J.; Ford, Kenneth M.; Novak, Joseph D.; Hayes, Patrick; Reichherzer, Thomas R.; Suri, Niranjan

    2001-01-01

    Describes a collaborative software system that allows students from distant schools to share claims derived from their concept maps. Sharing takes place by accessing The Knowledge Soup, a repository of propositions submitted by students and stored on a computer server. Students can use propositions from other students to enhance their concept…

  8. Assessing Online Collaboration among Language Teachers: A Cross-Institutional Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnold, Nike; Ducate, Lara; Lomicka, Lara; Lord, Gillian

    2009-01-01

    This paper focuses on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) among foreign language (FL) graduate students from three universities, who worked together to create a wiki. In order to investigate the nature of CSCL among participants, this qualitative case study used the Curtis and Lawson framework (2001) to conduct a content analysis of…

  9. Supporting Teachers Learning Through the Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Science Lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kafyulilo, Ayoub C.; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

    2015-12-01

    This study used the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth in Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 947-967, 2002) to unravel how science teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills developed in a professional development arrangement. The professional development arrangement used Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a conceptual framework and included collaborative design of technology-enhanced science lessons, implementation of the lessons and reflection on outcomes. Support to facilitate the process was offered in the form of collaboration guidelines, online learning materials, exemplary lessons and the availability of an expert. Twenty teachers participated in the intervention. Pre- and post-intervention results showed improvements in teachers' perceived and demonstrated knowledge and skills in integrating technology in science teaching. Collaboration guidelines helped the teams to understand the design process, while exemplary materials provided a picture of the product they had to design. The availability of relevant online materials simplified the design process. The expert was important in providing technological and pedagogical support during design and implementation, and reflected with teachers on how to cope with problems met during implementation.

  10. Designing, implementing and evaluating an online problem-based learning (PBL) environment--a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Ng, Manwa L; Bridges, Susan; Law, Sam Po; Whitehill, Tara

    2014-01-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) has been shown to be effective for promoting student competencies in self-directed and collaborative learning, critical thinking, self-reflection and tackling novel situations. However, the need for face-to-face interactions at the same place and time severely limits the potential of traditional PBL. The requirements of space and for meeting at a specific location at the same time create timetabling difficulties. Such limitations need to be tackled before all potentials of PBL learning can be realized. The present study aimed at designing and implementing an online PBL environment for undergraduate speech/language pathology students, and assessing the associated pedagogical effectiveness. A group of eight PBL students were randomly selected to participate in the study. They underwent 4 weeks of online PBL using Adobe Connect. Upon completion of the experiment, they were assessed via a self-reported questionnaire and quantitative comparison with traditional PBL students based on the same written assignment. The questionnaire revealed that all participating students enjoyed online PBL, without any perceived negative effects on learning. Online PBL unanimously saved the students travel time to and from school. Statistical analysis indicated no significant difference in assignment grades between the online and traditional PBL groups, indicating that online PBL learning appears to be similarly effective as traditional face-to-face PBL learning.

  11. Do quality improvement collaboratives' educational components match the dominant learning style preferences of the participants?

    PubMed

    Weggelaar-Jansen, Anne Marie; van Wijngaarden, Jeroen; Slaghuis, Sarah-Sue

    2015-06-20

    Quality improvement collaboratives are used to improve healthcare by various organizations. Despite their popularity literature shows mixed results on their effectiveness. A quality improvement collaborative can be seen as a temporary learning organization in which knowledge about improvement themes and methods is exchanged. In this research we studied: Does the learning approach of a quality improvement collaborative match the learning styles preferences of the individual participants and how does that affect the learning process of participants? This research used a mixed methods design combining a validated learning style questionnaire with data collected in the tradition of action research methodology to study two Dutch quality improvement collaboratives. The questionnaire is based on the learning style model of Ruijters and Simons, distinguishing five learning style preferences: Acquisition of knowledge, Apperception from others, Discovery of new insights, Exercising in fictitious situations and Participation with others. The most preferred learning styles of the participants were Discovery and Participation. The learning style Acquisition was moderately preferred and Apperception and Exercising were least preferred. The educational components of the quality improvement collaboratives studied (national conferences, half-day learning sessions, faculty site visits and use of an online tool) were predominantly associated with the learning styles Acquisition and Apperception. We observed a decrease in attendance to the learning activities and non-conformance with the standardized set goals and approaches. We conclude that the participants' satisfaction with the offered learning approach changed over time. The lacking match between these learning style preferences and the learning approach in the educational components of the quality improvement collaboratives studied might be the reason why the participants felt they did not gain new insights and therefore ceased their participation in the collaborative. This study provides guidance for future organisers and participants of quality improvement collaboratives about which learning approaches will best suit the participants and enhance improvement work.

  12. Building an open academic environment – a new approach to empowering students in their learning of anatomy through ‘Shadow Modules’

    PubMed Central

    Scott, Jonathan L; Moxham, Bernard J; Rutherford, Stephen M

    2014-01-01

    Teaching and learning in anatomy is undertaken by a variety of methodologies, yet all of these pedagogies benefit from students discussing and reflecting upon their learning activities. An approach of particular potency is peer-mediated learning, through either peer-teaching or collaborative peer-learning. Collaborative, peer-mediated, learning activities help promote deep learning approaches and foster communities of practice in learning. Students generally flourish in collaborative learning settings but there are limitations to the benefits of collaborative learning undertaken solely within the confines of modular curricula. We describe the development of peer-mediated learning through student-focused and student-led study groups we have termed ‘Shadow Modules’. The ‘Shadow Module’ takes place parallel to the formal academically taught module and facilitates collaboration between students to support their learning for that module. In ‘Shadow Module’ activities, students collaborate towards curating existing online open resources as well as developing learning resources of their own to support their study. Through the use of communication technologies and web 2.0 tools these resources are able to be shared with their peers, thus enhancing the learning experience of all students following the module. The Shadow Module activities have the potential to lead to participants feeling a greater sense of engagement with the subject material, as well as improving their study and group-working skills and developing digital literacy. The outputs from Shadow Module collaborative work are open-source and may be utilised by subsequent student cohorts, thus building up a repository of learning resources designed by and for students. Shadow Module activities would benefit all pedagogies in the study of anatomy, and support students moving from being passive consumers to active participants in learning. PMID:24117249

  13. Building an open academic environment - a new approach to empowering students in their learning of anatomy through 'Shadow Modules'.

    PubMed

    Scott, Jonathan L; Moxham, Bernard J; Rutherford, Stephen M

    2014-03-01

    Teaching and learning in anatomy is undertaken by a variety of methodologies, yet all of these pedagogies benefit from students discussing and reflecting upon their learning activities. An approach of particular potency is peer-mediated learning, through either peer-teaching or collaborative peer-learning. Collaborative, peer-mediated, learning activities help promote deep learning approaches and foster communities of practice in learning. Students generally flourish in collaborative learning settings but there are limitations to the benefits of collaborative learning undertaken solely within the confines of modular curricula. We describe the development of peer-mediated learning through student-focused and student-led study groups we have termed 'Shadow Modules'. The 'Shadow Module' takes place parallel to the formal academically taught module and facilitates collaboration between students to support their learning for that module. In 'Shadow Module' activities, students collaborate towards curating existing online open resources as well as developing learning resources of their own to support their study. Through the use of communication technologies and Web 2.0 tools these resources are able to be shared with their peers, thus enhancing the learning experience of all students following the module. The Shadow Module activities have the potential to lead to participants feeling a greater sense of engagement with the subject material, as well as improving their study and group-working skills and developing digital literacy. The outputs from Shadow Module collaborative work are open-source and may be utilised by subsequent student cohorts, thus building up a repository of learning resources designed by and for students. Shadow Module activities would benefit all pedagogies in the study of anatomy, and support students moving from being passive consumers to active participants in learning. © 2013 Anatomical Society.

  14. Students' online collaborative intention for group projects: Evidence from an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Eddie W L; Chu, Samuel K W

    2016-08-01

    Given the increasing use of web technology for teaching and learning, this study developed and examined an extended version of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model, which explained students' intention to collaborate online for their group projects. Results indicated that past experience predicted the three antecedents of intention, while past behaviour was predictive of subjective norm and perceived behavioural control. Moreover, the three antecedents (attitude towards e-collaboration, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) were found to significantly predict e-collaborative intention. This study explored the use of the "remember" type of awareness (i.e. past experience) and evaluated the value of the "know" type of awareness (i.e. past behaviour) in the TPB model. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

  15. Facilitating interaction, communication and collaboration in online courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McNeil, Sara G.; Robin, Bernard R.; Miller, Robert M.

    2000-07-01

    As the Internet evolves into a truly world wide communications medium, the roles of faculty and students at institutions of higher learning are changing. Traditional face-to-face classes are being converted to an online setting, where materials from syllabi to lectures to assignments are available at the click of a mouse. New technological options are challenging and changing the very nature of teaching as faculty migrate from being deliverers of information to facilitators and mentors. Students are also undergoing a transformation from passive recipients to participants in an active learning environment. Interactions are at the heart of this revolution as students and faculty create new methodologies for the online classroom. New types of interactions are emerging between faculty and students, between students and other students and between students and the educational resources they are exploring. As the online teaching and learning environment expands and matures, new social and instructional interactions are replacing the traditional occurrences in face-to-face classrooms. New communication options are also evolving as a critical component of the online classroom. The shift from a synchronous to an asynchronous communication structure has also had a significant impact on the way students and faculty interact. The use of e-mail, listservs and web-based conferencing has given teachers and learners new flexibility and has fostered a climate where learning takes place wherever and whenever it is convenient. HyperGroups, a communication tool that was developed at the University of Houston, allows students and faculty to seamlessly participate in course-related discussions and easily share multimedia resources. This article explores the many issues associated with facilitating interaction, communication and collaboration in online courses.

  16. Dentistry students' perceptions of learning management systems.

    PubMed

    Handal, B; Groenlund, C; Gerzina, T

    2010-02-01

    This paper reports an exploratory survey study about students' perceptions of learning management systems (LMS) at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. Two hundred and fifty-four students enrolled in the Bachelor of Dentistry and the Bachelor of Oral Health programmes participated in an online survey aimed at exploring their beliefs and attitudes as well as their preferences for eLearning tools. Results indicated a strong preference of students for using LMSs as resource repositories rather than for higher-order learning activities such as online discussion forums. This finding holds importance for consideration of the development of the educational resources modalities that support development of essential graduate attributes such as information literacy and collaborative learning.

  17. Social Media as Avenue for Personal Learning for Educators: Personal Learning Networks Encourage Application of Knowledge and Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eller, Linda S.

    2012-01-01

    Social media sites furnish an online space for a community of practice to create relationships and trust, collaboration and connections, and a personal learning environment. Social networking sites, both public and private, have common elements: member profiles, groups, discussions, and forums. A community of practice brings participants together…

  18. Can Online Learning Communities Achieve the Goals of Traditional Professional Learning Communities? What the Literature Says. REL 2013-003

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blitz, Cynthia L.

    2013-01-01

    For more than a decade practitioners have promoted professional learning communities (PLCs) as an effective structure for providing teachers with professional development (Chappuis, Chappuis, & Stiggins, 2009; DuFour, Eaker, & DuFour, 2005). These collaborative networks are believed to be effective because they expose teachers to new ideas…

  19. Teaching an Interdisciplinary Graduate-Level Methods Course in an Openly-Networked Connected Learning Environment: A Glass Half-Full

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Secret, Mary; Bryant, Nita L.; Cummings, Cory R.

    2017-01-01

    Our paper describes the design and delivery of an online interdisciplinary social science research methods course (ISRM) for graduate students in sociology, education, social work, and public administration. Collaborative activities and learning took place in two types of computer-mediated learning environments: a closed Blackboard course…

  20. Changing the Instructional Model: Utilizing Blended Learning as a Tool of Inquiry Instruction in Middle School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longo, Christopher M.

    2016-01-01

    Educators need to delve further into effective ways to spark student interest, motivation, and curiosity both in the middle school classroom and in the online environment. A thoughtfully crafted blended learning process, infused with inquiry learning, can provide students with opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and pose questions,…

  1. Designing Interactive and Collaborative Learning Tasks in a 3-D Virtual Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berns, Anke; Palomo-Duarte, Manuel; Fernández, David Camacho

    2012-01-01

    The aim of our study is to explore several possibilities to use virtual worlds (VWs) and game-applications with learners of the A1 level (CEFR) of German as a foreign language. Our interest focuses especially on designing those learning tools which increase firstly, learner motivation towards online-learning and secondly, enhance autonomous…

  2. Lost in Interaction in IMS Learning Design Runtime Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derntl, Michael; Neumann, Susanne; Oberhuemer, Petra

    2014-01-01

    Educators are exploiting the advantages of advanced web-based collaboration technologies and massive online interactions. Interactions between learners and human or nonhuman resources therefore play an increasingly important pedagogical role, and the way these interactions are expressed in the user interface of virtual learning environments is…

  3. Community of Inquiry: Social Presence Revisited

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kreijns, Karel; Van Acker, Frederick; Vermeulen, Marjan; Van Buuren, Hans

    2014-01-01

    Social presence is a construct that has attracted the attention of many educational scholars involved in online collaborative learning settings wherein all the dialogue is happening through text-based asynchronous and synchronous communication channels. The social presence of the learning group members is associated with the degree of…

  4. An International Survey of Veterinary Students to Assess Their Use of Online Learning Resources.

    PubMed

    Gledhill, Laura; Dale, Vicki H M; Powney, Sonya; Gaitskell-Phillips, Gemma H L; Short, Nick R M

    Today's veterinary students have access to a wide range of online resources that support self-directed learning. To develop a benchmark of current global student practice in e-learning, this study measured self-reported access to, and use of, these resources by students internationally. An online survey was designed and promoted via veterinary student mailing lists and international organizations, resulting in 1,070 responses. Analysis of survey data indicated that students now use online resources in a wide range of ways to support their learning. Students reported that access to online veterinary learning resources was now integral to their studies. Almost all students reported using open educational resources (OERs). Ownership of smartphones was widespread, and the majority of respondents agreed that the use of mobile devices, or m-learning, was essential. Social media were highlighted as important for collaborating with peers and sharing knowledge. Constraints to e-learning principally related to poor or absent Internet access and limited institutional provision of computer facilities. There was significant geographical variation, with students from less developed countries disadvantaged by limited access to technology and networks. In conclusion, the survey provides an international benchmark on the range and diversity in terms of access to, and use of, online learning resources by veterinary students globally. It also highlights the inequalities of access among students in different parts of the world.

  5. A Learning Analytics Methodology for Detecting Sentiment in Student Fora: A Case Study in Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kagklis, Vasileios; Karatrantou, Anthi; Tantoula, Maria; Panagiotakopoulos, Chris T.; Verykios, Vassilios S.

    2015-01-01

    Online fora have become not only one of the most popular communication tools in e-learning environments, but also one of the key factors of the learning process, especially in distance learning, as they can provide to the students involved, motivation for collaboration in order to achieve a common goal. The purpose of this study is to analyse data…

  6. University students' emotions, interest and activities in a web-based learning environment.

    PubMed

    Nummenmaa, Minna; Nummenmaa, Lauri

    2008-03-01

    Within academic settings, students experience varied emotions and interest towards learning. Although both emotions and interest can increase students' likelihood to engage in traditional learning, little is known about the influence of emotions and interest in learning activities in a web-based learning environment (WBLE). This study examined how emotions experienced while using a WBLE, students' interest towards the course topic and interest towards web-based learning are associated with collaborative visible and non-collaborative invisible activities and 'lurking' in the WBLE. Participants were 99 Finnish university students from five web-based courses. All the students enrolled in the courses filled out pre- and post-test questionnaires of interest, and repeatedly completed an on-line questionnaire on emotions experienced while using the WBLE during the courses. The fluctuation of emotional reactions was positively associated with both visible collaborative and invisible non-collaborative activities in the WBLE. Further, interest towards the web-based learning was positively associated with invisible activity. The results also demonstrated that students not actively participating in the collaborative activities (i.e. lurkers) had more negative emotional experiences during the courses than other students. The results highlight the distinct impacts that emotions and interest have on different web-based learning activities and that they should be considered when designing web-based courses.

  7. External and internal factors influencing self-directed online learning of physiotherapy undergraduate students in Sweden: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Hammarlund, Catharina Sjödahl; Nilsson, Maria H; Gummesson, Christina

    2015-01-01

    Online courses have become common in health sciences education. This learning environment can be designed using different approaches to support student learning. To further develop online environment, it is important to understand how students perceive working and learning online. The aim of this study is to identify aspects influencing students' learning processes and their adaptation to self-directed learning online. Thirty-four physiotherapy students with a mean age of 25 years (range, 21 to 34 years) participated. Qualitative content analysis and triangulation was used when investigating the students' self-reflections, written during a five week self-directed, problem-oriented online course. Two categories emerged: 'the influence of the structured framework' and 'communication and interaction with teachers and peers.' The learning processes were influenced by external factors, e.g., a clear structure including a transparent alignment of assignments and assessment. Important challenges to over-come were primarily internal factors, e.g., low self-efficacy, difficulties to plan the work effectively and adapting to a new environment. The analyses reflected important perspectives targeting areas which enable further course development. The influences of external and internal factors on learning strategies and self-efficacy are important aspects to consider when designing online courses. Factors such as pedagogical design, clarity of purpose, goals, and guidelines were important as well as continuous opportunities for communication and collaboration. Further studies are needed to understand and scaffold the motivational factors among students with low self-efficacy.

  8. Collaborative learning framework for online stakeholder engagement.

    PubMed

    Khodyakov, Dmitry; Savitsky, Terrance D; Dalal, Siddhartha

    2016-08-01

    Public and stakeholder engagement can improve the quality of both research and policy decision making. However, such engagement poses significant methodological challenges in terms of collecting and analysing input from large, diverse groups. To explain how online approaches can facilitate iterative stakeholder engagement, to describe how input from large and diverse stakeholder groups can be analysed and to propose a collaborative learning framework (CLF) to interpret stakeholder engagement results. We use 'A National Conversation on Reducing the Burden of Suicide in the United States' as a case study of online stakeholder engagement and employ a Bayesian data modelling approach to develop a CLF. Our data modelling results identified six distinct stakeholder clusters that varied in the degree of individual articulation and group agreement and exhibited one of the three learning styles: learning towards consensus, learning by contrast and groupthink. Learning by contrast was the most common, or dominant, learning style in this study. Study results were used to develop a CLF, which helps explore multitude of stakeholder perspectives; identifies clusters of participants with similar shifts in beliefs; offers an empirically derived indicator of engagement quality; and helps determine the dominant learning style. The ability to detect learning by contrast helps illustrate differences in stakeholder perspectives, which may help policymakers, including Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, make better decisions by soliciting and incorporating input from patients, caregivers, health-care providers and researchers. Study results have important implications for soliciting and incorporating input from stakeholders with different interests and perspectives. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Improving collaborative learning in online software engineering education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neill, Colin J.; DeFranco, Joanna F.; Sangwan, Raghvinder S.

    2017-11-01

    Team projects are commonplace in software engineering education. They address a key educational objective, provide students critical experience relevant to their future careers, allow instructors to set problems of greater scale and complexity than could be tackled individually, and are a vehicle for socially constructed learning. While all student teams experience challenges, those in fully online programmes must also deal with remote working, asynchronous coordination, and computer-mediated communications all of which contribute to greater social distance between team members. We have developed a facilitation framework to aid team collaboration and have demonstrated its efficacy, in prior research, with respect to team performance and outcomes. Those studies indicated, however, that despite experiencing improved project outcomes, students working in effective software engineering teams did not experience significantly improved individual achievement. To address this deficiency we implemented theoretically grounded refinements to the collaboration model based upon peer-tutoring research. Our results indicate a modest, but statistically significant (p = .08), improvement in individual achievement using this refined model.

  10. Rationalities of Collaboration for Language Learning in a Wiki

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradley, Linda; Lindstrom, Berner; Rystedt, Hans

    2010-01-01

    For language learning, online environments allowing for user generated content are becoming increasingly important since they offer possibilities for learners to elaborate on assignments and projects. This study investigates what wikis can do as a means to enhance group interaction, when students are encouraged to participate in constructing text…

  11. Toward a Semantic Forum for Active Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Yanyan; Dong, Mingkai; Huang, Ronghuai

    2009-01-01

    Online discussion forums provide open workspace allowing learners to share information, exchange ideas, address problems and discuss on specific themes. But the substantial impediment to its promotion as effective e-learning facility lies in the continuously increasing messages but with discrete and incoherent structure as well as the loosely-tied…

  12. Group Practices: A New Way of Viewing CSCL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stahl, Gerry

    2017-01-01

    The analysis of "group practices" can make visible the work of novices learning how to inquire in science or mathematics. These ubiquitous practices are invisibly taken for granted by adults, but can be observed and rigorously studied in adequate traces of online collaborative learning. Such an approach contrasts with traditional…

  13. Encouraging Greater Student Inquiry Engagement in Science through Motivational Support by Online Scientist-Mentors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scogin, Stephen C.; Stuessy, Carol L.

    2015-01-01

    Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for integrating knowledge and practice in learning experiences in K-12 science education. "PlantingScience" (PS), an ideal curriculum for use as an NGSS model, is a computer-mediated collaborative learning environment intertwining scientific inquiry, classroom instruction, and online…

  14. Collaboration Creation: Lessons Learned from Establishing an Online Professional Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Colin; Smyth, Keith

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes the design, implementation, evaluation and further refinement of an ELGG-based social networking site to support professional development activity, project group and special interest groups, and the discussion and sharing of educational experiences and resources across Edinburgh Napier University in the United Kingdom.…

  15. The Virtual Classroom: A Catalyst for Institutional Transformation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Subramaniam, Nantha Kumar; Kandasamy, Maheswari

    2011-01-01

    This study explores the use of the virtual classroom which has been created in "myVLE", a learning management system used by the Open University Malaysia (OUM). The virtual classroom in "myVLE" is an asynchronous-based online learning environment that delivers course materials to learners and provides collaboration and…

  16. Multiliteracies in Practice: Integrating Multimodal Production across the Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thibaut, Patricia; Curwood, Jen Scott

    2018-01-01

    Supported by ever-evolving digital tools and online spaces, we argue that multiliteracies can be used to close the gap between teacher-directed, individual, and assessment-driven learning, and authentic, shared, and purpose-driven learning. This is particularly evident through multimodal composition and collaboration in primary classrooms. Over…

  17. Wiki Mass Authoring for Experiential Learning: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pardue, Harold; Landry, Jeffrey; Sweeney, Bob

    2013-01-01

    Web 2.0 services include sharing and collaborative technologies such as blogs, social networking sites, online office productivity tools, and wikis. Wikis are increasingly used for the design and implementation of pedagogy, for example to facilitate experiential learning. A U.S. government-funded project for system security risk assessment was…

  18. Improving Collaborative Learning in Online Software Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neill, Colin J.; DeFranco, Joanna F.; Sangwan, Raghvinder S.

    2017-01-01

    Team projects are commonplace in software engineering education. They address a key educational objective, provide students critical experience relevant to their future careers, allow instructors to set problems of greater scale and complexity than could be tackled individually, and are a vehicle for socially constructed learning. While all…

  19. Conversational Agents Improve Peer Learning through Building on Prior Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tegos, Stergios; Demetriadis, Stavros

    2017-01-01

    Research in computer-supported collaborative learning has indicated that conversational agents can be pedagogically beneficial when used to scaffold students' online discussions. In this study, we investigate the impact of an agile conversational agent that triggers student dialogue by making interventions based on the academically productive talk…

  20. I Would Have Had More Success If…: Student Reflections on Their Performance in Online and Blended Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, G. Sherrie

    2010-01-01

    Anecdotal research is a common phenomenon in the study of distance education. In an effort to review some of the factors that affect student satisfaction, an existing instrument was used to gauge learner perceptions of online interaction/communication, learning and performance, collaboration, hardware and software issues and the quality of…

  1. Attending to Others' Posts in Asynchronous Discussions: Learners' Online "Listening" and Its Relationship to Speaking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wise, Alyssa Friend; Hausknecht, Simone Nicole; Zhao, Yuting

    2014-01-01

    Theoretical models of collaborative learning through online discussions presuppose that students generally attend to others' posts. However, a succession of studies over the last decade has shown this assumption to be unwarranted. Instead, research indicates that learners attend to others' posts in diverse and particular ways--an…

  2. Use of Online Assessment to Enhance Teaching and Learning: The PASS-IT Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashton, Helen; Wood, Christine

    2006-01-01

    This article describes a recent collaborative project (PASS-IT) which investigated the use of online assessment in secondary education in Scotland. The aim of PASS-IT was to explore the potential of formative and summative assessment in secondary education, and to build on previous research into the applicability and validity of online…

  3. Discussing Course Literature Online: Analysis of Macro Speech Acts in an Asynchronous Computer Conference

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosunen, Riitta

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a macro speech act analysis of computer-mediated conferencing on a university course on language pedagogy. Students read scholarly articles on language learning and discussed them online, in order to make sense of them collaboratively in preparation for a reflective essay. The study explores how the course participants made use…

  4. Revisualising Innovative Online Learning Spaces in an Early Childhood Teacher Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pohio, Lesley; Lee, Maryann

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the challenges and rewards of revisualising and designing an innovative online space for a first-year Bachelor of Education Early Childhood Education course, Visual Arts in the Early Years. The perspectives offered are drawn from a design project involving collaboration between the course lecturer and…

  5. "Elven Elder LVL59 LFP/RB. Please PM Me": Immersion, Collaborative Tasks and Problem-Solving in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Voulgari, Iro; Komis, Vassilis

    2010-01-01

    Although there is strong evidence that massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) constitute environments of social interactions and effective learning, we currently lack the tools for investigating the effectiveness of the social networks emerging as well as the cognitive aspects and knowledge acquisition such environments involve. Within this…

  6. The Path from Insight to Action: The Case of an Online Learning Community in Support of Collaborative Teacher Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sessums, Christopher Davis

    2009-01-01

    Teacher professional development is a complex enterprise (Sprinthall, Reiman, and Thies-Sprinthall, 1996). While many online professional development programs have been introduced over the past several years that provide continuous, job-embedded support, empirical evidence relating what works and what does not has been limited (Whitehouse, Breit,…

  7. Collaborative Writing with Web 2.0 Technologies: Education Students' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brodahl, Cornelia; Hadjerrouit, Said; Hansen, Nils Kristian

    2011-01-01

    Web 2.0 technologies are becoming popular in teaching and learning environments. Among them several online collaborative writing tools, like wikis and blogs, have been integrated into educational settings. Research has been carried out on a wide range of subjects related to wikis, while other, comparable tools like Google Docs and EtherPad remain…

  8. Knowledge Translation of Interprofessional Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice: The Working Together Project Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacDonald, Colla J.; Archibald, Douglas; Stodel, Emma; Chambers, Larry W.; Hall, Pippa

    2008-01-01

    The Working Together (WT) project involved the design and delivery of an online learning resource for healthcare teams in long-term care (LTC) so that knowledge regarding interprofessional collaborative patient-centred practice (ICPCP) could be readily accessed and then transferred to the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to better…

  9. Voyage on the SS "School Library Leadership": Collaboration in Teaching and Learning at the University of Vermont

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, Judith L.; Ballard, Susan D.

    2012-01-01

    This article describes the SS "School Library Leadership" maiden voyage, which departed from the University of Vermont (UVM) during the 2010 fall semester. Twelve intrepid sailors followed their sense of adventure into uncharted waters with cocaptains Judy Kaplan and Susan Ballard in an online collaboration that provided a powerful…

  10. Student Activity and Profile Datasets from an Online Video-Based Collaborative Learning Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martín, Estefanía; Gértrudix, Manuel; Urquiza-Fuentes, Jaime; Haya, Pablo A.

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes two datasets extracted from a video-based educational experience using a social and collaborative platform. The length of the trial was 3 months. It involved 111 students from two different courses. Twenty-nine came from Computer Engineering (CE) course and 82 from Media and Communication (M&C) course. They were organised…

  11. Dyslexia in Modern Language Learning: A Case Study on Collaborative Task-Design for Inclusive Teaching and Learning in an Online Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Motzo, Anna; Quattrocchi, Debora

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, universities have been involved in developing new strategies to promote widening participation in higher education, and consequently they have been focusing on increasing the variety of support offered to students with disabilities for a more inclusive and widely accessible learning environment. However, there is a common feeling…

  12. Evaluation of Keyphrase Extraction Algorithm and Tiling Process for a Document/Resource Recommender within E-Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mangina, Eleni; Kilbride, John

    2008-01-01

    The research presented in this paper is an examination of the applicability of IUI techniques in an online e-learning environment. In particular we make use of user modeling techniques, information retrieval and extraction mechanisms and collaborative filtering methods. The domains of e-learning, web-based training and instruction and intelligent…

  13. An Exploratory Investigation of Online Forum Mediated Collaborative Learning of Speech Writing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lata, Pushp; Luhach, Suman

    2014-01-01

    Learning Management Systems (LMS) are being integrated in the curriculum by many educational institutions to extend teaching and learning beyond classroom. This paper is based on a case study exploring the integration of LMS Nalanda created on Moodle in Effective Public Speaking (EPS) classroom to give students an additional platform to practice,…

  14. Collaborative learning about e-health for mental health professionals and service users in a structured anonymous online short course: pilot study.

    PubMed

    Ashurst, Emily J; Jones, Ray B; Williamson, Graham R; Emmens, Tobit; Perry, Jon

    2012-05-31

    Professionals are interested in using e-health but implementation of new methods is slow. Barriers to implementation include the need for training and limited awareness or experience. Research may not always convince mental health professionals (MHPs). Adding the 'voice' of mental health service users (MHSUs) in collaborative learning may help. Involving MHSUs in face-face education can be difficult. We had previously been unable to engage MHPs in online discussion with MHSUs. Here we assessed the feasibility of short online courses involving MHSUs and MHPs. We ran three e-health courses, comprising live interactive webcast, week's access to a discussion forum, and final live interactive webcast. We recruited MHPs via posters, newsletters, and telephone from a local NHS trust, and online via mailing lists and personal contacts from NHS trusts and higher education. We recruited MHSUs via a previous project and an independent user involvement service. Participants were presented with research evidence about e-health and asked to discuss topics using professional and lived experience. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment and attrition, participation, and researcher workloads. Outcomes of self-esteem and general self-efficacy (MHSUs), and Internet self-efficacy and confidence (MHPs) were piloted. Online recruiting was effective. We lost 15/41 from registration to follow-up but only 5/31 that participated in the course failed to complete follow-up. Nineteen MHPs and 12 MHSUs took part and engaged with each other in online discussion. Feedback was positive; three-quarters of MHPs indicated future plans to use the Internet for practice, and 80% of MHSUs felt the course should be continued. Running three courses for 31 participants took between 200 to 250 hours. Before and after outcome measures were completed by 26/31 that participated. MHP Internet self-efficacy and general Internet confidence, MHSU self-esteem and general self-efficacy, all seemed reliable and seemed to show some increase. Collaborative learning between MHSUs and MHPs in a structured online anonymous environment over a one-week course is feasible, may be more practical and less costly than face-face methods, and is worthy of further study.

  15. Identifying Information Behavior in Information Search and Retrieval through Learning Activities Using an E-learning Platform Case: Interamerican School of Library and Information Science at the University of Antioquia (Medellin-Colombia)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tirado, Alejandro Uribe; Munoz, Wilson Castano

    2011-01-01

    This text presents the future of librarian education as exemplified by the Interamerican School of Library and Information Science at the University of Antioquia (Medellin-Colombia), using an online learning platform-LMS (Moodle) and through different personalized and collaborative learning activities and tools that help students identify their…

  16. Interweaving Meaning Generation in Science with Learning to Learn Together Processes Using Web 2.0 Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smyrnaiou, Zacharoula; Moustaki, Foteini; Yiannoutsou, Nikoleta; Kynigos, Chronis

    2012-01-01

    The literature of the science education does not offer much data concerning meaning generation (MG) and learning to learn together (L2L2) processes. The objective of this paper is the study of how a group of students working with an on-line Platform, interact, collaborate and express themselves to generate meanings with regard to moving in 3d…

  17. Neuro-Holistic Learning©: An Integrated Kinesthetic Approach to Cognitive Learning© Using Collaborative Interactive Thought Exchange© in a Blended Environment to Enhance the Learning of Young African American Males

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osler, James Edward, II; Wright, Mark Anthony

    2016-01-01

    This paper is part two of the article entitled, "Dynamic Neuroscientific Systemology: Using Tri-Squared Meta-Analysis and Innovative Instructional Design to Develop a Novel Distance Education Model for the Systemic Creation of Engaging Online Learning Environments" published in the July-September 2015 issue of i-manager's "Journal…

  18. Online interprofessional learning: the student experience.

    PubMed

    Miers, Margaret E; Clarke, Brenda A; Pollard, Katherine C; Rickaby, Caroline E; Thomas, Judith; Turtle, Ann

    2007-10-01

    Health and social care students in a faculty in the United Kingdom learn together in an interprofessional module through online discussion boards. The module assessment encourages engagement with technology and with group members through peer review. An evaluation of student experience of the module gathered data from 48 students participating in 10 online groups. Analysis of contributions to discussion boards, and transcripts of interviews with 20 students revealed differing levels of participation between individuals and groups. Many students were apprehensive about the technology and there were different views about the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. Students interacted in a supportive manner. Group leadership was seen as associated with maintaining motivation to complete work on time. Students reported benefiting from the peer review process but were uncomfortable with critiquing each other's work. Sensitivity about group process may have inhibited the level of critical debate. Nevertheless the module brought together students from different professions and different sites. Examples of sharing professional knowledge demonstrated successful interprofessional collaboration online.

  19. Grades, Student Satisfaction and Retention in Online and Face-to-Face Introductory Psychology Units: A Test of Equivalency Theory.

    PubMed

    Garratt-Reed, David; Roberts, Lynne D; Heritage, Brody

    2016-01-01

    There has been a recent rapid growth in the number of psychology courses offered online through institutions of higher education. The American Psychological Association has highlighted the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of online psychology courses (Halonen et al., 2013). Despite this, there have been inconsistent findings regarding student grades, satisfaction, and retention in online psychology units. Equivalency Theory (Simonson, 1999; Simonson et al., 1999) posits that online and classroom-based learners will attain equivalent learning outcomes when equivalent learning experiences are provided. We present a study of an online introductory psychology unit designed to provide equivalent learning experiences to the pre-existing face-to-face version of the unit. Using quasi-experimental methods, academic performance, student feedback, and retention data from 866 Australian undergraduate psychology students were examined to assess whether the online unit developed to provide equivalent learning experiences produced comparable outcomes to the 'traditional' unit delivered face-to-face. Student grades did not significantly differ between modes of delivery, except for a group-work based assessment where online students performed more poorly. Student satisfaction was generally high in both modes of the unit, with group-work the key source of dissatisfaction in the online unit. The results provide partial support for Equivalency Theory. The group-work based assessment did not provide an equivalent learning experience for students in the online unit highlighting the need for further research to determine effective methods of engaging students in online group activities. Consistent with previous research, retention rates were significantly lower in the online unit, indicating the need to develop effective strategies to increase online retention rates. While this study demonstrates successes in presenting students with an equivalent learning experience, we recommend that future research investigate means of successfully facilitating collaborative group-work assessment, and to explore contributing factors to actual student retention in online units beyond that of non-equivalent learning experiences.

  20. Grades, Student Satisfaction and Retention in Online and Face-to-Face Introductory Psychology Units: A Test of Equivalency Theory

    PubMed Central

    Garratt-Reed, David; Roberts, Lynne D.; Heritage, Brody

    2016-01-01

    There has been a recent rapid growth in the number of psychology courses offered online through institutions of higher education. The American Psychological Association has highlighted the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of online psychology courses (Halonen et al., 2013). Despite this, there have been inconsistent findings regarding student grades, satisfaction, and retention in online psychology units. Equivalency Theory (Simonson, 1999; Simonson et al., 1999) posits that online and classroom-based learners will attain equivalent learning outcomes when equivalent learning experiences are provided. We present a study of an online introductory psychology unit designed to provide equivalent learning experiences to the pre-existing face-to-face version of the unit. Using quasi-experimental methods, academic performance, student feedback, and retention data from 866 Australian undergraduate psychology students were examined to assess whether the online unit developed to provide equivalent learning experiences produced comparable outcomes to the ‘traditional’ unit delivered face-to-face. Student grades did not significantly differ between modes of delivery, except for a group-work based assessment where online students performed more poorly. Student satisfaction was generally high in both modes of the unit, with group-work the key source of dissatisfaction in the online unit. The results provide partial support for Equivalency Theory. The group-work based assessment did not provide an equivalent learning experience for students in the online unit highlighting the need for further research to determine effective methods of engaging students in online group activities. Consistent with previous research, retention rates were significantly lower in the online unit, indicating the need to develop effective strategies to increase online retention rates. While this study demonstrates successes in presenting students with an equivalent learning experience, we recommend that future research investigate means of successfully facilitating collaborative group-work assessment, and to explore contributing factors to actual student retention in online units beyond that of non-equivalent learning experiences. PMID:27242587

  1. Blended learning: how can we optimise undergraduate student engagement?

    PubMed

    Morton, Caroline E; Saleh, Sohag N; Smith, Susan F; Hemani, Ashish; Ameen, Akram; Bennie, Taylor D; Toro-Troconis, Maria

    2016-08-04

    Blended learning is a combination of online and face-to-face learning and is increasingly of interest for use in undergraduate medical education. It has been used to teach clinical post-graduate students pharmacology but needs evaluation for its use in teaching pharmacology to undergraduate medical students, which represent a different group of students with different learning needs. An existing BSc-level module on neuropharmacology was redesigned using the Blended Learning Design Tool (BLEnDT), a tool which uses learning domains (psychomotor, cognitive and affective) to classify learning outcomes into those taught best by self-directed learning (online) or by collaborative learning (face-to-face). Two online courses were developed, one on Neurotransmitters and the other on Neurodegenerative Conditions. These were supported with face-to-face tutorials. Undergraduate students' engagement with blended learning was explored by the means of three focus groups, the data from which were analysed thematically. Five major themes emerged from the data 1) Purpose and Acceptability 2) Structure, Focus and Consolidation 3) Preparation and workload 4) Engagement with e-learning component 5) Future Medical Education. Blended learning was acceptable and of interest to undergraduate students learning this subject. They expressed a desire for more blended learning in their courses, but only if it was highly structured, of high quality and supported by tutorials. Students identified that the 'blend' was beneficial rather than purely online learning.

  2. Global Learning Communities: A Comparison of Online Domestic and International Science Class Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerlin, Steven C.; Carlsen, William S.; Kelly, Gregory J.; Goehring, Elizabeth

    2013-08-01

    The conception of Global Learning Communities (GLCs) was researched to discover potential benefits of the use of online technologies that facilitated communication and scientific data sharing outside of the normal classroom setting. 1,419 students in 635 student groups began the instructional unit. Students represented the classrooms of 33 teachers from the USA, 6 from Thailand, 7 from Australia, and 4 from Germany. Data from an international environmental education project were analyzed to describe grades 7-9 student scientific writing in domestic US versus international-US classroom online partnerships. The development of an argument analytic and a research model of exploratory data analysis followed by statistical testing were used to discover and highlight different ways students used evidence to support their scientific claims about temperature variation at school sites and deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Findings show modest gains in the use of some evidentiary discourse components by US students in international online class partnerships compared to their US counterparts in domestic US partnerships. The analytic, research model, and online collaborative learning tools may be used in other large-scale studies and learning communities. Results provide insights about the benefits of using online technologies and promote the establishment of GLCs.

  3. Internationalization in an Occupational Therapy Curriculum: A Philippine-American Pilot Collaboration.

    PubMed

    Cabatan, Maria Concepcion C; Grajo, Lenin C

    This study is a pilot implementation of an Internationalization at Home (IaH) teaching and learning collaboration to enhance intercultural learning and understanding of concepts of occupation in two cohorts of occupational science and occupational therapy students from the Philippines and the United States. In this collective case study, 149 students (Cohort 1, n = 65; Cohort 2, n = 84) participated. The collaboration included virtual conversations among students, faculty presentations, reflective assignments, and completion of an anonymous online survey. Analysis yielded three essential themes: (1) perception of increased knowledge about human occupation and the influence of culture, (2) identification of teaching-learning aspects that facilitated intercultural learning outcomes, and (3) identification of factors that were enablers of and barriers to learning. This study provides insights on how intercultural learning experiences can be integrated into occupational science and occupational therapy curricula and can increase understanding of concepts related to human occupation. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  4. Peer Assisted Learning and Blogging: A Strategy to Promote Reflective Practice during Clinical Fieldwork

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ladyshewsky, Richard K.; Gardner, Peter

    2008-01-01

    The use of peer assisted learning in clinical education is explored in this case study. Groups of undergraduate physiotherapy students were structured into communities of practice during the second half of their clinical fieldwork program. They collaborated online in an asynchronous manner, using information communications technology (blogs) and…

  5. The Fallacies of Open: Participatory Design, Infrastructuring, and the Pursuit of Radical Possibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West-Puckett, Stephanie; Smith, Anna; Cantrill, Christina; Zamora, Mia

    2018-01-01

    To better understand the impacts of participatory design in English language arts teacher education, this critical case study focuses on the National Writing Project's Connected Learning Massive, Open, Online Collaboration (CLMOOC) that engaged educators in playing with the connected learning framework. The authors draw from 5 years of interaction…

  6. The Metadata Education and Research Information Commons (MERIC): A Collaborative Teaching and Research Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vellucci, Sherry L.; Hsieh-Yee, Ingrid; Moen, William E.

    2007-01-01

    The networked environment forced a sea change in Library and Information Science (LIS) education. Most LIS programs offer a mixed-mode of instruction that integrates online learning materials with more traditional classroom pedagogical methods and faculty are now responsible for developing content and digital learning objects. The teaching commons…

  7. Cooperative Learning in Graduate Student Projects: Comparing Synchronous versus Asynchronous Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strang, Kenneth

    2013-01-01

    Cooperative learning was applied in a graduate project management course to compare the effectiveness of asynchronous versus synchronous online team meetings. An experiment was constructed to allocate students to project teams while ensuring there was a balance of requisite skills, namely systems analysis and design along with HTML/Javascript…

  8. Understanding Knowledge-Sharing Breakdowns: A Meeting of the Quantitative and Qualitative Minds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soller, Amy

    2004-01-01

    The rapid advance of distance learning and networking technology has enabled universities and corporations to reach out and educate students across time and space barriers. Although this technology enables structured collaborative learning activities, online groups often do not enjoy the same benefits as face-to-face learners, and their…

  9. To Enhance Collaborative Learning and Practice Network Knowledge with a Virtualization Laboratory and Online Synchronous Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Kongcharoen, Chaknarin; Ghinea, Gheorghita

    2014-01-01

    Recently, various computer networking courses have included additional laboratory classes in order to enhance students' learning achievement. However, these classes need to establish a suitable laboratory where each student can connect network devices to configure and test functions within different network topologies. In this case, the Linux…

  10. International Distance Learning in Special Education: A Program Evaluation of a US-Ecuador Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McPherson, Rebekah

    2010-01-01

    The internationalization of distance learning in special education is at a pivotal point in expansion. Even with concerted efforts through traditional means to increase the supply of special educators, shortages persist; therefore, teacher preparation programs are turning to online education. This dissertation study was a formative program…

  11. Networked eLlearning and Collaborative Knowledge Building: Design and Facilitation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorensen, Elsebeth Korsgaard

    2005-01-01

    This paper addresses the core goals for educators to stimulate participation across diversity (including life trajectories and culture) and motivate learners to engage in negotiation of meaning and knowledge building dialogue in the processes of networked learning. The paper reports on a Danish masters online course on networked learning for…

  12. A Case of Problem Based Learning for Cross-Institutional Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nerantzi, Chrissi

    2012-01-01

    The idea of moving away from battery-type Academic Development Activities and silo modules and programmes towards open cross-institutional approaches in line with OEP are explored within this paper based on a recent small-scale, fully-online study. This brought together academics and other professionals who support learning, from different…

  13. Blended Learning with Everyday Technologies to Activate Students' Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vesisenaho, Mikko; Valtonen, Teemu; Kukkonen, Jari; Havu-Nuutinen, Sari; Hartikainen, Anu; Karkkainen, Sirpa

    2010-01-01

    Schools are facing challenges to meet the demands of the information society and the student generation of today. Not only are students carrying their mobile phones everywhere, they are also familiar with different online environments, especially social software. This situation can be seen both a challenge and a chance for schools, as mobile…

  14. Guiding Learners into Reengagement through the SCALE Environment: An Empirical Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Verginis, Ilias; Gouli, Evangelia; Gogoulou, Agoritsa; Grigoriadou, Maria

    2011-01-01

    The paper presents the facilities offered by the open learner model maintained in the web-based, adaptive, activity-oriented learning environment SCALE (Supporting Collaboration and Adaptation in a Learning Environment), in order to guide online students who become disengaged and support their reengagement. The open learner model (OLM_SCALE)…

  15. Awareness of Cognitive and Social Behaviour in a CSCL Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirschner, P. A.; Kreijns, K.; Phielix, C.; Fransen, J.

    2015-01-01

    Most distributed and virtual online environments for and pedagogies of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) neglect the social and social-emotional aspects underlying the group dynamics of learning and working in a CSCL group. These group dynamics often determine whether the group will develop into a well-performing team and whether a…

  16. Enhancing RN-to-BSN students' information literacy skills through the use of instructional technology.

    PubMed

    Schutt, Michelle A; Hightower, Barbara

    2009-02-01

    The American Association of Colleges of Nursing advocates that professional nurses have the information literacy skills essential for evidence-based practice. As nursing schools embrace evidence-based models to prepare students for nursing careers, faculty can collaborate with librarians to create engaging learning activities focused on the development of information literacy skills. Instructional technology tools such as course management systems, virtual classrooms, and online tutorials provide opportunities to reach students outside the traditional campus classroom. This article discusses the collaborative process between faculty and a library instruction coordinator and strategies used to create literacy learning activities focused on the development of basic database search skills for a Computers in Nursing course. The activities and an online tutorial were included in a library database module incorporated into WebCT. In addition, synchronous classroom meeting software was used by the librarian to reach students in the distance learning environment. Recommendations for module modifications and faculty, librarian, and student evaluations are offered.

  17. Bolstering the Quality and Integrity of Online Collaborative University-Level Courses via an Open Sim Standalone Server in Conjunction with Sloodle

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pellas, Nikolaos

    2016-01-01

    The contemporary era provides several challenges which extend from the reconstitution of an innovative knowledge domain and curricula to candidate learning platforms that support online course delivery methods. Educators and scholars on these demands have recently started to rethink alternative ways for the assimilation of the experiential…

  18. How Effective Is Interactive Learning? Investigating Japanese University Students' Language Patterns in a Collaborative Writing Task

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakamoto, Mitsuyo

    2017-01-01

    According to Swain, Kinnear, & Steinman (2011), we use a language with others as a form of shared cognition, and in the process we scaffold each other. This action research investigates how students' online written output affects each other's writing. One thousand twenty online entries written by 21 Japanese university sophomore English majors…

  19. Does the Method of Instruction Matter? An Experimental Examination of Information Literacy Instruction in the Online, Blended, and Face-to-Face Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Karen; May, Frances A.

    2010-01-01

    The researchers, a librarian and a faculty member, collaborated to investigate the effectiveness of delivery methods in information literacy instruction. The authors conducted a field experiment to explore how face-to-face, online, and blended learning instructional formats influenced students' retention of information literacy skills. Results are…

  20. Examining Harasim's Online Collaborative Learning Theory for Nursing Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breen, Henny

    2013-01-01

    Online nursing education has been evolving at a rapid pace as it is recognized as offering the flexibility needed for practicing associate degree (ADN) and diploma prepared Registered Nurses to return to school to earn their BSN. At the same time, there is a paradigm shift in how nursing education is delivered. The focus has shifted from content…

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