Sample records for collaborative study group

  1. Production of False Memories in Collaborative Memory Tasks Using the DRM Paradigm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saraiva, Magda; Albuquerque, Pedro B.; Arantes, Joana

    2017-01-01

    Studies on collaborative memory have revealed an interesting phenomenon called collaborative inhibition (CI) (i.e., nominal groups recall more information than collaborative groups). However, the results of studies on false memories in collaborative memory tasks are controversial. This study aimed to understand the production of false memories in…

  2. The Roles of a University Professor in a Teacher Study Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Hui-Chin; Hung, Hsiu-Ting; Chen, Yi-Ping

    2012-01-01

    The opportunities in which university professors collaborate with the practicing school teachers in a teacher study group are few. This study investigated how a university professor facilitated a collaborative teacher study group to enhance teachers' professional growth. Five primary school teachers and a university professor collaborated on…

  3. 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…

  4. How much structuring is beneficial with regard to examination scores? A prospective study of three forms of active learning.

    PubMed

    Reinhardt, Claus H; Rosen, Evelyne N

    2012-09-01

    Many studies have demonstrated a superiority of active learning forms compared with traditional lecture. However, there is still debate as to what degree structuring is necessary with regard to high exam outcomes. Seventy-five students from a premedical school were randomly attributed to an active lecture group, a cooperative group, or a collaborative learning group. The active lecture group received lectures with questions to resolve at the end of the lecture. At the same time, the cooperative group and the collaborative group had to work on a problem and prepare presentations for their answers. The collaborative group worked in a mostly self-directed manner; the cooperative group had to follow a time schedule. For the additional work of preparing the poster presentation, the collaborative and cooperative groups were allowed 50% more working time. In part 1, all groups worked on the citric acid cycle, and in part 2, all groups worked on molecular genetics. Collaborative groups had to work on tasks and prepare presentations for their answers. At the end of each part, all three groups were subjected to the same exam. Additionally, in the collaborative and cooperative groups, the presentations were marked. All evaluations were performed by two independent examiners. Exam results of the active lecture groups were highest. Results of the cooperative group were nonsignificantly lower than the active lecture group and significantly higher than the collaborative group. The presentation quality was nonsignificantly higher in the collaborative group compared with the cooperative group. This study shows that active lecturing produced the highest exam results, which significantly differed from collaborative learning results. The additional elaboration in the cooperative and collaborative learning setting yielded the high presentation quality but apparently could not contribute further to exam scores. Cooperative learning seems to be a good compromise if high exam and presentation scores are expected.

  5. Understanding Nomadic Collaborative Learning Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryberg, Thomas; Davidsen, Jacob; Hodgson, Vivien

    2018-01-01

    The paper builds on the work of Rossitto "et al." on collaborative nomadic work to develop three categories of practice of nomadic collaborative learning groups. Our study is based on interviews, workshops and observations of two undergraduate student's group practices engaged in self-organised, long-term collaborations within the frame…

  6. 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…

  7. Collaborative recall of details of an emotional film.

    PubMed

    Wessel, Ineke; Zandstra, Anna Roos E; Hengeveld, Hester M E; Moulds, Michelle L

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative inhibition refers to the phenomenon that when several people work together to produce a single memory report, they typically produce fewer items than when the unique items in the individual reports of the same number of participants are combined (i.e., nominal recall). Yet, apart from this negative effect, collaboration may be beneficial in that group members remove errors from a collaborative report. Collaborative inhibition studies on memory for emotional stimuli are scarce. Therefore, the present study examined both collaborative inhibition and collaborative error reduction in the recall of the details of emotional material in a laboratory setting. Female undergraduates (n = 111) viewed a film clip of a fatal accident and subsequently engaged in either collaborative (n = 57) or individual recall (n = 54) in groups of three. The results show that, across several detail categories, collaborating groups recalled fewer details than nominal groups. However, overall, nominal recall produced more errors than collaborative recall. The present results extend earlier findings on both collaborative inhibition and error reduction to the recall of affectively laden material. These findings may have implications for the applied fields of forensic and clinical psychology.

  8. How Pictorial Knowledge Representations Mediate Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naykki, Piia; Jarvela, Sanna

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the process of collaborative knowledge construction when technology and pictorial knowledge representations are used for visualizing individual and groups' shared ideas. The focus of the study is on how teacher-students contribute to the group's collaborative knowledge construction and use each other's ideas and tools as an…

  9. Exploring the Impact of Students' Learning Approach on Collaborative Group Modeling of Blood Circulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Shinyoung; Kang, Eunhee; Kim, Heui-Baik

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore the effect on group dynamics of statements associated with deep learning approaches (DLA) and their contribution to cognitive collaboration and model development during group modeling of blood circulation. A group was selected for an in-depth analysis of collaborative group modeling. This group constructed a model in a…

  10. The comparative effect of individually-generated vs. collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on science concept learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kwon, So Young

    Using a quasi-experimental design, the researcher investigated the comparative effects of individually-generated and collaboratively-generated computer-based concept mapping on middle school science concept learning. Qualitative data were analyzed to explain quantitative findings. One hundred sixty-one students (74 boys and 87 girls) in eight, seventh grade science classes at a middle school in Southeast Texas completed the entire study. Using prior science performance scores to assure equivalence of student achievement across groups, the researcher assigned the teacher's classes to one of the three experimental groups. The independent variable, group, consisted of three levels: 40 students in a control group, 59 students trained to individually generate concept maps on computers, and 62 students trained to collaboratively generate concept maps on computers. The dependent variables were science concept learning as demonstrated by comprehension test scores, and quality of concept maps created by students in experimental groups as demonstrated by rubric scores. Students in the experimental groups received concept mapping training and used their newly acquired concept mapping skills to individually or collaboratively construct computer-based concept maps during study time. The control group, the individually-generated concept mapping group, and the collaboratively-generated concept mapping group had equivalent learning experiences for 50 minutes during five days, excepting that students in a control group worked independently without concept mapping activities, students in the individual group worked individually to construct concept maps, and students in the collaborative group worked collaboratively to construct concept maps during their study time. Both collaboratively and individually generated computer-based concept mapping had a positive effect on seventh grade middle school science concept learning but neither strategy was more effective than the other. However, the students who collaboratively generated concept maps created significantly higher quality concept maps than those who individually generated concept maps. The researcher concluded that the concept mapping software, Inspiration(TM), fostered construction of students' concept maps individually or collaboratively for science learning and helped students capture their evolving creative ideas and organize them for meaningful learning. Students in both the individual and the collaborative concept mapping groups had positive attitudes toward concept mapping using Inspiration(TM) software.

  11. Leading Deep Conversations in Collaborative Inquiry Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Deuel, Angie; Slavit, David; Kennedy, Anne

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative inquiry groups, such as professional learning communities and lesson study groups, are proliferating in schools across the United States. In whatever form, the potential for impacting student learning through this collaborative work is expanded or limited by the nature of teachers' conversations. Polite, congenial conversations…

  12. A study of the impact of collaborative learning on student learning of major concepts in a microbiology laboratory exercise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baumgarten, Kristyne A.

    This study investigated the possible relationship between collaborative learning strategies and the learning of core concepts. This study examined the differences between two groups of nursing students enrolled in an introductory microbiology laboratory course. The control group consisted of students enrolled in sections taught in the traditional method. The experimental group consisted of those students enrolled in the sections using collaborative learning strategies. The groups were assessed on their degrees of learning core concepts using a pre-test/post-test method. Scores from the groups' laboratory reports were also analyzed. There was no difference in the two group's pre-test scores. The post-test scores of the experimental group averaged 11 points higher than the scores of the control group. The lab report scores of the experimental group averaged 15 points higher than those scores of the control group. The data generated from this study demonstrated that collaborative learning strategies can be used to increase students learning of core concepts in microbiology labs.

  13. Trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change: Middle school students learning about ecosystems in a CSCL environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Lei

    The dissertation aims to achieve two goals. First, it attempts to establish a new theoretical framework---the collaborative scientific conceptual change model, which explicitly attends to social factor and epistemic practices of science, to understand conceptual change. Second, it report the findings of a classroom study to investigate how to apply this theoretical framework to examine the trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change in a CSCL environment and provide pedagogical implications. Two simulations were designed to help students make connections between the macroscopic substances and the aperceptual microscopic entities and underlying processes. The reported study was focused on analyzing the aggregated data from all participants and the video and audio data from twenty focal groups' collaborative activities and the process of their conceptual development in two classroom settings. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses were applied to analyze the video/audio data. The results found that, overall participants showed significant improvements from pretest to posttest on system understanding. Group and teacher effect as well as group variability were detected in both students' posttest performance and their collaborative activities, and variability emerged in group interaction. Multiple data analyses found that attributes of collaborative discourse and epistemic practices made a difference in student learning. Generating warranted claims in discourse as well as the predicting, coordinating theory-evidence, and modifying knowledge in epistemic practices had an impact on student's conceptual understanding. However, modifying knowledge was found negatively related to students' learning effect. The case studies show how groups differed in using the computer tools as a medium to conduct collaborative discourse and epistemic practices. Only with certain combination of discourse features and epistemic practices can the group interaction lead to successful convergent understanding. The results of the study imply that the collaborative scientific conceptual change model is an effective framework to study conceptual change and the simulation environment may mediate the development of successful collaborative interactions (including collaborative discourse and epistemic practices) that lead to collaborative scientific conceptual change.

  14. Group Mirrors to Support Interaction Regulation in Collaborative Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jermann, Patrick; Dillenbourg, Pierre

    2008-01-01

    Two experimental studies test the effect of group mirrors upon quantitative and qualitative aspects of participation in collaborative problem solving. Mirroring tools consist of a graphical representation of the group's actions which is dynamically updated and displayed to the collaborators. In addition, metacognitive tools display a standard for…

  15. Evoking Knowledge and Information Awareness for Enhancing Computer-Supported Collaborative Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engelmann, Tanja; Tergan, Sigmar-Olaf; Hesse, Friedrich W.

    2010-01-01

    Computer-supported collaboration by spatially distributed group members still involves interaction problems within the group. This article presents an empirical study investigating the question of whether computer-supported collaborative problem solving by spatially distributed group members can be fostered by evoking knowledge and information…

  16. Younger and older adults' collaborative recall of shared and unshared emotional pictures.

    PubMed

    Barber, Sarah J; Castrellon, Jaime J; Opitz, Philipp; Mather, Mara

    2017-07-01

    Although a group of people working together recalls more items than any one individual, they recall fewer unique items than the same number of people working apart whose responses are combined. This is known as collaborative inhibition, and it is a robust effect that occurs for both younger and older adults. However, almost all previous studies documenting collaborative inhibition have used stimuli that were neutral in emotional valence, low in arousal, and studied by all group members. In the current experiments, we tested the impact of picture-stimuli valence, picture-stimuli arousal, and information distribution in modulating the magnitude of collaborative inhibition. We included both younger and older adults because there are age differences in how people remember emotional pictures that could modulate any effects of emotion on collaborative inhibition. Results revealed that when information was shared (i.e., studied by all group members), there were robust collaborative inhibition effects for both neutral and emotional stimuli for both younger and older adults. However, when information was unshared (i.e., studied by only a single group member), these effects were attenuated. Together, these results provide mixed support for the retrieval strategy disruption account of collaborative inhibition. Supporting the retrieval strategy disruption account, unshared study information was less susceptible to collaborative inhibition than shared study information. Contradicting the retrieval strategy disruption account, emotional valence and arousal did not modulate the magnitude of collaborative inhibition despite the fact that participants clustered the emotional, but not neutral, information together in memory.

  17. A study of the bibliometry and areas of the research groups of Archivos de Bronconeumología (2003-2007).

    PubMed

    González-Alcaide, Gregorio; Aleixandre-Benavent, Rafael; de Granda-Orive, José Ignacio

    2010-02-01

    Scientific cooperation is essential for the advance of biomedical research. Scientists set up informal groups to work together on common issues, who are the main units in the research funding system. Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis methods allow informal groups in scientific papers to be identified and characterised. The objective of the study is to identify research groups in Archivos de Bronconeumología between 2003 and 2007 period with the aim of characterizing their scientific collaboration patterns and research areas. Co-authorships, institutional collaboration relationships and the main research areas of papers published in Archivos de Bronconeumología have been identified. Co-authorship networks and institutional collaboration networks have been constructed by using Pajek software tool. A total of 41 research groups involving 171 investigators have been identified. The Collaboration Index for articles was 5.59 and the Transcience Index was 73.11%. There was institutional collaboration in 60.33% of papers. The collaboration between institutions of the same region prevails (41.03%), followed by collaborations between departments, services or units of the same institution (39.74%), inter-regional collaboration (14,97%) and international collaboration (6.83%). A total of 83.03% of articles were cited. The main research areas covered by groups were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung neoplasm, bronchogenic carcinoma, smoking and pulmonary embolism. The scientific production of a large number of Respiratory System Spanish research groups is published in Archivos de Bronconeumología. A notable collaboration and citation rate has been observed. Nevertheless, it is still essential to encourage inter-regional and international collaboration. Copyright 2009 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  18. 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.

  19. The Power of a "Maverick" in Collaborative Problem Solving: An Experimental Investigation of Individual Perspective-Taking within a Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayashi, Yugo

    2018-01-01

    Integrating different perspectives is a sophisticated strategy for developing constructive interactions in collaborative problem solving. However, cognitive aspects such as individuals' knowledge and bias often obscure group consensus and produce conflict. This study investigated collaborative problem solving, focusing on a group member…

  20. Leadership in an International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWG) Initiative: Implications for Academic Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marquis, Elizabeth; Mårtensson, Katarina; Healey, Mick

    2017-01-01

    This article presents the results of research examining an innovative initiative designed to build capacity for international, collaborative scholarship of teaching and learning: the development of international collaborative writing groups (ICWG). The study focusses particularly on the role of leadership within the groups as a significant factor…

  1. Effect of collaborative testing on learning and retention of course content in nursing students.

    PubMed

    Rivaz, Mozhgan; Momennasab, Marzieh; Shokrollahi, Paymaneh

    2015-10-01

    Collaborative testing is a learning strategy that provides students with the opportunity to learn and practice collaboration. This study aimed to determine the effect of collaborative testing on test performance and retention of course content in nursing students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 84 students enrolled in the course of Medical-Surgical 2 in Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 semesters. The control group consisting of 39 students participated in the first mid-term exam in an individual format. The intervention group, on the other hand, consisted of 45 students who took the test in a two-stage process. The first stage included an individual testing, while the second stage was a collaborative one given in groups of five individuals chosen randomly. Four weeks later, in order to investigate retention of the course content, both groups took part in the second mid-term exam held individually. The study findings showed significant difference between the mean scores in the intervention group in the Fall 2013 semester (p=0.001). Besides, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the tests mean scores (p=0.001). Moreover, retention of course content improved in the collaborative group (p=0.001). The results indicated an increase in test performance and a long-term learning enhancement in collaborative testing compared with the traditional method. Collaborative testing, as an active learning technique and a valuable assessment method, can help nursing instructors provide the alumni with strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities at healthcare environments.

  2. Vocabulary Learning in Collaborative Tasks: A Comparison of Pair and Small Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobao, Ana Fernández

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the opportunities that pair and small group interaction offer for collaborative dialogue and second language (L2) vocabulary learning. It compared the performance of the same collaborative writing task by learners working in groups of four (n = 60) and in pairs (n = 50), focusing on the occurrence of lexical language-related…

  3. Exploring the relationship between retrieval disruption from collaboration and recall

    PubMed Central

    Barber, Sarah J.; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-01-01

    When people recall together in a collaborative group, they recall less than their potential. This phenomenon of collaborative inhibition is explained in terms of retrieval disruption. However, collaborative recall also re-exposes individuals to items recalled by others that they themselves might otherwise have forgotten. This re-exposure produces post-collaborative benefits in individual recall. The current study examined whether reduced retrieval disruption during group recall is related not only to less collaborative inhibition, but also to greater post-collaborative recall benefits. To test this, we devised a paradigm to calculate the extent to which each individual experienced retrieval disruption during group recall. We also included two types of collaborative groups, one of which was expected to experience greater retrieval disruption than the other. Results suggest that the relationship between retrieval disruption and recall performance depends upon the level at which retrieval disruption is measured. When retrieval disruption was assessed at the individual level, then minimizing retrieval disruption was associated with higher recall (i.e., less collaborative inhibition and greater post-collaborative individual recall). However, when retrieval disruption was assessed at the group level there was no relationship with recall. Furthermore, the findings from this design suggest a role of cross-cueing in modulating group recall levels. PMID:21736433

  4. 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.…

  5. Group Collaboration in Organizations: Architectures, Methodologies and Tools

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-03-01

    collaboration , its definition and characteristics was completed. Next, existing technologies and standards were studied as well as the ...2000). 22 For effective collaboration , the technology must support the dynamic world of work be it individual, group and/or teamwork, as well as... develop it or simply use it as the basis of discussion. If collaborators are all contributing to the development of a

  6. Collaborative Learning in Higher Education: Evoking Positive Interdependence

    PubMed Central

    Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes; Peeters, Ton; Vulperhorst, Jonne; Wiegant, Fred

    2016-01-01

    Collaborative learning is a widely used instructional method, but the learning potential of this instructional method is often underused in practice. Therefore, the importance of various factors underlying effective collaborative learning should be determined. In the current study, five different life sciences undergraduate courses with successful collaborative-learning results were selected. This study focuses on factors that increased the effectiveness of collaboration in these courses, according to the students. Nine focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed. Results show that factors evoking effective collaboration were student autonomy and self-regulatory behavior, combined with a challenging, open, and complex group task that required the students to create something new and original. The design factors of these courses fostered a sense of responsibility and of shared ownership of both the collaborative process and the end product of the group assignment. In addition, students reported the absence of any free riders in these group assignments. Interestingly, it was observed that students seemed to value their sense of achievement, their learning processes, and the products they were working on more than their grades. It is concluded that collaborative learning in higher education should be designed using challenging and relevant tasks that build shared ownership with students. PMID:27909019

  7. The Efficacy of Three Learning Methods Collaborative, Context-Based Learning and Traditional, on Learning, Attitude and Behaviour of Undergraduate Nursing Students: Integrating Theory and Practice.

    PubMed

    Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali; Solati, Kamal

    2016-04-01

    Communication skills training, responsibility, respect, and self-awareness are important indexes of changing learning behaviours in modern approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of three learning approaches, collaborative, context-based learning (CBL), and traditional, on learning, attitude, and behaviour of undergraduate nursing students. This study was a clinical trial with pretest and post-test of control group. The participants were senior nursing students. The samples were randomly assigned to three groups; CBL, collaborative, and traditional. To gather data a standard questionnaire of students' behaviour and attitude was administered prior to and after the intervention. Also, the rate of learning was investigated by a researcher-developed questionnaire prior to and after the intervention in the three groups. In CBL and collaborative training groups, the mean score of behaviour and attitude increased after the intervention. But no significant association was obtained between the mean scores of behaviour and attitude prior to and after the intervention in the traditional group. However, the mean learning score increased significantly in the CBL, collaborative, and traditional groups after the study in comparison to before the study. Both CBL and collaborative approaches were useful in terms of increased respect, self-awareness, self-evaluation, communication skills and responsibility as well as increased motivation and learning score in comparison to traditional method.

  8. Measures of progress for collaboration: case study of the Applegate Partnership.

    Treesearch

    Su. Rolle

    2002-01-01

    Using the Applegate Partnership as a case study, this paper proposes a number of ways to measure the success of collaborative groups. These measures allow for providing evaluation and feedback, engaging needed participants, and responding to groups critical of the collaborative process. Arguing for the concept of progress in place of success, this paper points out that...

  9. Student Groups as Learning Entities: The Effect of Group Diversity and Teamwork Quality on Groups' Cognitive Complexity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curseu, Petru L.; Pluut, Helen

    2013-01-01

    Collaborative learning has important group-level benefits, yet most studies in higher education only focus on individual benefits of collaborative learning experiences. This study extends these insights by testing a model in which teamwork quality mediates the impact of several compositional differences (gender, nationality and teamwork expertise…

  10. 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…

  11. 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…

  12. Understanding the effects of time on collaborative learning processes in problem based learning: a mixed methods study.

    PubMed

    Hommes, J; Van den Bossche, P; de Grave, W; Bos, G; Schuwirth, L; Scherpbier, A

    2014-10-01

    Little is known how time influences collaborative learning groups in medical education. Therefore a thorough exploration of the development of learning processes over time was undertaken in an undergraduate PBL curriculum over 18 months. A mixed-methods triangulation design was used. First, the quantitative study measured how various learning processes developed within and over three periods in the first 1,5 study years of an undergraduate curriculum. Next, a qualitative study using semi-structured individual interviews focused on detailed development of group processes driving collaborative learning during one period in seven tutorial groups. The hierarchic multilevel analyses of the quantitative data showed that a varying combination of group processes developed within and over the three observed periods. The qualitative study illustrated development in psychological safety, interdependence, potency, group learning behaviour, social and task cohesion. Two new processes emerged: 'transactive memory' and 'convergence in mental models'. The results indicate that groups are dynamic social systems with numerous contextual influences. Future research should thus include time as an important influence on collaborative learning. Practical implications are discussed.

  13. Differential impact of student behaviours on group interaction and collaborative learning: medical students' and tutors' perspectives.

    PubMed

    Iqbal, Maha; Velan, Gary M; O'Sullivan, Anthony J; Balasooriya, Chinthaka

    2016-08-22

    Collaboration is of increasing importance in medical education and medical practice. Students' and tutors' perceptions about small group learning are valuable to inform the development of strategies to promote group dynamics and collaborative learning. This study investigated medical students' and tutors' views on competencies and behaviours which promote effective learning and interaction in small group settings. This study was conducted at UNSW Australia. Five focus group discussions were conducted with first and second year medical students and eight small group tutors were interviewed. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted. Students and tutors identified a range of behaviours that influenced collaborative learning. The main themes that emerged included: respectfulness; dominance, strong opinions and openness; constructiveness of feedback; active listening and contribution; goal orientation; acceptance of roles and responsibilities; engagement and enthusiasm; preparedness; self- awareness and positive personal attributes. An important finding was that some of these student behaviours were found to have a differential impact on group interaction compared with collaborative learning. This information could be used to promote higher quality learning in small groups. This study has identified medical students' and tutors' perceptions regarding interactional behaviours in small groups, as well as behaviours which lead to more effective learning in those settings. This information could be used to promote learning in small groups.

  14. Research and Teaching: Aligning Assessment to Instruction--Collaborative Group Testing in Large- Enrollment Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siegel, Marcelle; Roberts, Tina M.; Freyermuth, Sharyn K.; Witzig, Stephen B.; Izci, Kemal

    2015-01-01

    The authors describe a collaborative group-testing strategy implemented and studied in undergraduate science classes. This project investigated how the assessment strategy relates to student performance and perceptions about collaboration and focused on two sections of an undergraduate biotechnology course taught in separate semesters.

  15. Team-Skills Training Enhances Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prichard, Jane S.; Stratford, Robert J.; Bizo, Lewis A.

    2006-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of team-skills training on collaborative learning in a university setting. Groups worked under one of three conditions: (1) groups received team-skill training as a group and remained in that group (Trained-Together), (2) groups received team-skills training, but were then reassigned into new groups…

  16. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marrinan, Thomas; Leigh, Jason; Renambot, Luc

    Mixed presence collaboration involves remote collaboration between multiple collocated groups. This paper presents the design and results of a user study that focused on mixed presence collaboration using large-scale tiled display walls. The research was conducted in order to compare data synchronization schemes for multi-user visualization applications. Our study compared three techniques for sharing data between display spaces with varying constraints and affordances. The results provide empirical evidence that using data sharing techniques with continuous synchronization between the sites lead to improved collaboration for a search and analysis task between remotely located groups. We have also identified aspects of synchronizedmore » sessions that result in increased remote collaborator awareness and parallel task coordination. It is believed that this research will lead to better utilization of large-scale tiled display walls for distributed group work.« less

  17. Observations of Student Behavior in Collaborative Learning Groups

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adams, Jeffrey P.; Brissenden, Gina; Lindell, Rebecca S.; Slater, Timothy F.; Wallace, Joy

    In an effort to determine how our students were responding to the use of collaborative learning groups in our large enrollment introductory astronomy (ASTRO 101) courses, we systematically observed the behavior of 270 undergraduate students working in 48 self-formed groups. Their observed behaviors were classified as: (i) actively engaged; (ii) watching actively; (iii) watching passively; and (iv) disengaged. We found that male behavior is consistent regardless of the sex-composition of the groups. However, females were categorized as watching passively and or disengaged significantly more frequently when working in groups that contained uneven numbers of males and females. This case study observation suggests that faculty who use collaborative learning groups might find that the level of student participation in collaborative group learning activities can depend on the sex-composition of the group.

  18. Methodological Challenges for Collaborative Learning Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strijbos, Jan-Willem; Fischer, Frank

    2007-01-01

    Research on collaborative learning, both face-to-face and computer-supported, has thrived in the past 10 years. The studies range from outcome-oriented (individual and group learning) to process-oriented (impact of interaction on learning processes, motivation and organisation of collaboration) to mixed studies. Collaborative learning research is…

  19. Student Leadership in Small Group Science Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Boz, Umit; Broadwell, George A.; Sadler, Troy D.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Science educators have sought to structure collaborative inquiry learning through the assignment of static group roles. This structural approach to student grouping oversimplifies the complexities of peer collaboration and overlooks the highly dynamic nature of group activity. Purpose: This study addresses this issue of…

  20. A Framework for Assessing Collaborative Capacity in Community-Based Public Forest Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Antony S.; Sturtevant, Victoria E.

    2012-03-01

    Community-based collaborative groups involved in public natural resource management are assuming greater roles in planning, project implementation, and monitoring. This entails the capacity of collaborative groups to develop and sustain new organizational structures, processes, and strategies, yet there is a lack of understanding what constitutes collaborative capacity. In this paper, we present a framework for assessing collaborative capacities associated with community-based public forest management in the US. The framework is inductively derived from case study research and observations of 30 federal forest-related collaborative efforts. Categories were cross-referenced with literature on collaboration across a variety of contexts. The framework focuses on six arenas of collaborative action: (1) organizing, (2) learning, (3) deciding, (4) acting, (5) evaluating, and (6) legitimizing. Within each arena are capacities expressed through three levels of social agency: individuals, the collaborative group itself, and participating or external organizations. The framework provides a language and set of organizing principles for understanding and assessing collaborative capacity in the context of community-based public forest management. The framework allows groups to assess what capacities they already have and what more is needed. It also provides a way for organizations supporting collaboratives to target investments in building and sustaining their collaborative capacities. The framework can be used by researchers as a set of independent variables against which to measure collaborative outcomes across a large population of collaborative efforts.

  1. The Efficacy of Three Learning Methods Collaborative, Context-Based Learning and Traditional, on Learning, Attitude and Behaviour of Undergraduate Nursing Students: Integrating Theory and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Communication skills training, responsibility, respect, and self-awareness are important indexes of changing learning behaviours in modern approaches. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of three learning approaches, collaborative, context-based learning (CBL), and traditional, on learning, attitude, and behaviour of undergraduate nursing students. Materials and Methods This study was a clinical trial with pretest and post-test of control group. The participants were senior nursing students. The samples were randomly assigned to three groups; CBL, collaborative, and traditional. To gather data a standard questionnaire of students’ behaviour and attitude was administered prior to and after the intervention. Also, the rate of learning was investigated by a researcher-developed questionnaire prior to and after the intervention in the three groups. Results In CBL and collaborative training groups, the mean score of behaviour and attitude increased after the intervention. But no significant association was obtained between the mean scores of behaviour and attitude prior to and after the intervention in the traditional group. However, the mean learning score increased significantly in the CBL, collaborative, and traditional groups after the study in comparison to before the study. Conclusion Both CBL and collaborative approaches were useful in terms of increased respect, self-awareness, self-evaluation, communication skills and responsibility as well as increased motivation and learning score in comparison to traditional method. PMID:27190926

  2. Collaborative testing as a learning strategy in nursing education.

    PubMed

    Sandahl, Sheryl S

    2010-01-01

    A primary goal of nursing education is to prepare nurses to work collaboratively as members of interprofessional health care teams on behalf of patients. Collaborative testing is a collaborative learning strategy used to foster knowledge development, critical thinking in decision making, and group processing skills. This study incorporated a quasi-experimental design with a comparison group to examine the effect of collaborative testing as a learning strategy on student learning and retention of course content as well as group process skills and student perceptions of their learning and anxiety. The setting was a baccalaureate nursing program; the sample consisted of two groups of senior students enrolled in Medical-Surgical Nursing II. Student learning, as measured by unit examination scores, was greater for students taking examinations collaboratively compared to individually. Retention of course content, as measured by final examination scores, was not greater for students taking examinations collaboratively compared to individually. Student perceptions were overwhelmingly positive, with students reporting increased learning as a result of the collaborative testing experiences. Despite the lack of data to support increased retention, collaborative testing may be a learning strategy worth implementing in nursing education. Students reported more positive interactions and collaboration with their peers, skills required by the professional nurse.

  3. Dyadic Collaboration among Preschool-Age Children and the Benefits of Working with a More Socially Advanced Peer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Jeongeon; Lee, Jeonghwa

    2015-01-01

    Research Findings: This study examined the learning effects of collaborative group work under heterogeneous group composition among 5-year-old children, especially in terms of their social skills. To this end, the study utilized an experimental research design wherein 3 groups of differently composed dyads and a group of students who worked alone…

  4. Implementing Reading Strategies Based on Collaborative Learning Approach in an English Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suwantharathip, Ornprapat

    2015-01-01

    The present study investigated the effects of reading strategies based on collaborative learning approach on students' reading comprehension and reading strategy use. The quasi-experimental research study was performed with two groups of students. While the control group was taught in the traditional way, the experimental group received reading…

  5. Effects of Collaborative Activities on Group Identity in Virtual World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Hyungsung; Seo, Sumin

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of collaborative activities on group identity in a virtual world such as "Second Life." To achieve this purpose, this study adopted events that promoted participants' interactions using tools inherent in "Second Life." The interactive tools given to the control group in this…

  6. Peer Learning Group among College Voice Majors: Collaborative Inquiry Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Joo Yeon

    2013-01-01

    This collaborative inquiry case study investigated a pre-existing peer learning group composed of five Korean college voice students and a non-musician facilitator. The group was chosen for this research to understand the implications of a diversified learning context in addition to the typical master-apprenticeship context of higher music…

  7. Design and Evaluation of a Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Qiyun

    2009-01-01

    Collaboration becomes an essential competency in the current knowledge society. In this study, a collaborative learning environment was designed to facilitate students in group collaboration. Instructional support strategies of friendship and meaningful learning tasks were applied to promote collaboration. Scaffolding strategies such as writing…

  8. Collaborative Dialogue in Learning Pragmatics: Pragmatic-Related Episodes as an Opportunity for Learning Request-Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taguchi, Naoko; Kim, Youjin

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of collaborative dialogue in learning the speech act of request. Seventy-four second-grade girls' junior high students were divided into three groups. The "collaborative group" (n = 25) received explicit metapragmatic information on request (request head act and modifications) followed by a dialogue…

  9. The Impact of Collaborative and Individualized Student Response System Strategies on Learner Motivation, Metacognition, and Knowledge Transfer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, M. E.; Antonenko, P. D.; Greenwood, C. M.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the impact of collaborative and individualized student response system-based instruction on learner motivation, metacognition, and concept transfer in a large-enrolment undergraduate science course. Participants in the collaborative group responded to conceptual questions, discussed their responses in small groups, and…

  10. Collaborative-Group Testing Improves Learning and Knowledge Retention of Human Physiology Topics in Second-Year Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vázquez-García, Mario

    2018-01-01

    The present study examined the relationship between second-year medical students' group performance and individual performance in a collaborative-learning environment. In recent decades, university professors in the scientific and humanistic disciplines have successfully put into practice different modalities of collaborative approaches to…

  11. Measuring Heedful Interrelating in Collaborative Educational Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniel, Sarah R.; Jordan, Michelle E.

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative group work plays an important part in postsecondary education, and the ability to assess the quality of such group work is useful for both students and instructors. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report measure of students' perceptions of the quality of their interactions during collaborative educational tasks.…

  12. Measuring Knowledge Elaboration Based on a Computer-Assisted Knowledge Map Analytical Approach to Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Lanqin; Huang, Ronghuai; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Yang, Kaicheng

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to quantitatively measure the level of knowledge elaboration and explore the relationships between prior knowledge of a group, group performance, and knowledge elaboration in collaborative learning. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the level of knowledge elaboration. The collaborative learning objective in…

  13. Peripheral Social Awareness Information in Collaborative Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spring, Michael B.; Vathanophas, Vichita

    2003-01-01

    Discusses being aware of other members of a team in a collaborative environment and reports on a study that examined group performance on a task that was computer mediated with and without awareness information. Examines how an awareness tool impacts the quality of a collaborative work effort and the communications between group members.…

  14. Burning through organizational boundaries? Examining inter-organizational communication networks in policy-mandated collaborative bushfire planning groups

    Treesearch

    Rachel F. Brummel; Kristen C. Nelson; Pamela J. Jakes

    2012-01-01

    Collaboration can enhance cooperation across geographic and organizational scales, effectively "burning through" those boundaries. Using structured social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative in-depth interviews, this study examined three collaborative bushfire planning groups in New South Wales, Australia and asked: How does participation in policy-...

  15. 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…

  16. 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.

  17. Using system dynamics for collaborative design: a case study

    PubMed Central

    Elf, Marie; Putilova, Mariya; von Koch, Lena; Öhrn, Kerstin

    2007-01-01

    Background In order to facilitate the collaborative design, system dynamics (SD) with a group modelling approach was used in the early stages of planning a new stroke unit. During six workshops a SD model was created in a multiprofessional group. Aim To explore to which extent and how the use of system dynamics contributed to the collaborative design process. Method A case study was conducted using several data sources. Results SD supported a collaborative design, by facilitating an explicit description of stroke care process, a dialogue and a joint understanding. The construction of the model obliged the group to conceptualise the stroke care and experimentation with the model gave the opportunity to reflect on care. Conclusion SD facilitated the collaborative design process and should be integrated in the early stages of the design process as a quality improvement tool. PMID:17683519

  18. A "Mixed" Strategy for Collaborative Group Formation and Its Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acharya, Anal; Sinha, Devadatta

    2018-01-01

    This study uses homogeneity in personal learning styles and heterogeneity in subject knowledge for collaborative learning group decomposition indicating that groups are "mixed" in nature. Homogeneity within groups was formed using K-means clustering and greedy search, whereas heterogeneity imbibed using agenda-driven search. For checking…

  19. A meta-analytic review of collaborative inhibition and postcollaborative memory: Testing the predictions of the retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis.

    PubMed

    Marion, Stéphanie B; Thorley, Craig

    2016-11-01

    The retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis (Basden, Basden, Bryner, & Thomas, 1997) is the most widely cited theoretical explanation for why the memory performance of collaborative groups is inferior to the pooled performance of individual group members remembering alone (i.e., collaborative inhibition). This theory also predicts that several variables will moderate collaborative inhibition. This meta-analysis tests the veracity of the theory by systematically examining whether or not these variables do moderate the presence and strength of collaborative inhibition. A total of 75 effect sizes from 64 studies were included in the analysis. Collaborative inhibition was found to be a robust effect. Moreover, it was enhanced when remembering took place in larger groups, when uncategorized content items were retrieved, when group members followed free-flowing and free-order procedures, and when group members did not know one another. These findings support the retrieval strategy disruption hypothesis as a general theoretical explanation for the collaborative inhibition effect. Several additional analyses were also conducted to elucidate the potential contributions of other cognitive mechanisms to collaborative inhibition. Some results suggest that a contribution of retrieval inhibition is possible, but we failed to find any evidence to suggest retrieval blocking and encoding specificity impact upon collaborative inhibition effects. In a separate analysis (27 effect sizes), moderating factors of postcollaborative memory performance were examined. Generally, collaborative remembering tends to benefit later individual retrieval. Moderator analyses suggest that reexposure to study material may be partly responsible for this postcollaborative memory enhancement. Some applied implications of the meta-analyses are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Collaborative remembering revisited: Study context access modulates collaborative inhibition and later benefits for individual memory.

    PubMed

    Abel, Magdalena; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

    2017-11-01

    Collaborating groups typically show reduced recall relative to nominal groups, i.e., to the cumulated non-redundant recall of the same number of people remembering in isolation-a finding termed collaborative inhibition. Motivated by the results of several previous studies, this study examined in two experiments whether access to study context at test influences the effects of collaboration. In both experiments, subjects collaborated in triads or recalled previously studied material in isolation. Experiment 1 applied short versus prolonged retention intervals to vary access to study context at test, whereas Experiment 2 used the list-method directed forgetting task and applied remember versus forget instructions to modulate context access. In both experiments, collaborative inhibition was present when access to study context at test was intact (i.e., after the short delay and the remember instruction) but was eliminated when the access was impaired (i.e., after the prolonged delay and the forget instruction). Also, post-collaborative gains for individual recall were greater when context access was impaired and collaborative inhibition was eliminated. The findings demonstrate a critical role of access to study context at test for collaborative inhibition, indicating that impaired context access may reflect a general boundary condition for the recall impairment. The possible role of context reactivation processes for beneficial effects of social recall is discussed.

  1. Students' Engagement in Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Group Assignments for Information Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sormunen, Eero; Tanni, Mikko; Heinström, Jannica

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Information literacy instruction is often undertaken in schools as collaborative source-based writing assignments. his paper presents the findings of a study on collaboration in two school assignments designed for information literacy. Method: The study draws on the models of cooperative and collaborative learning and the task-based…

  2. Benefits of Collaborative Writing for ESL Advanced Diploma Students in the Production of Reports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fong, Lin Siew

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzes the collaborative writing sessions of two groups of advanced diploma economics students with mixed proficiency. Although studies in collaborative writing usually highlight the mixed results of students' collaboration ranging from promoting peer learning to having unresolved conflict, the findings of this paper only provide the…

  3. Collaborative Invention in Computer Prototype Design: Negotiating Group Processes and Artifacts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Werner, Mark

    A study looked at four groups of mostly senior graphic and industrial design students in their final semester capstone course--a collaborative studio project intended to give them the opportunity to apply their design expertise to real-world problems for real clients. The study examined the ways in which one of these groups used arguments to…

  4. Advisory Groups to Encourage Collaboration: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Lisa A.; Glynn, Graham; Lavallee, David; Moreau, Joseph; Orzech, Mary Jo; Pence, Harry E.

    2011-01-01

    This article is a case study of how the provost and senior executive leadership of one large university system capitalized on a long-standing advisory group as a tool to support communication and collaboration across a broad constituency. These advisory efforts help guide both future directions and investment. It is the story of how this group has…

  5. Dry column-thermal energy analyzer method for determining N-nitrosopyrrolidine in fried bacon: collaborative study.

    PubMed

    Fiddler, W; Pensabene, J W; Gates, R A; Phillips, J G

    1984-01-01

    A dry column method for isolating N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) from fried, cure-pumped bacon and detection by gas chromatography-thermal energy analyzer (TEA) was studied collaboratively. Testing the results obtained from 11 collaborators for homogeneous variances among samples resulted in splitting the nonzero samples into 2 groups of sample levels, each with similar variances. Outlying results were identified by AOAC-recommended procedures, and laboratories having outliers within a group were excluded. Results from the 9 collaborators remaining in the low group yielded coefficients of variation (CV) of 6.00% and 7.47% for repeatability and reproducibility, respectively, and the 8 collaborators remaining in the high group yielded CV values of 5.64% and 13.72%, respectively. An 85.2% overall average recovery of the N-nitrosoazetidine internal standard was obtained with an average laboratory CV of 10.5%. The method has been adopted official first action as an alternative to the mineral oil distillation-TEA screening procedure.

  6. Student leadership in small group science inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Boz, Umit; Broadwell, George A.; Sadler, Troy D.

    2014-09-01

    Background: Science educators have sought to structure collaborative inquiry learning through the assignment of static group roles. This structural approach to student grouping oversimplifies the complexities of peer collaboration and overlooks the highly dynamic nature of group activity. Purpose: This study addresses this issue of oversimplification of group dynamics by examining the social leadership structures that emerge in small student groups during science inquiry. Sample: Two small student groups investigating the burning of a candle under a jar participated in this study. Design and method: We used a mixed-method research approach that combined computational discourse analysis (computational quantification of social aspects of small group discussions) with microethnography (qualitative, in-depth examination of group discussions). Results: While in one group social leadership was decentralized (i.e., students shared control over topics and tasks), the second group was dominated by a male student (centralized social leadership). Further, decentralized social leadership was found to be paralleled by higher levels of student cognitive engagement. Conclusions: It is argued that computational discourse analysis can provide science educators with a powerful means of developing pedagogical models of collaborative science learning that take into account the emergent nature of group structures and highly fluid nature of student collaboration.

  7. Short-term and long-term collaboration benefits on individual recall in younger and older adults

    PubMed Central

    Stern, Yaakov

    2011-01-01

    A recent study of younger adults suggests that, compared to repeated individual recall trials, repeated collaborative recall trials produce better individual recall after a short delay (Blumen & Rajaram, 2008). Our study was designed to determine if such collaboration benefits would remain after a one-week delay, in both younger and older adults. Sixty younger (M age = 24.60) and 60 older (M age = 67.35) adults studied a list of words and then completed either two collaborative recall trials followed by two individual recall trials, or four individual recall trials. A five-min delay was inserted between the first three recall trials. The fourth recall trial was administered 1 week later. Collaborative recall was completed in groups of three individuals working together. Both younger and older adults benefitted from repeated collaborative recall trials to a greater extent than repeated individual recall trials, and such collaboration benefits remained after a one-week delay. This is the first demonstration of collaboration benefits on later individual recall at delays as long as 1 week, in both younger and older adults. Findings are discussed within the context of the negative effects of collaboration associated with group memory (collaborative inhibition) and the positive effects of collaboration associated with later individual memory (collaboration benefits). PMID:21264617

  8. Short-term and long-term collaboration benefits on individual recall in younger and older adults.

    PubMed

    Blumen, Helena M; Stern, Yaakov

    2011-01-01

    A recent study of younger adults suggests that, compared to repeated individual recall trials, repeated collaborative recall trials produce better individual recall after a short delay (Blumen & Rajaram, 2008). Our study was designed to determine if such collaboration benefits would remain after a one-week delay, in both younger and older adults. Sixty younger (M age = 24.60) and 60 older (M age = 67.35) adults studied a list of words and then completed either two collaborative recall trials followed by two individual recall trials, or four individual recall trials. A five-min delay was inserted between the first three recall trials. The fourth recall trial was administered 1 week later. Collaborative recall was completed in groups of three individuals working together. Both younger and older adults benefitted from repeated collaborative recall trials to a greater extent than repeated individual recall trials, and such collaboration benefits remained after a one-week delay. This is the first demonstration of collaboration benefits on later individual recall at delays as long as 1 week, in both younger and older adults. Findings are discussed within the context of the negative effects of collaboration associated with group memory (collaborative inhibition) and the positive effects of collaboration associated with later individual memory (collaboration benefits).

  9. Examining the Effect of Problem Type in a Synchronous Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kapur, Manu; Kinzer, Charles K.

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of well- vs. ill-structured problem types on: (a) group interactional activity, (b) evolution of group participation inequities, (c) group discussion quality, and (d) group performance in a synchronous, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. Participants were 60 11th-grade science students…

  10. Student Collaboration in Group Work: Inclusion as Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forslund Frykedal, Karin; Hammar Chiriac, Eva

    2018-01-01

    Group work is an educational mode that promotes learning and socialisation among students. In this study, we focused on the inclusive processes when students work in small groups. The aim was to investigate and describe students' inclusive and collaborative processes in group work and how the teacher supported or impeded these transactions. Social…

  11. The effects of collaborative concept mapping on the achievement, science self-efficacy and attitude toward science of female eighth-grade students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ledger, Antoinette Frances

    This study sought to examine whether collaborative concept mapping would affect the achievement, science self-efficacy and attitude toward science of female eighth grade science students. The research questions are: (1) Will the use of collaborative concept mapping affect the achievement of female students in science? (2) Will the use of collaborative concept mapping affect the science self-efficacy of female students? (3) Will the use of collaborative concept mapping affect the attitudes of females toward science? The study was quasi-experimental and utilized a pretest-posttest design for both experimental and control groups. Eighth grade female and male students from three schools in a large northeastern school district participated in this study. The achievement test consisted of 10 multiple choice and two open-response questions and used questions from state-wide and national assessments as well as teacher-constructed items. A 29 item Likert type instrument (McMillan, 1992) was administered to measure science self-efficacy and attitude toward science. The study was of 12 weeks duration. During the study, experimental group students were asked to perform collaborative concept map construction in single sex dyads using specific terms designated by the classroom teacher and the researcher. During classroom visitations, student perceptions of collaborative concept mapping were collected and were used to provide insight into the results of the quantitative data analysis. Data from the pre and posttest instruments were analyzed for both experimental and control groups using t-tests. Additionally, the three teachers were interviewed and their perceptions of the study were also used to gain insight into the results of the study. The analysis of data showed that experimental group females showed significantly higher gains in achievement than control group females. An additional analysis of data showed experimental group males showed significantly greater gains in achievement than experimental group females. The analysis of science self-efficacy data showed that neither experimental nor control group females increased their scores pre to posttest, both showed small decreases in scores. However, the posttest scores of the experimental group females were significantly higher than the posttest scores of the control group females. The analysis of the attitude toward science survey data showed that the scores of the experimental group females did not change from pre to posttest. However, scores of the control group females declined from pre to posttest. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  12. Group functioning of a collaborative family research team.

    PubMed

    Johnson, S K; Halm, M A; Titler, M G; Craft, M; Kleiber, C; Montgomery, L A; Nicholson, A; Buckwalter, K; Cram, E

    1993-07-01

    Collaborative research teams are an attractive means of conducting nursing research in the clinical setting because of the many opportunities that collaboration can supply. These opportunities include a chance to: (1) network with other nurses who have similar interests, (2) share knowledge and expertise for designing clinical studies that directly affect daily practice, (3) develop instruments, (4) write grant proposals, (5) collect and analyze data, and (6) prepare manuscripts for publication. The effectiveness of research teams, however, is strongly influenced by group functioning. This article describes the functioning of a collaborative family interventions research team of nursing faculty members and CNSs at a large Midwestern university setting. The formation of the group and membership characteristics are described, along with strategies used to identify the research focus and individual and group goals. Aspects related to the influence of the group on members and the internal operations of the group are also addressed. Future strategies to be explored will focus on the size of the group and joint authorship issues. The authors also set forth a number of recommendations for development of collaborative research groups.

  13. Preservice Science Teachers' Collaborative Knowledge Building through Argumentation on Healthy Eating in a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Namdar, Bahadir

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' collaborative knowledge building through socioscientific argumentation on healthy eating in a multiple representation-rich computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. This study was conducted with a group of preservice science teachers (n = 18) enrolled in…

  14. 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…

  15. Postproduction Focus Groups in Dance: A Case Study and Protocol

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huskey, Sybil; Latulipe, Celine; Word, Melissa; Lottridge, Danielle

    2018-01-01

    This case study looks at the use of focus groups as a reflective pedagogical tool in a collaborative project at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The study involved the DanceDraw project, a collaboration between choreographers and computer scientists investigating the intersection of dance and technology. Eight dance and technology…

  16. Facilitating the learning process: a pilot study of collaborative testing vs individualistic testing in the chiropractic college setting.

    PubMed

    Meseke, Jamie K; Nafziger, Rita; Meseke, Christopher A

    2008-05-01

    This pilot study examines the effect collaborative testing has on achievement of students taking a basic science course at a chiropractic college. The grades of 2 cohorts of students taking a basic science course were compared: the control group from the first academic term (n = 73) and the experimental group from the second academic term (n = 41). The control cohort completed weekly quizzes as individuals. The experimental cohort completed the weekly quizzes in small collaborative groups. All unit examinations and the final examination were taken by both cohorts individually. Grades for each cohort were derived from 6 weekly unit quizzes, 3 unit examinations, and a comprehensive final examination. Overall, the experimental group differed from the control group (Wilks' Lambda = 0.318; F(10,103) = 22.052; and P < .001). All quiz scores were significantly higher for the experimental group as compared with the control group. In addition, overall point totals and final course grades also differed significantly. No significant differences, however, were observed in either the first 2 unit examination scores or the final examination scores. These results confirm previous reports that student performance is enhanced by collaborative learning. Collaborative testing provided students with the opportunity to discuss their reasoning and receive immediate feedback from other group members regarding their rationale, which potentially enhanced understanding of course material. Students were encouraged to become more active in the course as group discussions emerged from individual perspectives. The collaborative learning process may enhance critical thinking abilities, which are vital for future chiropractic practitioners.

  17. The impact of an interprofessional problem-based learning curriculum of clinical ethics on medical and nursing students' attitudes and ability of interprofessional collaboration: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yu-Chih; Chan, Te-Fu; Lai, Chung-Sheng; Chin, Chi-Chun; Chou, Fan-Hao; Lin, Hui-Ju

    2013-09-01

    Clinical ethic situations in modern multiprofessional healthcare systems may involve different healthcare professions who work together for patient care. The undergraduate interprofessional education of clinical ethics would help to incubate healthcare students' ability of interprofessional collaboration in solving ethical problems. However, the impact from an interprofessional educational model on student's attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration should be carefully evaluated during the process of curricular development. This study aimed to conduct a pilot interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics and evaluate the curricular impact on interprofessional students' attitude and confidence of collaborative teamwork. Thirty-six medical and nursing students volunteered to participate in this study and were divided into three groups (medical group, nursing group, and mixed group). Tutors were recruited from the Medical School and the College of Nursing. The pilot curriculum included one lecture of clinical ethics, one PBL case study with two tutorial sessions, and one session of group discussion and feedback. A narrative story with multiple story lines and a multiperspective problem analysis tool were used in the PBL tutorials. The students' self-evaluation of learning questionnaire was used to evaluate students' learning of clinical ethics and interprofessional collaborative skills and attitude. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach α, and the criterion-related validity of the questionnaire was evaluated through associations between the dimension scores with the student group by one-way analysis of variance test (ANOVA) test and Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference (HSD) comparison. There was significant difference among different groups in students' ability and attitudes about "interprofessional communication and collaboration" (p = 0.0184). The scores in the mixed group (37.58 ± 3.26) were higher than the medical group (32.10 ± 4.98). In conclusion, our model for the interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics is practicable and will produce positive impacts on students' attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Developing an Instrument to Characterise Peer-Led Groups in Collaborative Learning Environments: Assessing Problem-Solving Approach and Group Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pazos, Pilar; Micari, Marina; Light, Gregory

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative learning is being used extensively by educators at all levels. Peer-led team learning in a version of collaborative learning that has shown consistent success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Using a multi-phase research study we describe the development of an observation instrument that can be used to…

  19. Elements of Collaborative Discussion and Shared Problem Solving in a Voice-Enhanced Multiplayer Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bluemink, Johanna; Jarvela, Sanna

    2011-01-01

    This study focuses on investigating the nature of small-group collaborative interaction in a voice-enhanced multiplayer game called "eScape". The aim was to analyse the elements of groups' collaborative discussion and to explore the nature of the players' shared problem solving activity during the solution critical moments in the game. The data…

  20. How Do Groups Work? Age Differences in Performance and the Social Outcomes of Peer Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leman, Patrick J.

    2015-01-01

    Do children derive different benefits from group collaboration at different ages? In the present study, 183 children from two age groups (8.8 and 13.4 years) took part in a class quiz as members of a group, or individually. In some groups, cohesiveness was made salient by awarding prizes to the top performing groups. In other groups, prizes were…

  1. Effect of Peer-to-Peer Nurse-Physician Collaboration on Attitudes Toward the Nurse-Physician Relationship.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Pamela B; Rea, Jean B; Oermann, Marilyn H; Hegarty, Ellen J; Prewitt, Judy R; Rudd, Mariah; Silva, Susan; Nagler, Alisa; Turner, David A; DeMeo, Stephen D

    The goal of this study was to pilot a novel peer-to-peer nurse-physician collaboration program and assess for changes in attitudes toward collaboration among a group of newly licensed nurses and resident physicians (n = 39). The program included large group meetings, with discussion of key concepts related to interprofessional collaboration. In unit-based teams, the registered nurses and physicians developed a quality improvement project to meet a need on their unit. Creating learning activities like this program enable nursing professional development specialists to promote interprofessional collaboration and learning.

  2. Collaborative Test Reviews: Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhatia, Anuradha; Makela, Carole J.

    2010-01-01

    A group study method proved helpful in improving senior-level students' performance on unit tests through collaborative learning. Students of a History of Textiles course voluntarily attended study sessions to review course content and prepare for unit tests. The students who attended the group reviews scored better on tests than those who did…

  3. Developing Reflective Dispositions through Collaborative Knowledge-Building during Small Group Bible Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toh, Tze Keong; Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling; Chai, Ching Sing

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the use of a constructivist pedagogical approach to cultivate reflective dispositions during small group Bible study. Conducted in a local church Bible class setting (n = 12), the instructional design emulated the reflective thinking process, while adopting collaborative knowledge-building as its pedagogical framework.…

  4. Cognitive Individualism: An Impediment to Teachers' Collaborative Intellectual Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Myriam N.

    The study described here studied perspectives of mid-career teachers from minority and Anglo backgrounds on collaborative intellectual work and examined the ideologies underlying these perspectives. Analysis focused on the teachers' dialogical interaction in a small group (4 teachers) and a large group (28 teachers) in relation to immediate and…

  5. Incidence of Group Awareness Information on Students' Collaborative Learning Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pifarré, M.; Cobos, R.; Argelagós, E.

    2014-01-01

    This paper studies how the integration of group awareness tools in the knowledge management system called KnowCat (Knowledge Catalyser), which promotes collaborative knowledge construction, may both foster the students' perception about the meaningfulness of visualization of group awareness information and promote better collaborative…

  6. Scripted Collaboration and Group-Based Variations in a Higher Education CSCL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamalainen, Raija; Arvaja, Maarit

    2009-01-01

    Scripting student activities is one way to make Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning more efficient. This case study examines how scripting guided student group activities and also how different groups interpreted the script; what kinds of roles students adopted and what kinds of differences there were between the groups in terms of their…

  7. Effects of Pre-Structuring Discussion Threads on Group Interaction and Group Performance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Argumentation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, C. Darren; Jeong, Allan

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the effects of pre-structuring discussion threads on group performance in computer-supported collaborative argumentation where students labeled their messages as arguments, challenges, supporting evidence, and explanations on a threaded discussion board. In the pre-structured group students were required to post supporting and…

  8. Structuring Collaboration in Mixed-Ability Groups to Promote Verbal Interaction, Learning, and Motivation of Average-Ability Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saleh, Mohammad; Lazonder, Ard W.; Jong, Ton de

    2007-01-01

    Average-ability students often do not take full advantage of learning in mixed-ability groups because they hardly engage in the group interaction. This study examined whether structuring collaboration by group roles and ground rules for helping behavior might help overcome this participatory inequality. In a plant biology course, heterogeneously…

  9. The Effects of Gender Variety and Power Disparity on Group Cognitive Complexity in Collaborative Learning Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curseu, Petru Lucian; Sari, Kimzana

    2015-01-01

    This study sets up to test the extent to which gender variety moderates the impact of power disparity on group cognitive complexity (GCC) and satisfaction with the group in a collaborative learning setting. Using insights from gender differences in perceptions, orientations and conflict handling behavior in negotiation, as well as gender…

  10. "You Don't Have to Like Me, but You Have to Respect Me": The Impacts of Assertiveness, Cooperativeness, and Group Satisfaction in Collaborative Assignments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambertz-Berndt, Megan M.; Blight, Michael G.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates cooperativeness, assertiveness, group satisfaction, leader grade, and leadership negotiation in a collaborative assignment conducted in a small group. Researchers manipulated the assignment of team members who reported on measures of group satisfaction and original scales of assertiveness and cooperativeness. Respondents…

  11. Attitudes towards collaboration and servant leadership among nurses, physicians and residents.

    PubMed

    Garber, Jeannie Scruggs; Madigan, Elizabeth A; Click, Elizabeth R; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

    2009-07-01

    A descriptive, comparative study was conducted to examine the attitudes of nurses, physicians and residents towards collaboration and to assess their self-perception of servant leadership characteristics. The Jefferson Scale of Attitudes toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration and the Barbuto-Wheeler Servant Leadership Questionnaire were utilized for data collection. Registered nurses (RNs) (n = 2,660), physicians (n = 447) and residents (n = 171) in a Southeastern United States health system were surveyed via the intranet; there were 497 responses for analysis. The response rate should be considered and generalizations made with caution regarding the study results. RN scores were higher for both total scores and subscales as compared to physician/resident groups for collaboration and servant leadership. There was a weak positive correlation between collaboration and servant leadership in the RN group and no significant correlation between the variables in the physician/resident group. Findings from this study have implications for nursing and physician education and practice and may serve as a framework for future studies. Representative samples are needed to gain further insight and to guide future research.

  12. Dynamics of human categorization in a collaborative tagging system: How social processes of semantic stabilization shape individual sensemaking.

    PubMed

    Ley, Tobias; Seitlinger, Paul

    2015-10-01

    We study how categories form and develop over time in a sensemaking task by groups of students employing a collaborative tagging system. In line with distributed cognition theories, we look at both the tags students use and their strength of representation in memory. We hypothesize that categories get more differentiated over time as students learn, and that semantic stabilization on the group level (i.e. the convergence in the use of tags) mediates this relationship. Results of a field experiment that tested the impact of topic study duration on the specificity of tags confirms these hypotheses, although it was not study duration that produced this effect, but rather the effectiveness of the collaborative taxonomy the groups built. In the groups with higher levels of semantic stabilization, we found use of more specific tags and better representation in memory. We discuss these findings with regard to the important role of the information value of tags that would drive both the convergence on the group level as well as a shift to more specific levels of categorization. We also discuss the implication for cognitive science research by highlighting the importance of collaboratively built artefacts in the process of how knowledge is acquired, and implications for educational applications of collaborative tagging environments.

  13. Dynamics of human categorization in a collaborative tagging system: How social processes of semantic stabilization shape individual sensemaking

    PubMed Central

    Ley, Tobias; Seitlinger, Paul

    2015-01-01

    We study how categories form and develop over time in a sensemaking task by groups of students employing a collaborative tagging system. In line with distributed cognition theories, we look at both the tags students use and their strength of representation in memory. We hypothesize that categories get more differentiated over time as students learn, and that semantic stabilization on the group level (i.e. the convergence in the use of tags) mediates this relationship. Results of a field experiment that tested the impact of topic study duration on the specificity of tags confirms these hypotheses, although it was not study duration that produced this effect, but rather the effectiveness of the collaborative taxonomy the groups built. In the groups with higher levels of semantic stabilization, we found use of more specific tags and better representation in memory. We discuss these findings with regard to the important role of the information value of tags that would drive both the convergence on the group level as well as a shift to more specific levels of categorization. We also discuss the implication for cognitive science research by highlighting the importance of collaboratively built artefacts in the process of how knowledge is acquired, and implications for educational applications of collaborative tagging environments. PMID:26566299

  14. Elements of a collaborative systems model within the aerospace industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Westphalen, Bailee R.

    2000-10-01

    Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to determine the components of current aerospace collaborative efforts. There were 44 participants from two selected groups surveyed for this study. Nineteen were from the Oklahoma Air National Guard based in Oklahoma City representing the aviation group. Twenty-five participants were from the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston representing the aerospace group. The surveys for the aviation group were completed in reference to planning missions necessary to their operations. The surveys for the aerospace group were completed in reference to a well-defined and focused goal from a current mission. A questionnaire was developed to survey active participants of collaborative systems in order to consider various components found within the literature. Results were analyzed and aggregated through a database along with content analysis of open-ended question comments from respondents. Findings and conclusions. This study found and determined elements of a collaborative systems model in the aerospace industry. The elements were (1) purpose or mission for the group or team; (2) commitment or dedication to the challenge; (3) group or team meetings and discussions; (4) constraints of deadlines and budgets; (5) tools and resources for project and simulations; (6) significant contributors to the collaboration; (7) decision-making formats; (8) reviews of project; (9) participants education and employment longevity; (10) cross functionality of team or group members; (11) training on the job plus teambuilding; (12) other key elements identified relevant by the respondents but not included in the model such as communication and teamwork; (13) individual and group accountability; (14) conflict, learning, and performance; along with (15) intraorganizational coordination. These elements supported and allowed multiple individuals working together to solve a common problem or to develop innovation that could not have been accomplished individually. Comparing the relationship of the elements of the aerospace collaborative model with those of the various authors in the literature, it is found that the aerospace model is a more comprehensive configuration of elements and has added to the definition of collaboration found in the literature. Further, findings of relevant elements were indicated by the high response incidence of those individuals within the collaborative system. They were elements that were nearly unanimously identified as relevant by those within aerospace collaborative systems included having a stated purpose or mission for the project; working within completion deadlines; and coordinating with other departments within the organization. Furthermore, relevant terms correlating to the model as indicated by the high incidence of appearance in the respondents' comments were training, communication, commitment, and teamwork. There were also found to be variable distinctions specific to each collaborative context. The survey results suggested the multilevel overlapping of the multiple elements within the aerospace collaborative system model along with distinct context variables. Further research is necessary to refine the model and to provide additional information upon this established foundation.

  15. 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…

  16. The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Huann-shyang; Hong, Zuway-R.; Yang, Kuay-keng; Lee, Sung-Tao

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the impact of collaborative reflections on teachers' inquiry teaching practices and identifies supportive actions relating to their professional development. Three science teachers in the same elementary school worked as a cooperative and collaborative group. They attended workshops and worked collaboratively through…

  17. Citizen Participation in Collaborative Watershed Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koehler, Brandi; Koontz, Tomas M.

    2008-02-01

    Collaborative efforts are increasingly being used to address complex environmental problems, both in the United States and abroad. This is especially true in the growing field of collaborative watershed management, where diverse stakeholders work together to develop and advance water-quality goals. Active citizen participation is viewed as a key component, yet groups often struggle to attract and maintain citizen engagement. This study examined citizen participation behavior in collaborative watershed partnerships by way of a written survey administered to citizen members of 12 collaborative watershed groups in Ohio. Results for the determination of who joins such groups were consistent with the dominant-status model of participation because group members were not demographically representative of the broader community. The dominant-status model, however, does not explain which members are more likely to actively participate in group activities. Instead, individual characteristics, including political activity, knowledge, and comfort in sharing opinions with others, were positively correlated with active participation. In addition, group characteristics, including government-based membership, rural location, perceptions of open communication, perceptions that the group has enough technical support to accomplish its goals, and perceived homogeneity of participant opinions, were positively correlated with active participation. Overall, many group members did not actively participate in group activities.

  18. Citizen participation in collaborative watershed partnerships.

    PubMed

    Koehler, Brandi; Koontz, Tomas M

    2008-02-01

    Collaborative efforts are increasingly being used to address complex environmental problems, both in the United States and abroad. This is especially true in the growing field of collaborative watershed management, where diverse stakeholders work together to develop and advance water-quality goals. Active citizen participation is viewed as a key component, yet groups often struggle to attract and maintain citizen engagement. This study examined citizen participation behavior in collaborative watershed partnerships by way of a written survey administered to citizen members of 12 collaborative watershed groups in Ohio. Results for the determination of who joins such groups were consistent with the dominant-status model of participation because group members were not demographically representative of the broader community. The dominant-status model, however, does not explain which members are more likely to actively participate in group activities. Instead, individual characteristics, including political activity, knowledge, and comfort in sharing opinions with others, were positively correlated with active participation. In addition, group characteristics, including government-based membership, rural location, perceptions of open communication, perceptions that the group has enough technical support to accomplish its goals, and perceived homogeneity of participant opinions, were positively correlated with active participation. Overall, many group members did not actively participate in group activities.

  19. An investigation of the effects of interventions on problem-solving strategies and abilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, Charles Terrence, Jr.

    Problem-solving has been described as being the "heart" of the chemistry classroom, and students' development of problem-solving skills is essential for their success in chemistry. Despite the importance of problem-solving, there has been little research within the chemistry domain, largely because of the lack of tools to collect data for large populations. Problem-solving was assessed using a software package known as IMMEX (for Interactive Multimedia Exercises) which has an HTML tracking feature that allows for collection of problem-solving data in the background as students work the problems. The primary goal of this research was to develop methods (known as interventions) that could promote improvements in students' problem-solving and most notably aid in their transition from the novice to competent level. Three intervention techniques that were incorporated within the chemistry curricula: collaborative grouping (face-to-face and distance), concept mapping, and peer-led team learning. The face-to-face collaborative grouping intervention was designed to probe the factors affecting the quality of the group interaction. Students' logical reasoning abilities were measured using the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test which classifies students as formal, transitional, or concrete. These classifications essentially provide a basis for identifying scientific aptitude. These designations were used as the basis for forming collaborative groups of two students. The six possibilities (formal-formal, formal-transitional, etc.) were formed to determine how the group composition influences the gains in student abilities observed from collaborative grouping interventions. Students were given three assignments (an individual pre-collaborative, an individual post collaborative, and a collaborative assignment) each requiring them to work an IMMEX problem set. Similar gains in performance of 10% gains were observed for each group with two exceptions. The transitional students who were paired with concrete students had a 15% gain, and the concrete students paired with other concrete students had only a marginal gain. In fact, there was no statistical difference in the pre-collaborative and post-collaborative student abilities for concrete-concrete groups. The distance collaborative intervention was completed using a new interface for the IMMEX software designed to mimic face-to-face collaboration. A stereochemistry problem set which had a solved rate of 28% prior to collaboration was chosen for incorporation into this distance collaboration study. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  20. Do action learning sets facilitate collaborative, deliberative learning?: A focus group evaluation of Graduate Entry Pre-registration Nursing (GEN) students' experience.

    PubMed

    Maddison, Charlotte; Strang, Gus

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate if by participating in action learning sets, Graduate Entry Pre-registration Nursing (GEN) students were able to engage in collaborative and deliberative learning. A single focus group interview involving eleven participants was used to collect data. Data analysis identified five themes; collaborative learning; reflection; learning through case study and problem-solving; communication, and rejection of codified learning. The themes are discussed and further analysed in the context of collaborative and deliberative learning. The evidence from this small scale study suggests that action learning sets do provide an environment where collaborative and deliberative learning can occur. However, students perceived some of them, particularly during year one, to be too 'teacher lead', which stifled learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Working Together

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    Students need space to gather, share ideas, talk, develop common understanding and work to create greater knowledge. This focus on collaboration has put a strain on group study spaces. Students need to collaborate spontaneously, and scheduling time in a study room is not conducive to spur-of-the-moment collaboration. At many education…

  2. Effect of a workplace design and training intervention on individual performance, group effectiveness and collaboration: the role of environmental control.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang

    2006-01-01

    The effects of a workplace design and training intervention and the relationships between perceived satisfaction of office workplace design factors (layout and storage) and work performance measures (individual performance, group collaboration and effectiveness) were studied with 120 office workers using the Workplace Environment Questionnaire. Further, we examined whether environmental control had a direct effect on work performance, and then explored whether environmental control mediated or moderated the relationship between workplace design factors and work performance. Results showed a significant, positive impact of the intervention on environmental satisfaction for workstation layout. Satisfaction with workstation layout had a significant relationship with individual performance, group collaboration and effectiveness; and satisfaction with workstation storage had a significant relationship with individual performance and group collaboration. Environmental control had a direct impact on individual performance and group collaboration; whereas, the mediating and moderating effects of environmental control on the relationship between workplace design factors and outcome variables were not significant.

  3. Correction of false memory for associated word lists by collaborating groups.

    PubMed

    Weigold, Arne; Russell, Elizabeth J; Natera, Sara N

    2014-01-01

    Collaborative inhibition is often observed for both correct and false memories. However, research examining the mechanisms by which collaborative inhibition occurs, such as retrieval disruption, reality monitoring, or group filtering, is lacking. In addition, the creation of the nominal groups (i.e., groups artificially developed by combining individuals' recall) necessary for examining collaborative inhibition do not use statistical best practices. Using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, we examined percentages of correct and false memories in individuals, collaborative interactive groups, and correctly created nominal groups, as well as the processes that the collaborative interactive groups used to determine which memories to report. Results showed evidence of the collaborative inhibition effect. In addition, analyses of the collaborative interactive groups' discussions found that these groups wrote down almost all presented words but less than half of nonpresented critical words, after discussing them, with nonpresented critical words being stated to the group with lower confidence and rejected by other group members more often. Overall, our findings indicated support for the group filtering hypothesis.

  4. Apprenticeships, Collaboration and Scientific Discovery in Academic Field Studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madden, Derek Scott; Grayson, Diane J.; Madden, Erinn H.; Milewski, Antoni V.; Snyder, Cathy Ann

    2012-11-01

    Teachers may use apprenticeships and collaboration as instructional strategies that help students to make authentic scientific discoveries as they work as amateur researchers in academic field studies. This concept was examined with 643 students, ages 14-72, who became proficient at field research through cognitive apprenticeships with the Smithsonian Institute, School for Field Studies and Earthwatch. Control student teams worked from single research goals and sets of methods, while experimental teams varied goals, methods, and collaborative activities in Kenya, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. Results from studies indicate that students who conducted local pilot studies, collaborative symposia, and ongoing, long-term fieldwork generated significantly more data than did control groups. Research reports of the experimental groups were ranked highest by experts, and contributed the most data to international science journals. Data and anecdotal information in this report indicate that structured collaboration in local long-term studies using apprenticeships may increase the potential for students' academic field studies contribution of new information to science.

  5. A Collaboration-Mediated Exploration of Nonnative L2 Teachers' Cognition of Language Teaching Methodology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tajeddin, Zia; Aryaeian, Nafeeseh

    2017-01-01

    The present study sought to investigate nonnative L2 teachers' cognition of teaching methodology based on their collaborative talks. Participants were 12 nonnative EFL teachers categorized into three collaborative discussion groups by their teaching experience. Collaborative discussions were aimed at exploring the participants' cognition of…

  6. Socially Shared Regulation in Collaborative Groups: An Analysis of the Interplay between Quality of Social Regulation and Group Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogat, Toni Kempler; Linnenbrink-Garcia, Lisa

    2011-01-01

    This study extends prior research on both individual self-regulation and socially shared regulation during group learning to examine the range and quality of the cognitive and behavioral social regulatory sub-processes employed by six small collaborative groups of upper-elementary students (n = 24). Qualitative analyses were conducted based on…

  7. 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…

  8. Playful Talk: Negotiating Opportunities to Learn in Collaborative Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Florence R.; Wilson, Nicholas C.

    2015-01-01

    This case study examines the role of playful talk in negotiating the "how" of collaborative group work in a 6th-grade science classroom. Here we develop and test a Vygotsky-derived hypothesis that postulates playful talk as a mechanism for identity exploration and group status negotiation. Our findings indicate that students utilized the…

  9. Making Interdisciplinary Collaboration Work: Key Ideas, a Case Study and Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMurtry, Angus; Clarkin, Chantalle; Bangou, Francis; Duplaa, Emmanuel; MacDonald, Colla; Ng-A-Fook, Nicholas; Trumpower, David

    2012-01-01

    This article discusses the "lessons learned" from an attempt to establish an interdisciplinary education research group. The growth, development and dissolution of the group are treated as an instrumental case study. Current literature on interdisciplinary collaboration is synthesized in order to provide a frame for analysis. Data was collected…

  10. The Brink of Change: Gender in Technology-Rich Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Jessica; Puntambeka, Sadhana

    2004-01-01

    This study was designed to contribute to a small but growing body of knowledge on the influence of gender in technology-rich collaborative learning environments. The study examined middle school students attitudes towards using computers and working in groups during scientific inquiry. Students attitudes towards technology and group work were…

  11. 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…

  12. Communication, Collaboration, and Enhancing the Learning Experience: Developing a Collaborative Virtual Enquiry Service in University Libraries in the North of England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jolly, Liz; White, Sue

    2016-01-01

    This article uses the case study of developing a collaborative "out-of-hours" virtual enquiry service by members of the Northern Collaboration Group of academic libraries in the north of England to explore the importance of communication and collaboration between academic library services in enhancing student learning. Set within the…

  13. Active living collaboratives in the United States: understanding characteristics, activities, and achievement of environmental and policy change.

    PubMed

    Litt, Jill S; Reed, Hannah L; Tabak, Rachel G; Zieff, Susan G; Eyler, Amy A; Lyn, Rodney; Goins, Karin Valentine; Gustat, Jeanette; Tompkins, Nancy O'Hara

    2013-01-01

    Changing the built environment to promote active lifestyles requires collaboration among diverse sectors. Multisectoral collaborative groups in the United States promote active lifestyles through environmental and policy changes. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of these collaborative groups and the extent to which they have achieved change. We identified, recruited, and interviewed the coordinators of active living collaborative groups in the United States. We used descriptive statistics to characterize groups by composition, stakeholder engagement, and the extent of environmental and policy change in 8 strategic areas. Fifty-nine groups from 22 states participated in the study. Most groups had a diverse set of partners and used a range of activities to advance their agendas. Most groups achieved some form of environmental or policy change. On average, groups reported working on 5 strategy areas; parks and recreation (86%) and Safe Routes to School (85%) were named most frequently. More than half of groups reported their environmental initiatives as either in progress or completed. Groups reported the most success in changing policy for public plazas, street improvements, streetscaping, and parks, open space, and recreation. Complete Streets policy and zoning ordinances were the most frequently cited policy types. Engaging in media activities and the policy-making process in addition to engaging stakeholders appear to influence success in achieving change. Although many groups successfully worked on parks and recreation improvements, opportunities remain in other areas, including transit and infill and redevelopment. Additional time and resources may be critical to realizing these types of changes.

  14. Active Living Collaboratives in the United States: Understanding Characteristics, Activities, and Achievement of Environmental and Policy Change

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Hannah L.; Tabak, Rachel G.; Zieff, Susan G.; Eyler, Amy A.; Lyn, Rodney; Goins, Karin Valentine; Gustat, Jeanette; Tompkins, Nancy O’Hara

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Changing the built environment to promote active lifestyles requires collaboration among diverse sectors. Multisectoral collaborative groups in the United States promote active lifestyles through environmental and policy changes. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of these collaborative groups and the extent to which they have achieved change. Methods We identified, recruited, and interviewed the coordinators of active living collaborative groups in the United States. We used descriptive statistics to characterize groups by composition, stakeholder engagement, and the extent of environmental and policy change in 8 strategic areas. Results Fifty-nine groups from 22 states participated in the study. Most groups had a diverse set of partners and used a range of activities to advance their agendas. Most groups achieved some form of environmental or policy change. On average, groups reported working on 5 strategy areas; parks and recreation (86%) and Safe Routes to School (85%) were named most frequently. More than half of groups reported their environmental initiatives as either in progress or completed. Groups reported the most success in changing policy for public plazas, street improvements, streetscaping, and parks, open space, and recreation. Complete Streets policy and zoning ordinances were the most frequently cited policy types. Engaging in media activities and the policy-making process in addition to engaging stakeholders appear to influence success in achieving change. Conclusion Although many groups successfully worked on parks and recreation improvements, opportunities remain in other areas, including transit and infill and redevelopment. Additional time and resources may be critical to realizing these types of changes. PMID:23391295

  15. Collaborative diagramming during problem based learning in medical education: Do computerized diagrams support basic science knowledge construction?

    PubMed

    De Leng, Bas; Gijlers, Hannie

    2015-05-01

    To examine how collaborative diagramming affects discussion and knowledge construction when learning complex basic science topics in medical education, including its effectiveness in the reformulation phase of problem-based learning. Opinions and perceptions of students (n = 70) and tutors (n = 4) who used collaborative diagramming in tutorial groups were collected with a questionnaire and focus group discussions. A framework derived from the analysis of discourse in computer-supported collaborative leaning was used to construct the questionnaire. Video observations were used during the focus group discussions. Both students and tutors felt that collaborative diagramming positively affected discussion and knowledge construction. Students particularly appreciated that diagrams helped them to structure knowledge, to develop an overview of topics, and stimulated them to find relationships between topics. Tutors emphasized that diagramming increased interaction and enhanced the focus and detail of the discussion. Favourable conditions were the following: working with a shared whiteboard, using a diagram format that facilitated distribution, and applying half filled-in diagrams for non-content expert tutors and\\or for heterogeneous groups with low achieving students. The empirical findings in this study support the findings of earlier more descriptive studies that diagramming in a collaborative setting is valuable for learning complex knowledge in medicine.

  16. A Study of Synchronous versus Asynchronous Collaboration in an Online Business Writing Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mabrito, Mark

    2006-01-01

    A case study examined the collaborative experiences of students in an online business writing classroom. The purpose was to examine the same groups of students working on collaborative writing assignments in both a synchronous (real-time) and an asynchronous (non-real-time) discussion forum. This study focused on examining the amount, pattern, and…

  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. The Influence of Group Dynamics on Collaborative Scientific Argumentation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryu, Suna; Sandoval, William A.

    2015-01-01

    Research has addressed what instructional conditions may inhibit or promote scientific argumentation. Little research, however, has paid attention to interpersonal factors that influence collaborative argumentation. The present study examines the ways interpersonal factors affected group dynamics, which influence the features of collaborative…

  19. The Collaborative Coordination of Special Interest Groups on the Telemedicine University Network (RUTE) in Brazil.

    PubMed

    de Lima Verde Brito, Thiago Delevidove; Baptista, Roberto Silva; de Lima Lopes, Paulo Roberto; Haddad, Ana Estela; Messina, Luiz Ary; Torres Pisa, Ivan

    2015-01-01

    In Brazil the Telemedicine University Network (Rede Universitária de Telemedicina RUTE) is an initiative that among others promotes collaboration between university hospitals, universities, and health professionals through information technology infrastructure and special interest groups (SIGs) support. This paper presents results of analyses on collaboration during implementation and coordination activities of RUTE SIGs. This study is based on descriptive statistics and data visualization previously collected by RUTE national coordination relative to the status in July 2014. The analysis through collaboration graph identified the strongest collaboration RUTE units. The graph also highlights the collaborative relationship of RUTE units in form of communities, the most collaborative with each other in a communion in the same SIGs, and the less the collaborative units in the network. It should be stated that the most active units are also the oldest in the community.

  20. Midwives' and health visitors' collaborative relationships: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies.

    PubMed

    Aquino, Maria Raisa Jessica Ryc V; Olander, Ellinor K; Needle, Justin J; Bryar, Rosamund M

    2016-10-01

    Interprofessional collaboration between midwives and health visitors working in maternal and child health services is widely encouraged. This systematic review aimed to identify existing and potential areas for collaboration between midwives and health visitors; explore the methods through which collaboration is and can be achieved; assess the effectiveness of this relationship between these groups, and ascertain whether the identified examples of collaboration are in line with clinical guidelines and policy. A narrative synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies. Fourteen electronic databases, research mailing lists, recommendations from key authors and reference lists and citations of included papers. Papers were included if they explored one or a combination of: the areas of practice in which midwives and health visitors worked collaboratively; the methods that midwives and health visitors employed when communicating and collaborating with each other; the effectiveness of collaboration between midwives and health visitors; and whether collaborative practice between midwives and health visitors meet clinical guidelines. Papers were assessed for study quality. Eighteen papers (sixteen studies) met the inclusion criteria. The studies found that midwives and health visitors reported valuing interprofessional collaboration, however this was rare in practice. Findings show that collaboration could be useful across the service continuum, from antenatal care, transition of care/handover, to postnatal care. Evidence for the effectiveness of collaboration between these two groups was equivocal and based on self-reported data. In relation, multiple enablers and barriers to collaboration were identified. Communication was reportedly key to interprofessional collaboration. Interprofessional collaboration was valuable according to both midwives and health visitors, however, this was made challenging by several barriers such as poor communication, limited resources, and poor understanding of each other's role. Structural barriers such as physical distance also featured as a challenge to interprofessional collaboration. Although the findings are limited by variable methodological quality, these were consistent across time, geographical locations, and health settings, indicating transferability and reliability. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 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…

  2. Group-Level Analysis on Multiplayer Game Collaboration: How Do the Individuals Shape the Group Interaction?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bluemink, Johanna; Hamalainen, Raija; Manninen, Tony; Jarvela, Sanna

    2010-01-01

    In this study, the aim was to examine how small-group collaboration is shaped by individuals interacting in a virtual multiplayer game. The data were collected from a design experiment in which six randomly divided groups of four university students played a voice-enhanced game lasting about 1 h. The "eScape" game was a social action adventure…

  3. The implementation of problem-based learning in collaborative groups in a chiropractic program in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Win, Ni Ni; Nadarajah, Vishna Devi V; Win, Daw Khin

    2015-01-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) is usually conducted in small-group learning sessions with approximately eight students per facilitator. In this study, we implemented a modified version of PBL involving collaborative groups in an undergraduate chiropractic program and assessed its pedagogical effectiveness. This study was conducted at the International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and involved the 2012 chiropractic student cohort. Six PBL cases were provided to chiropractic students, consisting of three PBL cases for which learning resources were provided and another three PBL cases for which learning resources were not provided. Group discussions were not continuously supervised, since only one facilitator was present. The students' perceptions of PBL in collaborative groups were assessed with a questionnaire that was divided into three domains: motivation, cognitive skills, and perceived pressure to work. Thirty of the 31 students (97%) participated in the study. PBL in collaborative groups was significantly associated with positive responses regarding students' motivation, cognitive skills, and perceived pressure to work (P<0.05). The students felt that PBL with learning resources increased motivation and cognitive skills (P<0.001). The new PBL implementation described in this study does not require additional instructors or any additional funding. When implemented in a classroom setting, it has pedagogical benefits equivalent to those of small-group sessions. Our findings also suggest that students rely significantly on available learning resources.

  4. "Explain to Your Partner": Teachers' Instructional Practices and Students' Dialogue in Small Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Noreen M.; Franke, Megan L.; De, Tondra; Chan, Angela G.; Freund, Deanna; Shein, Pat; Melkonian, Doris K.

    2009-01-01

    Collaborative group work has great potential to promote student learning, and increasing evidence exists about the kinds of interaction among students that are necessary to achieve this potential. Less often studied is the role of the teacher in promoting effective group collaboration. This article investigates the extent to which teachers'…

  5. Tracing Ideologies of Learning in Group Talk and Their Impediments to Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Kate T.; Weninger, Csilla

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we examine the complex relationship between dynamics of group talk and students' ideologies of learning. Through an interactional analysis and thematic coding of group talk, this study details barriers to collaboration in a digital storytelling workshop with primary-aged youth in Singapore. Drawing on 25 h of video-recorded data, we…

  6. Another Piece of the "Silence in PBL" Puzzle: Students' Explanations of Dominance and Quietness as Complementary Group Roles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skinner, Vicki J.; Braunack-Mayer, Annette; Winning, Tracey A.

    2016-01-01

    A problem-based learning (PBL) assumption is that silence is incompatible with collaborative learning. Although sociocultural studies have reinterpreted silence as collaborative, we must understand how silence occurs in PBL groups. This essay presents students' explanations of dominance, leadership, and silence as PBL group roles. An ethnographic…

  7. Training Teachers for Virtual Collaboration: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinagre, Margarita

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to explore the development of teachers' competences when trained in virtual collaboration. In order to do so, we analyse the data gathered from a group of nine in-service teachers who were trained in a forum and a wiki to become future telecollaborative teachers (TTs). During the course, participants worked in small groups and they…

  8. 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…

  9. The Impact of Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Collaborative Learning Groups in Multicultural Classes on the Achievement and Attitudes of Nine Graders towards Learning Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faris, Ahmed O.

    2009-01-01

    The current study aims at investigating the impact of homogeneous versus heterogeneous collaborative learning grouping in multicultural classes on the students' achievements and attitudes towards learning science. In the present study, heterogeneity was unpacked through two dimensions: the cultural background, represented by the different…

  10. A Case Study of Design and Usability Evaluation of the Collaborative Problem Solving Instructional Platform System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chao, Jen-Yi; Chao, Shu-Jen; Yao, Lo-Yi; Liu, Chuan-His

    2016-01-01

    This study used Focus Group to analyze user requirements for user interface so as to understand what capabilities of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) Instructional Platform were expected by users. After 12 focus group interviews, the following four functions had been identified as essential to the CPS Instructional Platform: CPS…

  11. 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…

  12. Using Computer Conferencing and Case Studies to Enable Collaboration Between Expert and Novice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winter, Eileen C.; McGhie-Richmond, Donna

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on a teaching innovation where groups of experienced and novice teachers collaborated in analyzing case studies involving the education of students with special learning needs. The teachers collaborated in an asynchronous computer conferencing system (Web Knowledge Forum). All participants were enrolled in special education…

  13. Strategies, Obstacles, and Attitudes: Student Collaboration in Information Seeking and Synthesis Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leeder, Chris; Shah, Chirag

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: While group work that takes place in education contexts has been studied by researchers, student collaborative research behaviour has received less attention. This empirical case study examined the strategies that students use and the obstacles they encounter while working in collaborative information seeking contexts on an in-class…

  14. Case Study of Characteristics of Effective Leadership in Graduate Student Collaborative Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duemer, Lee S.; Christopher, Mary; Hardin, Fred; Olibas, Lezlie; Rodgers, Terry; Spiller, Kevin

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the effective leadership characteristics of graduate students working in a collaborative setting. A secondary goal was to develop recommendations that will help faculty better utilize group collaboration as a learning experience for graduate students. Data consisted of interviews of graduate students who…

  15. Evaluating Types of Students' Interactions in a Wiki-Based Collaborative Learning Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prokofieva, Maria

    2013-01-01

    Wiki technology has been promoted as a collaborative software platform. This study investigates interactions that occur in a wiki-based collaborative learning project. The study draws on interaction literature and investigates the types of interactions with which students are engaged in wiki-based group projects, clusters that reflect online…

  16. Effects of Collaborative Group Composition and Inquiry Instruction on Reasoning Gains and Achievement in Undergraduate Biology

    PubMed Central

    Jensen, Jamie Lee; Lawson, Anton

    2011-01-01

    This study compared the effectiveness of collaborative group composition and instructional method on reasoning gains and achievement in college biology. Based on initial student reasoning ability (i.e., low, medium, or high), students were assigned to either homogeneous or heterogeneous collaborative groups within either inquiry or didactic instruction. Achievement and reasoning gains were assessed at the end of the semester. Inquiry instruction, as a whole, led to significantly greater gains in reasoning ability and achievement. Inquiry instruction also led to greater confidence and more positive attitudes toward collaboration. Low-reasoning students made significantly greater reasoning gains within inquiry instruction when grouped with other low reasoners than when grouped with either medium or high reasoners. Results are consistent with equilibration theory, supporting the idea that students benefit from the opportunity for self-regulation without the guidance or direction of a more capable peer. PMID:21364101

  17. Collaborative Learning in Higher Education: Evoking Positive Interdependence.

    PubMed

    Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes; Peeters, Ton; Vulperhorst, Jonne; Wiegant, Fred

    Collaborative learning is a widely used instructional method, but the learning potential of this instructional method is often underused in practice. Therefore, the importance of various factors underlying effective collaborative learning should be determined. In the current study, five different life sciences undergraduate courses with successful collaborative-learning results were selected. This study focuses on factors that increased the effectiveness of collaboration in these courses, according to the students. Nine focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed. Results show that factors evoking effective collaboration were student autonomy and self-regulatory behavior, combined with a challenging, open, and complex group task that required the students to create something new and original. The design factors of these courses fostered a sense of responsibility and of shared ownership of both the collaborative process and the end product of the group assignment. In addition, students reported the absence of any free riders in these group assignments. Interestingly, it was observed that students seemed to value their sense of achievement, their learning processes, and the products they were working on more than their grades. It is concluded that collaborative learning in higher education should be designed using challenging and relevant tasks that build shared ownership with students. © 2016 K. Scager et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  18. It's All About Communication: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Collaboration Between Volunteers and Staff in Pediatric Palliative Care.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Dorothee; Schmidt, Pia; Zernikow, Boris; Wager, Julia

    2018-01-01

    Multidisciplinary teamwork is considered central to pediatric palliative care. Although different studies state that volunteers play an essential role in palliative care, little is known about the collaboration between volunteers and staff. This study aims to explore and compare the perspectives of volunteers and staff regarding collaboration in a pediatric palliative care unit. A mixed-methods approach was chosen to appropriately reflect the complex aspects of collaboration. Both face-to-face interviews with staff who work together with volunteers and a group discussion with all volunteers were conducted. These were supplemented by 2 questionnaires designed for this study that examined participants' characteristics and their estimation of what information volunteers need before they meet a patient. Nine staff members and 7 volunteers participated in this study. Their ideas of collaboration could be grouped into 3 categories: (i) factual level of collaboration, (ii) relationship level of collaboration, and (iii) overall appraisal of collaboration (suggestions for improvement). Communication can be considered a key factor in successful collaboration between volunteers and staff. Because many patients in pediatric palliative care units are not able to communicate verbally, good information flow between volunteers and staff is crucial for ensuring quality patient care. Moreover, communication is the key to establishing a team philosophy by clarifying roles and building relationships between volunteers and staff.

  19. Collective memory: collaborative and individual processes in remembering.

    PubMed

    Weldon, M S; Bellinger, K D

    1997-09-01

    Two experiments compared collaborative and individual recall. In Experiment 1, participants encoded pictures and words with a deep or shallow processing task, then recalled them twice either individually or collaboratively. Collaborative groups recalled more than individuals, but less than nominal groups (pooled individuals), thus exhibiting collaborative inhibition. However, group recall appeared to be more stable over time than individual recall. Groups and individuals both showed a picture-superiority effect, a level-of-processing effect, and hypermnesia. In Experiment 2, participants recalled the story "War of the Ghosts" (from F. C. Bartlett, 1932), and again collaborative groups recalled more than individuals, but less than nominal groups. Both the individual and collaborative recalls were highly organized. There was evidence that the collaborative groups tended to rely on the best individual to a greater extent in story than in list recall. Possible social and cognitive mechanisms are considered.

  20. Collaborative science activities and the social construction of understanding of physical science concepts by pre-service teachears in Fiji

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, Neil; Lucas, Keith B.; Watters, James J.

    1999-12-01

    The research reported was part of a larger study that was founded on the belief that the introduction of a teaching style informed by a constructivist view of teaching and learning and utilising collaborative group work would improve the understanding of science concepts held by pre-service primary teacher education studients in Fuji. It sought to test this belief, and to explore whether such an approach would be effective for students from different ethnic groups. Two intact classes in a teachers' college studied a physical science unit, one class being involved in extensive collaborative group activities and the other, the comparison group, being taught in the usual transmissive fashion. An interpretive methodology was adopted, involving a range of data sources and analytical techniques. Data presented here support the claim that the collaborative group work stimulated increased levels of discussion and fostered deeper conceptual understanding. There were, however, some unexpected learning outcomes for some students. Implications for science education in Fiji and similar locations are discussed.

  1. Decision Rules and Group Rationality: Cognitive Gain or Standstill?

    PubMed Central

    Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Jansen, Rob J. G.; Chappin, Maryse M. H.

    2013-01-01

    Recent research in group cognition points towards the existence of collective cognitive competencies that transcend individual group members’ cognitive competencies. Since rationality is a key cognitive competence for group decision making, and group cognition emerges from the coordination of individual cognition during social interactions, this study tests the extent to which collaborative and consultative decision rules impact the emergence of group rationality. Using a set of decision tasks adapted from the heuristics and biases literature, we evaluate rationality as the extent to which individual choices are aligned with a normative ideal. We further operationalize group rationality as cognitive synergy (the extent to which collective rationality exceeds average or best individual rationality in the group), and we test the effect of collaborative and consultative decision rules in a sample of 176 groups. Our results show that the collaborative decision rule has superior synergic effects as compared to the consultative decision rule. The ninety one groups working in a collaborative fashion made more rational choices (above and beyond the average rationality of their members) than the eighty five groups working in a consultative fashion. Moreover, the groups using a collaborative decision rule were closer to the rationality of their best member than groups using consultative decision rules. Nevertheless, on average groups did not outperformed their best member. Therefore, our results reveal how decision rules prescribing interpersonal interactions impact on the emergence of collective cognitive competencies. They also open potential venues for further research on the emergence of collective rationality in human decision-making groups. PMID:23451050

  2. Decision rules and group rationality: cognitive gain or standstill?

    PubMed

    Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Jansen, Rob J G; Chappin, Maryse M H

    2013-01-01

    Recent research in group cognition points towards the existence of collective cognitive competencies that transcend individual group members' cognitive competencies. Since rationality is a key cognitive competence for group decision making, and group cognition emerges from the coordination of individual cognition during social interactions, this study tests the extent to which collaborative and consultative decision rules impact the emergence of group rationality. Using a set of decision tasks adapted from the heuristics and biases literature, we evaluate rationality as the extent to which individual choices are aligned with a normative ideal. We further operationalize group rationality as cognitive synergy (the extent to which collective rationality exceeds average or best individual rationality in the group), and we test the effect of collaborative and consultative decision rules in a sample of 176 groups. Our results show that the collaborative decision rule has superior synergic effects as compared to the consultative decision rule. The ninety one groups working in a collaborative fashion made more rational choices (above and beyond the average rationality of their members) than the eighty five groups working in a consultative fashion. Moreover, the groups using a collaborative decision rule were closer to the rationality of their best member than groups using consultative decision rules. Nevertheless, on average groups did not outperformed their best member. Therefore, our results reveal how decision rules prescribing interpersonal interactions impact on the emergence of collective cognitive competencies. They also open potential venues for further research on the emergence of collective rationality in human decision-making groups.

  3. Independent but coordinated trials: insights from the practice-based Opportunities for Weight Reduction Trials Collaborative Research Group.

    PubMed

    Yeh, Hsin-Chieh; Clark, Jeanne M; Emmons, Karen E; Moore, Reneé H; Bennett, Gary G; Warner, Erica T; Sarwer, David B; Jerome, Gerald J; Miller, Edgar R; Volger, Sheri; Louis, Thomas A; Wells, Barbara; Wadden, Thomas A; Colditz, Graham A; Appel, Lawrence J

    2010-08-01

    The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) funded three institutions to conduct effectiveness trials of weight loss interventions in primary care settings. Unlike traditional multi-center clinical trials, each study was established as an independent trial with a distinct protocol. Still, efforts were made to coordinate and standardize several aspects of the trials. The three trials formed a collaborative group, the 'Practice-based Opportunities for Weight Reduction (POWER) Trials Collaborative Research Group.' We describe the common and distinct features of the three trials, the key characteristics of the collaborative group, and the lessons learned from this novel organizational approach. The Collaborative Research Group consists of three individual studies: 'Be Fit, Be Well' (Washington University in St. Louis/Harvard University), 'POWER Hopkins' (Johns Hopkins), and 'POWER-UP' (University of Pennsylvania). There are a total of 15 participating clinics with ~1100 participants. The common primary outcome is change in weight at 24 months of follow-up, but each protocol has trial-specific elements including different interventions and different secondary outcomes. A Resource Coordinating Unit at Johns Hopkins provides administrative support. The Collaborative Research Group established common components to facilitate potential cross-site comparisons. The main advantage of this approach is to develop and evaluate several interventions, when there is insufficient evidence to test one or two approaches, as would be done in a traditional multi-center trial. The challenges of the organizational design include the complex decision-making process, the extent of potential data pooling, time intensive efforts to standardize reports, and the additional responsibilities of the DSMB to monitor three distinct protocols.

  4. 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.

  5. Collaborating in Life Science Research Groups: The Question of Authorship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muller, Ruth

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study explores how life science postdocs' perceptions of contemporary academic career rationales influence how they relate to collaboration within research groups. One consequential dimension of these perceptions is the high value assigned to publications. For career progress, postdocs consider producing publications and…

  6. Learning Effects of an International Group Competition Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akpinar, Murat; del Campo, Cristina; Eryarsoy, Enes

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the effects of collaboration and competition on students' learning performance in a course of business statistics. The collaboration involved a simultaneously organised group competition project with analysis of real-life business problems among students. Students from the following schools participated: JAMK University of…

  7. The Effects of Collaborative Writing Activity Using Google Docs on Students' Writing Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suwantarathip, Ornprapat; Wichadee, Saovapa

    2014-01-01

    Google Docs, a free web-based version of Microsoft Word, offers collaborative features which can be used to facilitate collaborative writing in a foreign language classroom. The current study compared writing abilities of students who collaborated on writing assignments using Google Docs with those working in groups in a face-to-face classroom.…

  8. Emotion control in collaborative learning situations: do students regulate emotions evoked by social challenges?

    PubMed

    Järvenoja, Hanna; Järvelä, Sanna

    2009-09-01

    During recent decades, self-regulated learning (SRL) has become a major research field. SRL successfully integrates the cognitive and motivational components of learning. Self-regulation is usually seen as an individual process, with the social aspects of regulation conceptualized as one aspect of the context. However, recent research has begun to investigate whether self-regulation processes are complemented by socially shared regulation processes. The presented study investigated what kind of socio-emotional challenges students experience during collaborative learning and whether the students regulate the emotions evoked during these situations. The interplay of the emotion regulation processes between the individual and the group was also studied. The sample for this study was 63 teacher education students who studied in groups of three to five during three collaborative learning tasks. Students' interpretations of experienced social challenges and their attempts to regulate emotions evoked by these challenges were collected following each task using the Adaptive Instrument for the Regulation of Emotions. The results indicated that students experienced a variety of social challenges. Students also reported the use of shared regulation in addition to self-regulation. Finally, the results suggested that intrinsic group dynamics are derived from both individual and social elements of collaborative situations. The findings of the study support the assumption that students can regulate emotions collaboratively as well as individually. The study contributes to our understanding of the social aspects of emotional regulation in collaborative learning contexts.

  9. Promoting Creative Tension within Collaborative Writing Groups.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ewald, Helen Rothschild; MacCallum, Virginia

    1990-01-01

    Describes a collaborative writing assignment which features a series of interconnected business messages arising out of a case study and including inhouse memos and an analytical report. Shows how the design of a collaborative writing assignment can foster creative rather than debilitative tension. (RS)

  10. Group Selection Methods and Contribution to the West Point Leadership Development System (WPLDS)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-08-01

    Government. 14. ABSTRACT Group work in an academic setting can consist of projects or problems students can work on collaboratively. Although pedagogical ...ABSTRACT Group work in an academic setting can consist of projects or problems students can work on collaboratively. Although pedagogical studies...helping students develop intangibles like communication, time management, organization, leadership, interpersonal, and relationship skills. Supporting

  11. Identity and Belonging in Social Learning Groups: The Importance of Distinguishing Social, Operational and Knowledge-Related Identity Congruence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Gwyneth

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative learning has much to offer but not all learners participate fully and peer groups can be exclusive. The article examines how belonging or "congruence" in learning groups is related to identities of gender, age, ethnicity and socio-economic status. A study of student experiences of collaborative learning on three different…

  12. Circles of Culture and Cognition: A Sociocognitive Study of Collaboration within and among Academic Groups of Teachers in a Rural School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Linda L.

    2011-01-01

    This ethnographic case study examined the roles of district and school macro-culture and teacher sub-group micro-culture in influencing the nature and extent of teachers' professional collaboration. Informed by the sociocognitive theory that learning is rooted in social relationships and develops through interpersonal discourse and activity, the…

  13. Creating new library services through collaboration with resident groups : Aimimg at human resource development and information literacy education in ways only libraries can do : Study on activities of an NPO called Ueda Library Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morita, Utako

    Creating new library services through collaboration with resident groups : Aimimg at human resource development and information literacy education in ways only libraries can do : Study on activities of an NPO called Ueda Library Club

  14. Collaborative care for sick-listed workers with major depressive disorder: a randomised controlled trial from the Netherlands Depression Initiative aimed at return to work and depressive symptoms.

    PubMed

    Vlasveld, Moniek C; van der Feltz-Cornelis, Christina M; Adèr, Herman J; Anema, Johannes R; Hoedeman, Rob; van Mechelen, Willem; Beekman, Aartjan T F

    2013-04-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with absenteeism. In this study, the effectiveness of collaborative care, with a focus on return to work (RTW), was evaluated in its effect on depressive symptoms and the duration until RTW in sick-listed workers with MDD in the occupational health setting. In this randomised controlled trial, 126 sick-listed workers with MDD were randomised to usual care (N=61) or collaborative care (N=65). Collaborative care was applied by the occupational physician care manager, supported by a web-based tracking system and a consultant psychiatrist. Primary outcome measure was time to response. Secondary outcome measures were time to remission, depressive symptoms as continuous measure and the duration until full RTW. Collaborative care participants had a shorter time to response, with a difference of 2.8 months. However, no difference was found on time to remission or depressive symptoms as continuous measure. With a mean of 190 days in the collaborative care group, and 210 days in the usual care group, the groups did not differ significantly from each other in the duration until full RTW. Adherence to the collaborative care intervention was low. These results do not justify a widespread implementation of collaborative care in occupational healthcare, as it was operationalised in this study. However, since the study might have been underpowered for RTW and because treatment integrity was low, further research, with larger sample sizes, is needed to develop the best fitting (collaborative care) model for addressing RTW in depressed sick-listed workers. : ISRCTN78462860.

  15. Collaborative Teaching: How Does It Work in a Graduate TEFL Class?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khabiri, Mona; Marashi, Hamid

    2016-01-01

    Collaborative teaching is a dynamic process in which educators are continuously engaged in restrategizing to fit their curricular goal. This article aims to describe how the use of collaborative teaching in a course on proposal writing benefited a group of graduate students studying teaching English as a foreign language. Throughout the study, two…

  16. Collaborative Technology. An Examination of Adults' Concurrent Use of Technology and Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Janice J.

    A qualitative study examined what happens to the learning environment when a heterogeneous group of male adults uses technology and collaborative strategies to improve their writing skills. During the 14-week study, the teacher modeled the use of technology when introducing units in a writing course and used the abilities and strengths of the…

  17. 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.

  18. Interprofessional collaboration regarding patients' care plans in primary care: a focus group study into influential factors.

    PubMed

    van Dongen, Jerôme Jean Jacques; Lenzen, Stephanie Anna; van Bokhoven, Marloes Amantia; Daniëls, Ramon; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna

    2016-05-28

    The number of people with multiple chronic conditions demanding primary care services is increasing. To deal with the complex health care demands of these people, professionals from different disciplines collaborate. This study aims to explore influential factors regarding interprofessional collaboration related to care plan development in primary care. A qualitative study, including four semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 4). In total, a heterogeneous group of experts (n = 16) and health care professionals (n = 15) participated. Participants discussed viewpoints, barriers, and facilitators regarding interprofessional collaboration related to care plan development. The data were analysed by means of inductive content analysis. The findings show a variety of factors influencing the interprofessional collaboration in developing a care plan. Factors can be divided into 5 key categories: (1) patient-related factors: active role, self-management, goals and wishes, membership of the team; (2) professional-related factors: individual competences, domain thinking, motivation; (3) interpersonal factors: language differences, knowing each other, trust and respect, and motivation; (4) organisational factors: structure, composition, time, shared vision, leadership and administrative support; and (5) external factors: education, culture, hierarchy, domain thinking, law and regulations, finance, technology and ICT. Improving interprofessional collaboration regarding care plan development calls for an integral approach including patient- and professional related factors, interpersonal, organisational, and external factors. Further, the leader of the team seems to play a key role in watching the patient perspective, organising and coordinating interprofessional collaborations, and guiding the team through developments. The results of this study can be used as input for developing tools and interventions targeted at executing and improving interprofessional collaboration related to care plan development.

  19. Independent but Coordinated Trials: Insights from the Practice Based Opportunities for Weight Reduction (POWER) Trials Collaborative Research Group

    PubMed Central

    Yeh, Hsin-Chieh; Clark, Jeanne M.; Emmons, Karen M.; Moore, Renee H.; Bennett, Gary G; Warner, Erica T.; Sarwer, Davis B.; Jerome, Gerald J; Miller, Edgar R; Volger, Sheri; Louis, Thomas A.; Wells, Barbara; Wadden, Thomas A.; Colditz, Graham A.; Appel, Lawrence J.

    2011-01-01

    Background The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) funded three institutions to conduct effectiveness trials of weight loss interventions in primary care settings. Unlike traditional multi-center clinical trials, each study was established as an independent trial with a distinct protocol. Still, efforts were made to coordinate and standardize several aspects of the trials. The three trials formed a collaborative group, the “Practice Based Opportunities for Weight Reduction (POWER) Trials Collaborative Research Group.” Purpose We describe the common and distinct features of the three trials, the key characteristics of the collaborative group, and the lessons learned from this novel organizational approach. Methods The Collaborative Research Group consists of three individual studies: “Be Fit, Be Well“(Washington University in St. Louis/Harvard University), “POWER Hopkins” (Johns Hopkins), and “POWER-UP” (University of Pennsylvania). There are a total of 15 participating clinics with ~1,100 participants. The common primary outcome is change in weight at 24 months of follow-up, but each protocol has trial-specific elements including different interventions and different secondary outcomes. A Resource Coordinating Unit at Johns Hopkins provides administrative support. Results The Collaborative Research Group established common components to facilitate potential cross-site comparisons. The main advantage of this approach is to develop and evaluate several interventions, when there is insufficient evidence to test one or two approaches, as would be done in a traditional multi-center trial. Limitations The challenges of the organizational design include the complex decision making process, the extent of potential data pooling, time intensive efforts to standardize reports, and the additional responsibilities of the DSMB to monitor three distinct protocols. Conclusions The POWER Trials Collaborative Research Group is a case study of an alternative organizational model to conduct independent, yet coordinated trials. Such a model is increasingly being used in NHLBI supported trials , especially given the interest in comparative effectiveness research. Nevertheless, the ultimate utility of this model will not be fully understood until the trials are completed. PMID:20573639

  20. Phase Field Modeling of Microstructure Development in Microgravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dantzig, Jonathan A.; Goldenfeld, Nigel

    2001-01-01

    This newly funded project seeks to extend our NASA-sponsored project on modeling of dendritic microstructures to facilitate collaboration between our research group and those of other NASA investigators. In our ongoing program, we have applied advanced computational techniques to study microstructural evolution in dendritic solidification, for both pure isolated dendrites and directionally solidified alloys. This work has enabled us to compute dendritic microstructures using both realistic material parameters and experimentally relevant processing conditions, thus allowing for the first time direct comparison of phase field computations with laboratory observations. This work has been well received by the materials science and physics communities, and has led to several opportunities for collaboration with scientists working on experimental investigations of pattern selection and segregation in solidification. While we have been able to pursue these collaborations to a limited extent, with some important findings, this project focuses specifically on those collaborations. We have two target collaborations: with Prof. Glicksman's group working on the Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE), and with Prof. Poirier's group studying directional solidification in Pb-Sb alloys. These two space experiments match well with our two thrusts in modeling, one for pure materials, as in the IDGE, and the other directional solidification. Such collaboration will benefit all of the research groups involved, and will provide for rapid dissemination of the results of our work where it will have significant impact.

  1. The teacher's role in promoting collaborative dialogue in the classroom.

    PubMed

    Webb, Noreen M

    2009-03-01

    Research on student-led small-group learning in schools going back nearly four decades has documented many types of student participation that promote learning. Less is known about how the teacher can foster effective groupwork behaviours. This paper reviews research that explores the role of the teacher in promoting learning in small groups. The focus is on how students can learn from their peers during small-group work, how teachers can prepare students for collaborative group work, and the role of teacher discourse and classroom norms in small-group dialogue. Studies selected for review focused on student-led small-group contexts for learning in which students were expected to collaborate, reported data from systematic observations of group work, and linked observational data to teacher practices and student learning outcomes. This review uncovered multiple dimensions of the teacher's role in fostering beneficial group dialogue, including preparing students for collaborative work, forming groups, structuring the group-work task, and influencing student interaction through teachers' discourse with small groups and with the class. Common threads through the research are the importance of students explaining their thinking, and teacher strategies and practices that may promote student elaboration of ideas.

  2. The Joint Organization of Interaction within a Multimodal CSCL Medium

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cakir, Murat Perit; Zemel, Alan; Stahl, Gerry

    2009-01-01

    In order to collaborate effectively in group discourse on a topic like mathematical patterns, group participants must organize their activities in ways that share the significance of their utterances, inscriptions, and behaviors. Here, we report the results of a ethnomethodological case study of collaborative math problem-solving activities…

  3. 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…

  4. Examining the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Group Cohesion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Amanda; Mamiseishvili, Ketevan

    2012-01-01

    Collaborative learning experiences increase student learning, but what happens when students fail to collaborate? The authors investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and group cohesion by studying 44 undergraduate teams who were completing semester-long projects in their business classes at a small private university in the…

  5. Assessing the Impact of Group Projects on Examination Performance in Social Statistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delucchi, Michael

    2007-01-01

    College teachers in the sciences and professional studies have endorsed collaborative learning group strategies for teaching undergraduate statistics courses, but few researchers provide empirical evidence that students' quantitative skills actually increase as a result of the collaborative experience. Assessment of the efficacy of collaborative…

  6. 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…

  7. Searching for consensus among physicians involved in the management of sick-listed workers in the Belgian health care sector: a qualitative study among practitioners and stakeholders.

    PubMed

    Vanmeerbeek, Marc; Govers, Patrick; Schippers, Nathalie; Rieppi, Stéphane; Mortelmans, Katrien; Mairiaux, Philippe

    2016-02-17

    In Belgium, the management of sick leave involves general practitioners (GPs), occupational health physicians (OPs) and social insurance physicians (SIPs). A dysfunctional relationship among these physicians can impede a patient's ability to return to work. The objective of this study was to identify ways to improve these physicians' mutual collaboration. Two consensus techniques were successively performed among the three professional groups. Eight nominal groups (NGs) gathered 74 field practitioners, and a two-round Delphi process involved 32 stakeholders. From the results, it appears that two areas (reciprocal knowledge and evolution of the legal and regulatory framework) are objects of consensus among the three medical group that were surveyed. Information transfer, particularly electronic transfer, was stressed as an important way to improve. The consensual proposals regarding interdisciplinary collaboration indicate specific and practical changes to be implemented when professionals are managing workers who are on sick leave. The collaboration process appeared to be currently more problematic, but the participants correctly identified the need for common training. The three physician groups all agree regarding several inter-physician collaboration proposals. The study also revealed a latent conflict situation among the analysed professionals that can arise from a lack of mutual recognition. Practical changes or improvements must be included in an extended framework that involves the different determinants of interdisciplinary collaboration that are shown by theoretical models. Collaboration is a product of the actions and behaviours of various partners, which requires reciprocal knowledge and trust; collaboration also implies political and economic structures that are led by public health authorities.

  8. Collaborative Instructional Strategies to Enhance Knowledge Convergence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, Darryl C.

    2015-01-01

    To promote knowledge convergence through collaborative learning activities in groups, this qualitative case study involved a layered approach for the design and delivery of a highly collaborative learning environment incorporating various instructional technologies grounded in learning theory. In a graduate-level instructional technology course,…

  9. Patterns of Change in Collaboration Are Associated with Baseline Characteristics and Predict Outcome and Dropout Rates in Treatment of Multi-Problem Families. A Validation Study

    PubMed Central

    Bachler, Egon; Fruehmann, Alexander; Bachler, Herbert; Aas, Benjamin; Nickel, Marius; Schiepek, Guenter K.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The present study validates the Multi-Problem Family (MPF)-Collaboration Scale), which measures the progress of goal directed collaboration of patients in the treatment of families with MPF and its relation to drop-out rates and treatment outcome. Method: Naturalistic study of symptom and competence-related changes in children of ages 4–18 and their caregivers. Setting: Integrative, structural outreach family therapy. Measures: The data of five different groups of goal directed collaboration (deteriorating collaboration, stable low collaboration, stable medium collaboration, stable high collaboration, improving collaboration) were analyzed in their relation to treatment expectation, individual therapeutic goals (ITG), family adversity index, severity of problems and global assessment of a caregiver’s functioning, child, and relational aspects. Results: From N = 810 families, 20% displayed stable high collaboration (n = 162) and 21% had a pattern of improving collaboration. The families with stable high or improving collaboration rates achieved significantly more progress throughout therapy in terms of treatment outcome expectancy (d = 0.96; r = 0.43), reaching ITG (d = 1.17; r = 0.50), family adversities (d = 0.55; r = 0.26), and severity of psychiatric symptoms (d = 0.31; r = 0.15). Furthermore, families with stable high or improving collaboration maintained longer treatments and had a bigger chance of finishing the therapy as planned. The odds of having a stable low or deteriorating collaboration throughout treatment were significantly higher for subjects who started treatment with low treatment expectation or high family-related adversities. Conclusion: The positive outcomes of homebased interventions for multi-problem families are closely related to “stable high” and an “improving” collaboration as measured with the MPF-Collaboration Scale. Patients who fall into these groups have a high treatment outcome expectancy and reduce psychological stress. For therapeutic interventions with multi-problem families it seems beneficial to maintain a stable high collaboration or help the collaboration, e.g., by fostering treatment expectation. PMID:28785232

  10. Cabri 3D - assisted collaborative learning to enhance junior high school students’ spatial ability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muntazhimah; Miatun, A.

    2018-01-01

    The main purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the enhancement of spatial ability of junior high school students who learned through Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning. The methodology of this study was the nonequivalent group that was conducted to students of the eighth grade in a junior high school as a population. Samples consisted one class of the experimental group who studied with Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning and one class as a control group who got regular learning activity. The instrument used in this study was a spatial ability test. Analyzing normalized gain of students’ spatial ability based on mathemathical prior knowledge (MPK) and its interactions was tested by two-way ANOVA at a significance level of 5% then continued with using Post Hoc Scheffe test. The research results showed that there was significant difference in enhancement of the spatial ability between students who learnt with Cabri 3D assisted collaborative learning and students who got regular learning, there was significant difference in enhancement of the spatial ability between students who learnt with cabri 3D assisted collaborative learning and students who got regular learning in terms of MPK and there is no significant interaction between learning (Cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning and regular learning) with students’ MPK (high, medium, and low) toward the enhancement of students’ spatial abilities. From the above findings, it can be seen that cabri-3D assisted collaborative learning could enhance spatial ability of junior high school students.

  11. Real-Time Mutual Gaze Perception Enhances Collaborative Learning and Collaboration Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, Bertrand; Pea, Roy

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we present the results of an eye-tracking study on collaborative problem-solving dyads. Dyads remotely collaborated to learn from contrasting cases involving basic concepts about how the human brain processes visual information. In one condition, dyads saw the eye gazes of their partner on the screen; in a control group, they did not…

  12. The Effects of Using Collaborative Assessment with Students Going Abroad: Intercultural Competence Development, Self-Understanding, Self-Confidence, and Stages of Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schnabel, Deborah B. L.; Kelava, Augustin; van de Vijver, Fons J. R.

    2016-01-01

    For this study we examined collaborative assessment in counseling 820 German students who were going abroad and who were exposed to the Test to Measure Intercultural Competence (TMIC). A randomized pretest-posttest control group design was used. The control group did not get any test feedback. The remaining groups received written feedback or…

  13. Collaboration: Perceptions of FCS Professionals in Teaching, Research, and Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kandiah, Jay; Saiki, Diana

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals' perceptions of multidisciplinary collaboration in teaching, research, and service. A focus group and survey were participants identified projects, strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions related to collaboration.Topics and projects that incorporated…

  14. Differences That Make A Difference: A Study in Collaborative Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Touchman, Stephanie

    Collaborative learning is a common teaching strategy in classrooms across age groups and content areas. It is important to measure and understand the cognitive process involved during collaboration to improve teaching methods involving interactive activities. This research attempted to answer the question: why do students learn more in collaborative settings? Using three measurement tools, 142 participants from seven different biology courses at a community college and at a university were tested before and after collaborating about the biological process of natural selection. Three factors were analyzed to measure their effect on learning at the individual level and the group level. The three factors were: difference in prior knowledge, sex and religious beliefs. Gender and religious beliefs both had a significant effect on post-test scores.

  15. The impact of group membership on collaborative learning with wikis.

    PubMed

    Matschke, Christina; Moskaliuk, Johannes; Kimmerle, Joachim

    2013-02-01

    The social web stimulates learning through collaboration. However, information in the social web is often associated with information about its author. Based on previous evidence that ingroup information is preferred to outgroup information, the current research investigates whether group memberships of wiki authors affect learning. In an experimental study, we manipulated the group memberships (ingroup vs. outgroup) of wiki authors by using nicknames. The designated group memberships (being fans of a soccer team or not) were completely irrelevant for the domain of the wiki (the medical disorder fibromyalgia). Nevertheless, wiki information from the ingroup led to more integration of information into prior knowledge as well as more increase of factual knowledge than information from the outgroup. The results demonstrate that individuals apply social selection strategies when considering information from wikis, which may foster, but also hinder, learning and collaboration. Practical implications for collaborative learning in the social web are discussed.

  16. The Impact of Group Membership on Collaborative Learning with Wikis

    PubMed Central

    Matschke, Christina; Moskaliuk, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The social web stimulates learning through collaboration. However, information in the social web is often associated with information about its author. Based on previous evidence that ingroup information is preferred to outgroup information, the current research investigates whether group memberships of wiki authors affect learning. In an experimental study, we manipulated the group memberships (ingroup vs. outgroup) of wiki authors by using nicknames. The designated group memberships (being fans of a soccer team or not) were completely irrelevant for the domain of the wiki (the medical disorder fibromyalgia). Nevertheless, wiki information from the ingroup led to more integration of information into prior knowledge as well as more increase of factual knowledge than information from the outgroup. The results demonstrate that individuals apply social selection strategies when considering information from wikis, which may foster, but also hinder, learning and collaboration. Practical implications for collaborative learning in the social web are discussed. PMID:23113690

  17. [Impacts of collaborative teaching method on the teaching achievement of Acupuncture and Moxibustion].

    PubMed

    Tian, Haomei; Shen, Jing; Shi, Jia; Liu, Mi; Wang, Chao; Liu, Jinzhi; Chen, Chutao

    2016-11-12

    To explore the impacts of collaborative teaching method on the teaching achievement of Acupuncture and Moxibustion . Six classes in Hunan University of CM of 2012 grade Chinese medicine department were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 3 classes in each one. In the observation group, the collaborative teaching method was adopted, in which, different teaching modes were used according to the characteristics of each chapter and the study initiative of students was predominated. In the control group, the traditional teaching method was used, in which, the class teaching was the primary and the practice was the secondary in the section of techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion. The results of each curriculum and the total results were compared between the two groups during the whole semester. Compared with the control group, in the observation group, the total achievements of curriculum and case analysis combined with the total result of the theory examination were apparently improved (both P <0.01). The collaborative teaching method improves the comprehensive ability of students and provides a new approach to the teaching of Acupuncture and Moxibustion .

  18. Think Tank on Metabolomics and Prospective Cohorts: How to Leverage Resources

    Cancer.gov

    This Think Tank identified resources that can be used collaboratively across prospective cohorts; developed strategies to leverage resources for advancing the use of metabolomics in prospective cohort studies; identified the best strategies for performing analyses using metabolomics data across multiple studies; and, established a collaborative group that will identify and tackle research projects that cannot be effectively investigated by one independent group.

  19. Collaborative-group testing improves learning and knowledge retention of human physiology topics in second-year medical students.

    PubMed

    Vázquez-García, Mario

    2018-06-01

    The present study examined the relationship between second-year medical students' group performance and individual performance in a collaborative-learning environment. In recent decades, university professors in the scientific and humanistic disciplines have successfully put into practice different modalities of collaborative approaches to teaching. Essentially, collaborative approach refers to a variety of techniques that involves the joint intellectual effort of a small group of students, which encourages interaction and discussion among students and professors. The present results show the efficacy of collaborative learning, which, furthermore, allowed students to participate actively in the physiology class. Average student's grades were significantly higher when they engaged in single-best-response, multiple-choice tests as a student team, compared with taking the same examinations individually. The method improved notably knowledge retention, as learning is more effective when performed in the context of collaborative partnership. A selected subset of questions answered wrongly in an initial test, both individually and collectively, was used on a second test to examine student retention of studied material. Grade averages were significantly improved, both individually and groupwise, when students responded to the subset of questions a second time, 1, 2, or 3 wk after the first attempt. These results suggest that the collaborative approach to teaching allowed a more effective understanding of course content, which meant an improved capacity for retention of human physiology knowledge.

  20. Collaborative, case-based learning: how do students actually learn from each other?

    PubMed

    Thurman, Joanne; Volet, Simone E; Bolton, John R

    2009-01-01

    The value of collaborative, case-based, and problem-based learning has received increased attention in recent years. Several studies have documented veterinary staff and students' generally positive feedback on group learning activities, but one largely unaddressed question is how students actually learn from each other. This study examined how second-year veterinary students learned from each other during a collaborative, case-based learning project. Data were students' written reflections on their learning in the veterinary course and the specific learning experience, and a matched pre- and post-task questionnaire. Consistent with prior research describing veterinary students as individualistic learners, only a third of students spontaneously mentioned learning from each other as one of their most effective strategies. However, when prompted to describe a time when they felt that group members were really learning from each other, students reported highly valuable collaborative learning processes, which they explicitly linked to learning and understanding benefits. Questionnaire data were consistent, showing that students became more positive toward several aspects of the activity as well as toward group work in general. One unexpected finding was the lack of a relationship between students' self-evaluation of their learning and how well group members knew each other. These findings provide strong support for the educational value of collaborative, case-based learning. In light of other research evidence (using observation data) that the amount of time students actually engage in high-level collaborative processes may be rather limited, this article points to the need for veterinary teachers to better prepare students for group learning activities.

  1. Effective self-regulated science learning through multimedia-enriched skeleton concept maps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marée, Ton J.; van Bruggen, Jan M.; Jochems, Wim M. G.

    2013-04-01

    Background: This study combines work on concept mapping with scripted collaborative learning. Purpose: The objective was to examine the effects of self-regulated science learning through scripting students' argumentative interactions during collaborative 'multimedia-enriched skeleton concept mapping' on meaningful science learning and retention. Programme description: Each concept in the enriched skeleton concept map (ESCoM) contained annotated multimedia-rich content (pictures, text, animations or video clips) that elaborated the concept, and an embedded collaboration script to guide students' interactions. Sample: The study was performed in a Biomolecules course on the Bachelor of Applied Science program in the Netherlands. All first-year students (N=93, 31 women, 62 men, aged 17-33 years) took part in this study. Design and methods: The design used a control group who received the regular course and an experimental group working together in dyads on an ESCoM under the guidance of collaboration scripts. In order to investigate meaningful understanding and retention, a retention test was administered a month after the final exam. Results: Analysis of covariance demonstrated a significant experimental effect on the Biomolecules exam scores between the experimental group and the control, and the difference between the groups on the retention test also reached statistical significance. Conclusions: Scripted collaborative multimedia ESCoM mapping resulted in meaningful understanding and retention of the conceptual structure of the domain, the concepts, and their relations. Not only was scripted collaborative multimedia ESCoM mapping more effective than the traditional teaching approach, it was also more efficient in requiring far less teacher guidance.

  2. 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…

  3. Supporting the Development of Students' Academic Writing through Collaborative Process Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mutwarasibo, Faustin

    2013-01-01

    The study examines how undergraduate university students in Rwanda experience collaborative process writing as an instruction method capable of helping them improve their academic writing abilities in English. It involved 34 second-year students, divided into 12 small working groups. The data were collected by means of group interviews carried out…

  4. Collaborative Creativity in Instrumental Group Music Learning as a Site for Enhancing Pupil Wellbeing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnard, Pamela; Dragovic, Tatjana

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the nature of the elements that co-influence collaborative creativity in nd the intrinsic potential for enhancing pupil wellbeing as evidenced in a particular secondary-school (extra-curricular) group instrumental programme "Percussion 1." Wenger's Community of Practice (CoP) and Engestrom's Activity Theory (AT)…

  5. Collaborative Work and Language Learners' Identities When Editing Academic Texts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caviedes, Lorena; Meza, Angélica; Rodriguez, Ingrid

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a qualitative case study that involved three groups of English as a foreign language pre-service teachers at a Colombian private university. Each group attended tutoring sessions during an academic semester. Along these sessions, students were asked to work collaboratively in the editing process of some chapters of their thesis…

  6. 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…

  7. Scaffolding Collaborative Argumentation in Asynchronous Discussions with Message Constraints and Message Labels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeong, Allan; Joung, Sunyoung

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the effects of message constraints and labels on collaborative argumentation in asynchronous online discussions. Thirty-eight undergraduate students in an introductory educational technology course were assigned to one of three groups. In one group, students posted specific types of messages using a prescribed set of message…

  8. Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities and Their Impact on School Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kociuruba, Jerry P., Jr.

    2017-01-01

    Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a group of educators working collaboratively to improve student achievement and expand the pedagogy of the individual as well as the group. Studies on PLCs, grounded by the social constructivism theory of Vygotsky, Bandura, and Wenger, have found that collaboration and collegiality foster a positive…

  9. Promoting Perceived Benefits of Group Projects: The Role of Instructor Contributions and Intragroup Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Sarah; Barber, Larissa K.; Ferguson, Amanda J.

    2015-01-01

    Group projects are often used in psychology courses to prepare students for future collaborative work. However, psychology alumni report that their education did not adequately prepare them for collaborative work. To better understand these perceptions, this study examined how instructor contributions (involvement and evaluation techniques)…

  10. A Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning in "Paper Scribbles" and "Group Scribbles"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hao, Chen Fang

    2010-01-01

    "Paper Scribbles" (PS) consisting of markers, vanguard sheets and 3M "Post-It" notes, is a pedagogical tool to harness collective intelligence of groups for collaborative learning in the classroom. Borrowing the key features of PS and yet avoiding some of their physical limitations, a computer-based tool called "Group…

  11. A study of the role expectations of the science supervisor and the fostering of collaboration within the high school science department

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hughes, Janet

    2001-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of agreement among science supervisors and public high school science teachers regarding Actual and Desired role responsibilities for science supervisors in six categories, Curriculum, Methodology, Involvement in the Science Field, Staff Development, Procedural Duties, and Assessment and a seventh category measuring the supervisor's degree of Fostering Collaboration within the department. The Science Supervisor Questionnaire was developed specifically for this study and consisted of items that comprised the most current research on the roles of the science supervisor. The instrument was based on the responsibilities of department heads as delineated through a consolidation of the current research. Although the supervisors and the science teachers agreed among themselves to some extent on the seven subscales, the six role expectations of supervisors (Curriculum, Methodology, Involvement in the Science Field, Staff Development, Procedural Duties, and Assessment) and the Fostering of Collaboration, the amount and degree of consensus varied. There was more consensus in the desired roles of science supervisors suggesting that the groups understand and agree upon the expectations of the position. Those top priorities of science supervisor role expectations for both groups were Methodology, Curriculum, Procedural Duties and Staff Development. There was a difference in perceptions between the two groups of the actual role of the supervisor, indicating that what is actually happening in the science supervisor role conflicts with what is expected. Fostering Collaboration ranked lowest for both groups in both perceived actual and desired science supervisor performance. Fostering Collaboration was not seen as a priority by the supervisors and teachers in the teaching and learning environment. Teachers report that supervisors did not play a key role in fostering collaboration in this study.

  12. Differences That Make a Difference: A Study in Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Touchman, Stephanie

    2012-01-01

    Collaborative learning is a common teaching strategy in classrooms across age groups and content areas. It is important to measure and understand the cognitive process involved during collaboration to improve teaching methods involving interactive activities. This research attempted to answer the question: why do students learn more in…

  13. College Students' Perceptions of Short Message Service-Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zamani-Miandashti, Naser; Ataei, Pouria

    2015-01-01

    Interaction is a major success factor that affects collaborative learning. This study examined the perceptions of college students about short message service (SMS) supported collaborative learning. Seventy-five BSc students from three classes were asked to cooperate on group assignments. The participants used their mobile phones to exchange text…

  14. Online Collaboration for Programming: Assessing Students' Cognitive Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Othman, Mahfudzah; Muhd Zain, Nurzaid

    2015-01-01

    This study is primarily focused on assessing the students' logical thinking and cognitive levels in an online collaborative environment. The aim is to investigate whether the online collaboration has significant impact to the students' cognitive abilities. The assessment of the logical thinking involved the use of the online Group Assessment…

  15. Conflict and Capitulation: A Bakhtinian Analysis of a Failed Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, Geoffrey A.

    To help business writers and writing teachers think more specifically about problems of writing collaboration, a study examined and analyzed a group writing project in the Auldouest Insurance Company (pseudonym) Department of Corporate Communication. The collaborative writing of the two page executive letter of the company's annual report involved…

  16. Collaborative testing: assessing teamwork and critical thinking behaviors in baccalaureate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Wiggs, Carol M

    2011-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to foster teamwork and critical thinking behaviors in baccalaureate nursing students using a collaborative testing environment. Collaborative testing affords the nurse educator a unique opportunity to actively influence the development of critical thinking skills directly influencing the nursing student's ability to solve complex patient problems. Using a quasi-experimental approach exam scores from students in prior semesters were compared to students in several semesters using collaborative testing in one undergraduate course taught by the same faculty. In the experimental group collaborative testing was used in the two unit examinations, while the final examination remained individual. For collaborative testing the students were grouped by random assignment. They were not allowed the use of notes, textbooks, or other resource materials. Any student who wished to work alone was allowed do so and any student coming late (within 15 min of examination beginning) was required to work alone. Each student submitted individual examination answer forms, and groups were not required to reach consensus. Collaborative testing is one means to foster critical thinking by allowing students to solve complex patient problems within an examination environment. This better prepares them for national certification exams. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 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…

  18. 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.

  19. Collective action and the collaborative brain

    PubMed Central

    Gavrilets, Sergey

    2015-01-01

    Humans are unique both in their cognitive abilities and in the extent of cooperation in large groups of unrelated individuals. How our species evolved high intelligence in spite of various costs of having a large brain is perplexing. Equally puzzling is how our ancestors managed to overcome the collective action problem and evolve strong innate preferences for cooperative behaviour. Here, I theoretically study the evolution of social-cognitive competencies as driven by selection emerging from the need to produce public goods in games against nature or in direct competition with other groups. I use collaborative ability in collective actions as a proxy for social-cognitive competencies. My results suggest that collaborative ability is more likely to evolve first by between-group conflicts and then later be utilized and improved in games against nature. If collaborative abilities remain low, the species is predicted to become genetically dimorphic with a small proportion of individuals contributing to public goods and the rest free-riding. Evolution of collaborative ability creates conditions for the subsequent evolution of collaborative communication and cultural learning. PMID:25551149

  20. Collaboration amongst clinical nursing leadership teams: a mixed-methods sequential explanatory study.

    PubMed

    Lamont, Scott; Brunero, Scott; Lyons, Sarah; Foster, Karlie; Perry, Lin

    2015-11-01

    To explore intra-professional collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams at a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney. Effective working within a wide network of alliances is critical to patient outcomes. An understanding of collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams is essential within this context. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used. The Collaborative Behaviour scale was sent to 106 Nurse Unit Managers, Nurse Educators and Clinical Nurse Consultants to measure pairwise collaborative behaviours; two follow-up focus groups with 15 participants were conducted. Data were collected between May 2012 and May 2013. A thematic analysis of focus group data provided a detailed explanation of the questionnaire findings. The findings identified high collaboration between dyad groups. Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) professional role and expectations; with sub-themes of transparency and clarity of individual roles; and intra/interpersonal aspects of role functioning; and (2) organisational infrastructure and governance. These leadership teams can be effective and powerful vehicles for change and are central to optimum patient outcomes. Organisational strategic planning and evaluation can benefit from understanding how to promote collaborative behaviours in these nurse leaders. To date, little research has explored collaboration amongst nursing leadership teams. Successful collaboration may contribute to the efficient use of nursing resources; improve patient outcomes, and ultimately, nurse satisfaction and retention. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and emergence of collective memory: Influence of emotional valence, group structure, and information distribution.

    PubMed

    Choi, Hae-Yoon; Kensinger, Elizabeth A; Rajaram, Suparna

    2017-09-01

    Social transmission of memory and its consequence on collective memory have generated enduring interdisciplinary interest because of their widespread significance in interpersonal, sociocultural, and political arenas. We tested the influence of 3 key factors-emotional salience of information, group structure, and information distribution-on mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and collective memory. Participants individually studied emotionally salient (negative or positive) and nonemotional (neutral) picture-word pairs that were completely shared, partially shared, or unshared within participant triads, and then completed 3 consecutive recalls in 1 of 3 conditions: individual-individual-individual (control), collaborative-collaborative (identical group; insular structure)-individual, and collaborative-collaborative (reconfigured group; diverse structure)-individual. Collaboration enhanced negative memories especially in insular group structure and especially for shared information, and promoted collective forgetting of positive memories. Diverse group structure reduced this negativity effect. Unequally distributed information led to social contagion that creates false memories; diverse structure propagated a greater variety of false memories whereas insular structure promoted confidence in false recognition and false collective memory. A simultaneous assessment of network structure, information distribution, and emotional valence breaks new ground to specify how network structure shapes the spread of negative memories and false memories, and the emergence of collective memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Collaborative Testing Improves Performance but Not Content Retention in a Large-Enrollment Introductory Biology Class

    PubMed Central

    Leight, Hayley; Saunders, Cheston; Calkins, Robin; Withers, Michelle

    2012-01-01

    Collaborative testing has been shown to improve performance but not always content retention. In this study, we investigated whether collaborative testing could improve both performance and content retention in a large, introductory biology course. Students were semirandomly divided into two groups based on their performances on exam 1. Each group contained equal numbers of students scoring in each grade category (“A”–“F”) on exam 1. All students completed each of the four exams of the semester as individuals. For exam 2, one group took the exam a second time in small groups immediately following the individually administered test. The other group followed this same format for exam 3. Individual and group exam scores were compared to determine differences in performance. All but exam 1 contained a subset of cumulative questions from the previous exam. Performances on the cumulative questions for exams 3 and 4 were compared for the two groups to determine whether there were significant differences in content retention. Even though group test scores were significantly higher than individual test scores, students who participated in collaborative testing performed no differently on cumulative questions than students who took the previous exam as individuals. PMID:23222835

  3. The Collaborative Compact: Operating Principles Lay the Groundwork for Successful Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garmston, Robert J.; Zimmerman, Diane P.

    2013-01-01

    Leaders often have common complaints about managing meetings and feel thwarted by attempts to collaborate. Teachers feel that time spent on collaboration is often wasted because of poor meeting management. Leaders can accelerate collaboration by creating collaborative compacts. A collaborative compact is a set of accords about how a group will…

  4. Classroom management of situated group learning: A research study of two teaching strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smeh, Kathy; Fawns, Rod

    2000-06-01

    Although peer-based work is encouraged by theories in developmental psychology and although classroom interventions suggest it is effective, there are grounds for recognising that young pupils find collaborative learning hard to sustain. Discontinuities in collaborative skill during development have been suggested as one interpretation. Theory and research have neglected situational continuities that the teacher may provide in management of formal and informal collaborations. This experimental study, with the collaboration of the science faculty in one urban secondary college, investigated the effect of two role attribution strategies on communication in peer groups of different gender composition in three parallel Year 8 science classes. The group were set a problem that required them to design an experiment to compare the thermal insulating properties of two different materials. This presents the data collected and key findings, and reviews the findings from previous parallel studies that have employed the same research design in different school settings. The results confirm the effectiveness of social role attribution strategies in teacher management of communication in peer-based work.

  5. How do students implement collaborative testing in real-world contexts?

    PubMed

    Wissman, Kathryn T; Rawson, Katherine A

    2016-01-01

    Recent research has explored the effects of collaborative testing, showing costs and benefits during learning and for subsequent memory. However, no prior research is informative about whether and how students use collaborative testing in real-world contexts. Accordingly, the primary purpose of the current research was to explore the extent to which students use collaborative testing during self-regulated learning. We conducted three surveys (n = 692 across three samples) asking students about their use of collaborative testing, with a particular interest in conditions under which students report implementing collaborative testing. Among the key outcomes, a majority of students reported using collaborative testing when studying in a group. Additionally, students reported that key term definitions are the material most often used during collaborative testing. Students are also more motivated to use testing and believe testing is more effective and more fun when implemented in a group versus alone. Outcomes also shed light on metacognitive components of collaborative testing, with the student asking (versus answering) the question making the monitoring judgement whereas both students make the control decision about when to terminate practice. We discuss ways in which the collaborative memory literature can be extended to support more successful student learning.

  6. An approach to integrating interprofessional education in collaborative mental health care.

    PubMed

    Curran, Vernon; Heath, Olga; Adey, Tanis; Callahan, Terrance; Craig, David; Hearn, Taryn; White, Hubert; Hollett, Ann

    2012-03-01

    This article describes an evaluation of a curriculum approach to integrating interprofessional education (IPE) in collaborative mental health practice across the pre- to post-licensure continuum of medical education. A systematic evaluation of IPE activities was conducted, utilizing a combination of evaluation study designs, including: pretest-posttest control group; one-group pre-test-post-test; and one-shot case study. Participant satisfaction, attitudes toward teamwork, and self-reported teamwork abilities were key evaluative outcome measures. IPE in collaborative mental health practice was well received at both the pre- and post-licensure levels. Satisfaction scores were very high, and students, trainees, and practitioners welcomed the opportunity to learn about collaboration in the context of mental health. Medical student satisfaction increased significantly with the introduction of standardized patients (SPs) as an interprofessional learning method. Medical students and faculty reported that experiential learning in practice-based settings is a key component of effective approaches to IPE implementation. At a post-licensure level, practitioners reported significant improvement in attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration in mental health care after participation in IPE. IPE in collaborative mental health is feasible, and mental health settings offer practical and useful learning experiences for students, trainees, and practitioners in interprofessional collaboration.

  7. The social integration of healthcare agency workers in long-term care facilities: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Lapalme, Marie-Ève; Doucet, Olivier

    2018-06-01

    Patient care quality is a key concern for long-term care facilities and is directly related to effective collaboration between healthcare professionals. The use of agency staff in long-term care facilities creates important challenges in terms of coordination and communication within work units. The purpose of this study is to assess the mediating effect of common in-group identity in the relationship between permanent employees' perceptions regarding the use of agency workers -namely distributive justice, perceptions of threat, perceived similarities with agency workers, and leader inclusiveness toward agency staff- and the permanent employees' adoption of collaborative behaviours. Cross-sectional study. Three long-term care facilities. 290 regular healthcare employees (nurses and care attendants). Data were obtained through questionnaires filled out by employees. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation analyses. The results showed the indirect effects of perceived distributive justice, perceived similarity and leader inclusiveness toward agency workers on permanent employees' cooperation behaviours through common group identification. Perceptions of threat were not related to common group identification or collaborative behaviours. The results also showed that common in-group identification is related to cooperation behaviours only for employees without previous experience as agency workers. This study suggests that permanent healthcare employees who feel they are fairly compensated relative to agency workers, who consider these workers as similar to them, and who believe their supervisor appreciates agency workers' contributions tend to develop a common in-group identity, which fosters collaborative behaviours. Managers of long-term care facilities who wish to foster collaboration among their blended workforce should thus create an environment conducive of a more inclusive identity, particularly if their employees have no previous experience as agency workers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The Role of Collective Efficacy, Cognitive Quality, and Task Cohesion in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Shu-Ling; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

    2012-01-01

    Research has suggested that CSCL environments contain fewer social context clues, resulting in various group processes, performance or motivation. This study thus attempts to explore the relationship among collective efficacy, group processes (i.e. task cohesion, cognitive quality) and collaborative performance in a CSCL environment. A total of 75…

  9. Parent and Teacher Perspectives in Collaborative Concepts of Therapeutic Programs for Students with ADHD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chaimaha, Napalai; Chinchai, Supaporn

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore parents' and teachers' perspectives in collaborative concepts of therapeutic programs for students with ADHD. The qualitative data was collected from three focus group discussions based on Future Search Conference (FSC) method, and was analyzed for themes. Participants in the separate groups--the parent…

  10. Collaborative Learning and Positive Experiences: Does Letting Students Choose Their Own Groups Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ciani, Keith D.; Summers, Jessica J.; Easter, Matthew A.; Sheldon, Kennon M.

    2008-01-01

    This study used self-determination theory as a framework to examine the relationship between choice regarding group membership and student motivation within classrooms that use collaborative learning as an instructional tool. Data were collected from over 500 students across seven classrooms from a large university in the Midwestern United States.…

  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. Learning from the Periphery in a Collaborative Robotics Workshop for Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Florence R.; Keith, Kevin; Wilson, Nicholas C.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates how students who are peripherally positioned in computer science-based, collaborative group work meaningfully engage with the group activity in order to learn. Our research took place in the context of a one-day, all-girl robotics workshop, in which the participants were learning to program robotic devices. A total of 17…

  13. Using Wikis for Online Group Projects: Student and Tutor Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kear, Karen; Donelan, Helen; Williams, Judith

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a study of the use of wikis to support online group projects in two courses at the UK Open University. The research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a wiki in supporting (i) student collaboration and (ii) tutors' marking of the students' collaborative work. The paper uses the main factors previously identified by the…

  14. The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Working Group: 15 years of collaborative focal species research and management

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Simons, Theodore R.

    2017-01-01

    The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Working Group formed spontaneously in 2001 as coastal waterbird biologists recognized the potential for American Oystercatchers to serve as focal species for collaborative research and management. Accomplishments over the past 15 years include the establishment of rangewide surveys, color-banding protocols, mark-resight studies, a revision of the Birds of North America species account, and new mechanisms for sharing ideas and data. Collaborations among State, Federal, and private sector scientists, natural resource managers, and dedicated volunteers have provided insights into the biology and conservation of American Oystercatchers in the United States and abroad that would not have been possible without the relationships formed through the Working Group. These accomplishments illustrate how broad collaborative approaches and the engagement of the public are key elements of effective shorebird conservation programs.

  15. Collaboration between general practitioners and mental health care professionals: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Fredheim, Terje; Danbolt, Lars J; Haavet, Ole R; Kjønsberg, Kari; Lien, Lars

    2011-05-23

    Collaboration between general practice and mental health care has been recognised as necessary to provide good quality healthcare services to people with mental health problems. Several studies indicate that collaboration often is poor, with the result that patient' needs for coordinated services are not sufficiently met, and that resources are inefficiently used. An increasing number of mental health care workers should improve mental health services, but may complicate collaboration and coordination between mental health workers and other professionals in the treatment chain. The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate strengths and weaknesses in today's collaboration, and to suggest improvements in the interaction between General Practitioners (GPs) and specialised mental health service. This paper presents a qualitative focus group study with data drawn from six groups and eight group sessions with 28 health professionals (10 GPs, 12 nurses, and 6 physicians doing post-doctoral training in psychiatry), all working in the same region and assumed to make professional contact with each other. GPs and mental health professionals shared each others expressions of strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvement in today's collaboration. Strengths in today's collaboration were related to common consultations between GPs and mental health professionals, and when GPs were able to receive advice about diagnostic treatment dilemmas. Weaknesses were related to the GPs' possibility to meet mental health professionals, and lack of mutual knowledge in mental health services. The results describe experiences and importance of interpersonal knowledge, mutual accessibility and familiarity with existing systems and resources. There is an agreement between GPs and mental health professionals that services will improve with shared knowledge about patients through systematic collaborative services, direct cell-phone lines to mental health professionals and allocated times for telephone consultation. GPs and mental health professionals experience collaboration as important. GPs are the gate-keepers to specialised health care, and lack of collaboration seems to create problems for GPs, mental health professionals, and for the patients. Suggestions for improvement included identification of situations that could increase mutual knowledge, and make it easier for GPs to reach the right mental health care professional when needed.

  16. Framing Collaborative Behaviors: Listening and Speaking in Problem-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Remedios, Louisa; Clarke, David; Hawthorne, Lesleyanne

    2008-01-01

    PBL is described as small-group collaborative learning; however, literature on how collaboration is enacted in PBL contexts is limited. A two-year ethnographic study examined the experiences and responses of Asian students to the obligations of PBL in a Western context. Participant-observation, videotape data, and video-stimulated recall…

  17. Small Group Dynamics in Cross-Cultural Collaborative Field Research: Voices from the Field

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Karen A.; Gahungu, Athanase

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine (a) factors that influence effective cross-cultural collaboration, and (b) challenges and issues that face researchers in cross-cultural collaboration. During the summer of 2010, 20 researchers and student interns from Ghana Education Service, Chicago State University (CSU-USA), Winneba University of…

  18. Discursive Construction of Social Presence and Identity Positions in an International Bilingual Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Ute

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the discursive construction of social presence and identity in a bilingual collaboration between tertiary distance learners of German in New Zealand and Academic English students in Germany. Drawing on positioning theory, this small-scale study investigated the collaborative practices of a group of students, whose synchronous…

  19. Collaborative Writing Tasks in the L2 Classroom: Comparing Group, Pair, and Individual Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobao, Ana Fernandez

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the benefits of collaborative writing tasks. Previous research from the perspective of the sociocultural theory of mind suggests that writing tasks completed in pairs offer learners an opportunity to collaborate in the solution of their language-related problems, co-construct new language knowledge, and produce…

  20. 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…

  1. Social Regulation of Learning During Collaborative Inquiry Learning in Science: How does it emerge and what are its functions?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ucan, Serkan; Webb, Mary

    2015-10-01

    Students' ability to regulate their learning is considered important for the quality of collaborative inquiry learning. However, there is still limited understanding about how students engage in social forms of regulation processes and what roles these regulatory processes may play during collaborative learning. The purpose of this study was to identify when and how co- and shared regulation of metacognitive, emotional and motivational processes emerge and function during collaborative inquiry learning in science. Two groups of three students (aged 12) from a private primary school in Turkey were videotaped during collaborative inquiry activities in a naturalistic classroom setting over a seven-week period, and the transcripts were analysed in order to identify their use of regulation processes. Moreover, this was combined with the analysis of stimulated-recall interviews with the student groups. Results indicated that co- and shared regulation processes were often initiated by particular events and played a crucial role in the success of students' collaborative inquiry learning. Co-regulation of metacognitive processes had the function of stimulating students to reflect upon and clarify their thinking, as well as facilitating the construction of new scientific understanding. Shared regulation of metacognitive processes helped students to build a shared understanding of the task, clarify and justify their shared perspective, and sustain the ongoing knowledge co-construction. Moreover, the use of shared emotional and motivational regulation was identified as important for sustaining reciprocal interactions and creating a positive socio-emotional atmosphere within the groups. In addition, the findings revealed links between the positive quality of group interactions and the emergence of co- and shared regulation of metacognitive processes. This study highlights the importance of fostering students' acquisition and use of regulation processes during collaborative inquiry learning.

  2. ["Group" and organization: a dimension of collaboration of anthropology and epidemiology].

    PubMed

    Song, Lei-ming; Wang, Ning

    2012-04-01

    "Group" is a key concept in epidemiological research and "organization" is a core concept in anthropology. Group takes focus on the specific characteristics of the subjects, while organization takes focus on the relationship between the objects. For the characteristics and relationship of the objects that interacting with each other, the two concepts could be complementary in specific studies, and this will be the basic dimension of Interdisciplinary collaboration of anthropology and epidemiology.

  3. Student involvement in learning: Collaboration in science for PreService elementary teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roychoudhury, Anita; Roth, Wolff-Michael

    1992-03-01

    The present study provided insights regarding the interactions that take place in collaborative science laboratory and regarding the outcome of such interactions. Science laboratory experiences structured by teachers have been criticized for allowing very little, if any, meaningful learning. However, this study showed that even structured laboratory experiments can provide insightful experience for students when conducted in a group setting that demanded interactive participation from all its members. The findings of the present study underscored the synergistic and supportive nature of collaborative groups. Here, students patiently repeated explanations to support the meaning construction on the part of their slower peers and elaborated their own understanding in the process; groups negotiated the meaning of observations and the corresponding theoretical explanations; students developed and practiced a range of social skills necessary in today’s workplace; and off-task behavior was thwarted by the group members motivated to work toward understanding rather than simply generating answers for task completion. The current findings suggest an increased use of collaborative learning environments for the teaching of science to elementary education majors. Some teachers have already made use of such settings in their laboratory teaching. However, collaborative learning should not be limited to the laboratory only, but be extended to more traditionally structured classes. The effects of such a switch in activity structures, increased quality of peer interaction, mastery of subject matter content, and decreased anxiety levels could well lead to better attitudes toward science among preservice elementary school teachers and eventually among their own students.

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. The influence of multiple trials and computer-mediated communication on collaborative and individual semantic recall.

    PubMed

    Hinds, Joanne M; Payne, Stephen J

    2018-04-01

    Collaborative inhibition is a phenomenon where collaborating groups experience a decrement in recall when interacting with others. Despite this, collaboration has been found to improve subsequent individual recall. We explore these effects in semantic recall, which is seldom studied in collaborative retrieval. We also examine "parallel CMC", a synchronous form of computer-mediated communication that has previously been found to improve collaborative recall [Hinds, J. M., & Payne, S. J. (2016). Collaborative inhibition and semantic recall: Improving collaboration through computer-mediated communication. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 30(4), 554-565]. Sixty three triads completed a semantic recall task, which involved generating words beginning with "PO" or "HE" across three recall trials, in one of three retrieval conditions: Individual-Individual-Individual (III), Face-to-face-Face-to-Face-Individual (FFI) and Parallel-Parallel-Individual (PPI). Collaborative inhibition was present across both collaborative conditions. Individual recall in Recall 3 was higher when participants had previously collaborated in comparison to recalling three times individually. There was no difference between face-to-face and parallel CMC recall, however subsidiary analyses of instance repetitions and subjective organisation highlighted differences in group members' approaches to recall in terms of organisation and attention to others' contributions. We discuss the implications of these findings in relation to retrieval strategy disruption.

  7. Publicly reported quality-of-care measures influenced Wisconsin physician groups to improve performance

    PubMed Central

    Lamb, Geoffrey C.; Smith, Maureen; Weeks, William B.; Queram, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Public reporting of performance on quality measures is increasingly common but little is known about the impact, especially among physician groups. The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (Collaborative) is a voluntary consortium of physician groups which has publicly reported quality measures since 2004, providing an opportunity to study the effect of this effort on participating groups. Analyses included member performance on 14 ambulatory measures from 2004–2009, a survey regarding reporting and its relationship to improvement efforts, and use of Medicare billing data to independently compare Collaborative members to the rest of Wisconsin, neighboring states and the rest of the United States. Faced with limited resources, groups prioritized their efforts based on the nature of the measure and their performance compared to others. The outcomes demonstrated that public reporting was associated with improvement in health quality and that large physician group practices will engage in improvement efforts in response. PMID:23459733

  8. The Globalization of Cooperative Groups.

    PubMed

    Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W; Dancey, Janet E; Wickerham, D Lawrence; Horvath, L Elise; Perez, Edith A; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D

    2015-10-01

    The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a longstanding history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the US-based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the United States, and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the United States or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the United States and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to US policies that restrict drug distribution outside the United States. This article serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The Globalization of Cooperative Groups

    PubMed Central

    Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W.; Dancey, Janet E.; Wickerham, D. Lawrence; Horvath, L. Elise; Perez, Edith A.; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M.; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D.

    2015-01-01

    The National Cancer Institute-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a long-standing history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the U.S. based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the U.S., and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the U.S. or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the U.S. and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to U.S. policies that restrict drug distribution outside the U.S. This manuscript serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. PMID:26433551

  10. 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.

  11. Meeting the challenges of chronic illness: a nurse-led collaborative community care program in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sindhu, Siriorn; Pholpet, Chennet; Puttapitukpol, Somjai

    2010-01-01

    Chronic illness is of concern to health care systems globally. Although a significant evidence base supports the concept of nurse-led interventions, less data is available to address unique features of health care systems in the developing world. The purpose of this study aimed to undertake preliminary testing of an intervention of nurse-led community care program, the Network Collaborative Action Plan (N-CAP), to assess the impact on disease severity and patient satisfaction. A quasi-experimental study, using historical controls, evaluated a collaborative nurse-led intervention to promote coordination and continuity of care for patients with chronic illness. Participants, diagnosed with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) were recruited. Prospective consecutive patient meeting the study criteria (n=47) were assigned into the control group and following development and implementation of the intervention eligible consenting patients were enrolled in the experimental group (n=44). Participants in the experimental group had significantly tower scores on severity of disease measurements during the third week (F = 4.61, p = 0.035) and the eighth week hospital (F = 4.30, p = .041) following hospital discharge than those in the control group. Participants in the experimental group expressed significantly higher scores on satisfaction with community care than those in the control group. A nurse-led, collaboratively developed program has potential to improve satisfaction and decrease symptom development in people with chronic illnesses in Thailand.

  12. The Self-Formation of Collaborative Groups in a Problem Based Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present "the three steps method" of the self-formation of collaborative groups in a problem-based learning environment. The self-formation of collaborative groups is based on sharing of accountability among students for solving instructional problems. The steps of the method are planning collaborative problem…

  13. Creating in the Collective: Dialogue, Collaboration, and the Search for Understanding in the Jazz Small Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Branker, Anthony Daniel John

    2010-01-01

    What would happen if college students involved in jazz small group performance were given the opportunity to be musically independent and self-directed while working in their own collaborative space? What sorts of things would they experience? What kind of learning space would they create for themselves? The purpose of this study was to…

  14. The Insiders' Perspectives: A Focus Group Study on Gender Issues in a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huynh, Minh Q.; Lee, Jae-Nam; Schuldt, Barbara A.

    2005-01-01

    There is little doubt that the advent of collaborative technologies in recent years has brought some significant changes in the way students learn, communicate, and interact with one another. In recent years, this emergence has sparked increased interest for research into the role and impact of instructional technologies on group learning. Despite…

  15. An Examination of How Middle School Science Teachers Conduct Collaborative Inquiry and Reflection about Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Todd-Gibson, Christine

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the…

  16. An Examination of How Middle School Science Teachers Conduct Collaborative Inquiry and Reflection about Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Todd-Gibson, Christine

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the…

  17. Predicting User Acceptance of Collaborative Technologies: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model for E-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheung, Ronnie; Vogel, Doug

    2013-01-01

    Collaborative technologies support group work in project-based environments. In this study, we enhance the technology acceptance model to explain the factors that influence the acceptance of Google Applications for collaborative learning. The enhanced model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from 136 students enrolled in a…

  18. The Brink of Change: Gender in Technology-Rich Collaborative Learning Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldstein, Jessica; Puntambekar, Sadhana

    2004-12-01

    This study was designed to contribute to a small but growing body of knowledge on the influence of gender in technology-rich collaborative learning environments. The study examined middle school students' attitudes towards using computers and working in groups during scientific inquiry. Students' attitudes towards technology and group work were analyzed using questionnaires. To add depth to the findings from the survey research, the role of gender was also investigated through the analysis of student conversations in the context of two activities: exploring science information on a hypertext text and conducting hands-on investigations. The data suggest that not only are girls and boys are similar with regard to attitudes about computers and group work, but that during collaborative learning activities, girls may actually participate more actively and persistently regardless of the nature of the task.

  19. The effects of collaboration and minimal-group membership on children's prosocial behavior, liking, affiliation, and trust.

    PubMed

    Plötner, Maria; Over, Harriet; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

    2015-11-01

    Recent theoretical work has highlighted potential links between interpersonal collaboration and group membership in the evolution of human sociality. Here we compared the effects of collaboration and minimal-group membership on young children's prosocial behavior (i.e., helping and resource allocation), liking, affiliation, and trust. In a design that matched as closely as possible these two ways of connecting with others, we showed that 5-year-olds' behavior was affected similarly by collaboration and minimal-group membership; both increased children's preference for their partners on multiple dimensions and produced overall effects of a similar magnitude. In contrast, 3.5-year-olds did not have a strong preference for either collaborators or minimal in-group members. Thus, both collaboration and minimal-group membership are similarly effective in their influence on children's prosocial behavior and social preferences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Effective Collaboration for Scaling Up Health Technologies: A Case Study of the Chlorhexidine for Umbilical Cord Care Experience

    PubMed Central

    Coffey, Patricia S; Hodgins, Steve; Bishop, Amie

    2018-01-01

    The global health field is replete with examples of cross-organizational collaborative partnerships, such as networks, alliances, coalitions, task forces, and working groups, often established to tackle a shared global health concern, condition, or threat affecting low-income countries or communities. The purpose of this article is to review factors influencing the effectiveness of a multi-agency global health collaborative effort using the Chlorhexidine Working Group (CWG) as our case study. The CWG was established to accelerate the introduction and global scale-up of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care to reduce infection-related neonatal morbidity and mortality in low-income countries. Questions included: how current and past CWG members characterized the effectiveness, productivity, collaboration, and leadership of the CWG; what factors facilitated or hindered group function; institutional or individual reasons for participating and length of participation in the CWG; and lessons that might be relevant for future global collaborative partnerships. Data were collected through in-depth, semistructured individual interviews with 19 group members and a review of key guiding documents. Six domains of internal coalition functioning (leadership, interpersonal relationships, task focus, participant benefits and costs, sustainability planning, and community support) were used to frame and describe the functioning of the CWG. Collaboration effectiveness was found to depend on: (1) leadership that maintained a careful balance between discipline and flexibility, (2) a strong secretariat structure that supported the evolution of trust and transparent communication in interpersonal relationships, (3) shared goals that allowed for task focus, (4) diverse membership and active involvement from country-level participants, which created a positive benefit-cost ratio for participants, (5) sufficient resources to support the partnership and build sustainable capacity for members to accelerate the transfer of knowledge, and (6) support from the global health community across multiple organizations. Successful introduction and scale-up of new health interventions require effective collaboration across multiple organizations and disciplines, at both global and country levels. The participatory collaborative partnership approach utilized by the Chlorhexidine Working Group offers an instructive learning case. PMID:29602871

  1. Collaborative research networks in health: a pragmatic scoping study for the development of an imaging network.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Tracy Elizabeth; Rankin, Nicole; Janssen, Anna; Mcgregor, Deborah; Grieve, Stuart; Shaw, Timothy

    2015-12-09

    Collaborative research networks are often touted as a solution for enhancing the translation of knowledge, but questions remain about how to evaluate their impact on health service delivery. This pragmatic scoping study explored the enabling factors for developing and supporting a collaborative imaging network in a metropolitan university in Australia. An advisory group was established to provide governance and to identify key informants and participants. Focus group discussions (n = 2) and semi-structured interviews (n = 22) were facilitated with representatives from a broad range of disciplines. In addition, a survey, a review of relevant websites (n = 15) and a broad review of the literature were undertaken to elicit information on collaborative research networks and perceived needs and factors that would support their involvement in a multi-disciplinary collaborative research network. Findings were de-identified and broad themes were identified. Participants identified human factors as having priority for developing and sustaining a collaborative research network. In particular, leadership, a shared vision and a communication plan that includes social media were identified as crucial for sustaining an imaging network in health research. It is important to develop metrics that map relationships between network members and the role that communication tools can contribute to this process. This study confirms that human factors remain significant across a range of collaborative endeavours. The use of focus group discussions, interviews, and literature and website reviews means we can now strongly recommend the primacy of human factors. More work is needed to identify how the network operates and what specific indicators or metrics help build the capacity of clinicians and scientists to participate in translational research.

  2. Social competence and collaborative guided inquiry science activities: Experiences of students with learning disabilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, Jennifer Anne

    This thesis presents a qualitative investigation of the effects of social competence on the participation of students with learning disabilities (LD) in the science learning processes associated with collaborative, guided inquiry learning. An inclusive Grade 2 classroom provided the setting for the study. Detailed classroom observations were the primary source of data. In addition, the researcher conducted two interviews with the teacher, and collected samples of students' written work. The purpose of the research was to investigate: (a) How do teachers and peers mediate the participation of students with LD in collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, (b) What learning processes do students with LD participate in during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, and (c) What components of social competence support and constrain the participation of students with LD during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities? The findings of the study suggest five key ideas for research and teaching in collaborative, guided inquiry science in inclusive classrooms. First, using a variety of collaborative learning formats (whole-class, small-group, and pairs) creates more opportunities for the successful participation of diverse students with LD. Second, creating an inclusive community where students feel accepted and valued may enhance the academic and social success of students with LD. Third, careful selection of partners for students with LD is important for a positive learning experience. Students with LD should be partnered with academically successful, socially competent peers; also, this study suggested that students with LD experience more success working collaboratively in pairs rather than in small groups. Fourth, a variety of strategies are needed to promote active participation and positive social interactions for students with and without LD during collaborative, guided inquiry learning. Fifth, adopting a general approach to teaching collaborative inquiry that crosses curriculum borders may enhance success of inclusive teaching practices.

  3. Students' approaches to learning in clinical interprofessional context.

    PubMed

    Hylin, Uffe; Lonka, Kirsti; Ponzer, Sari

    2011-01-01

    Health care professionals are supposed to work in teams. Students in health care need to learn how to collaborate during their undergraduate education. Interprofessional learning environments, where collaboration is necessary, may be differently accepted by students depending on their approach to learning. We investigated health care students' evaluations of interprofessional clinical training in relation to their study orientations. The participants were 369 students (40 occupational therapy-, 85 medical-, 52 physiotherapy-, and 192 nursing students) attending an IPE course at a Swedish University Hospital. Data were collected by questionnaires measuring orientations to studying and attitudes towards the clinical training and the IPE concept before and after the training. The response rate was 77 %. Study groups were formed by a cluster analysis on the basis of the students' learning orientations. Three clusters were found: Low collaboration-, Collaborative Constructivist-, and Cookbook groups. These clusters were related to different professions and how students perceived their interprofessional learning environment. Study orientations appear to play a role in the way students evaluate interprofessional training. This should be taken into account in instruction. Students with a 'Cookbook' approach to learning showed an increased understanding of interprofessional collaboration after the course.

  4. “Going Episodic”: Collaborative Inhibition and Facilitation When Long-Married Couples Remember Together

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Celia B.; Barnier, Amanda J.; Sutton, John; Keil, Paul G.; Dixon, Roger A.

    2017-01-01

    Two complementary approaches to the study of collaborative remembering have produced contrasting results. In the experimental “collaborative recall” approach within cognitive psychology, collaborative remembering typically results in ‘collaborative inhibition’: laboratory groups recall fewer items than their estimated potential. In the cognitive ageing approach, collaborative remembering with a partner or spouse may provide cuing and support to benefit older adults’ performance on everyday memory tasks. To combine the value of experimental and cognitive ageing approaches, we tested the effects of collaborative remembering in older, long-married couples who recalled a non-personal word list and a personal semantic list of shared trips. We scored amount recalled as well as the kinds of details remembered. We found evidence for collaborative inhibition across both tasks when scored strictly as number of list items recalled. However, we found collaborative facilitation of specific episodic details on the personal semantic list, details which were not strictly required for the completion of the task. In fact, there was a trade-off between recall of specific episodic details and number of trips recalled during collaboration. We discuss these results in terms of the functions of shared remembering and what constitutes memory success, particularly for intimate groups and for older adults. PMID:28071300

  5. The Radical Flank Effect and Cross-occupational Collaboration for Technology Development during a Power Shift

    PubMed Central

    Truelove, Emily; Kellogg, Katherine C.

    2016-01-01

    This 12-month ethnographic study of an early entrant into the U.S. car-sharing industry demonstrates that when an organization shifts its focus from developing radical new technology to incrementally improving this technology, the shift may spark an internal power struggle between the dominant engineering group and a challenger occupational group such as the marketing group. Analyzing 42 projects in two time periods that required collaboration between engineering and marketing during such a shift, we show how cross-occupational collaboration under these conditions can be facilitated by a radical flank threat, through which the bargaining power of moderates is strengthened by the presence of a more-radical group. In the face of a strong threat by radical members of a challenger occupational group, moderate members of the dominant engineering group may change their perceptions of their power to resist challengers’ demands and begin to distinguish between the goals of radical versus more-moderate challengers. To maintain as much power as possible and prevent the more-dramatic change in engineering occupational goals demanded by radical challengers, moderate engineers may build a coalition with moderate challengers and collaborate for incremental technology development. PMID:28424533

  6. The Radical Flank Effect and Cross-occupational Collaboration for Technology Development during a Power Shift.

    PubMed

    Truelove, Emily; Kellogg, Katherine C

    2016-12-01

    This 12-month ethnographic study of an early entrant into the U.S. car-sharing industry demonstrates that when an organization shifts its focus from developing radical new technology to incrementally improving this technology, the shift may spark an internal power struggle between the dominant engineering group and a challenger occupational group such as the marketing group. Analyzing 42 projects in two time periods that required collaboration between engineering and marketing during such a shift, we show how cross-occupational collaboration under these conditions can be facilitated by a radical flank threat, through which the bargaining power of moderates is strengthened by the presence of a more-radical group. In the face of a strong threat by radical members of a challenger occupational group, moderate members of the dominant engineering group may change their perceptions of their power to resist challengers' demands and begin to distinguish between the goals of radical versus more-moderate challengers. To maintain as much power as possible and prevent the more-dramatic change in engineering occupational goals demanded by radical challengers, moderate engineers may build a coalition with moderate challengers and collaborate for incremental technology development.

  7. 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…

  8. Aggregation Trade Offs in Family Based Recommendations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berkovsky, Shlomo; Freyne, Jill; Coombe, Mac

    Personalized information access tools are frequently based on collaborative filtering recommendation algorithms. Collaborative filtering recommender systems typically suffer from a data sparsity problem, where systems do not have sufficient user data to generate accurate and reliable predictions. Prior research suggested using group-based user data in the collaborative filtering recommendation process to generate group-based predictions and partially resolve the sparsity problem. Although group recommendations are less accurate than personalized recommendations, they are more accurate than general non-personalized recommendations, which are the natural fall back when personalized recommendations cannot be generated. In this work we present initial results of a study that exploits the browsing logs of real families of users gathered in an eHealth portal. The browsing logs allowed us to experimentally compare the accuracy of two group-based recommendation strategies: aggregated group models and aggregated predictions. Our results showed that aggregating individual models into group models resulted in more accurate predictions than aggregating individual predictions into group predictions.

  9. Older adults catch up to younger adults on a learning and memory task that involves collaborative social interaction.

    PubMed

    Derksen, B J; Duff, M C; Weldon, K; Zhang, J; Zamba, K D; Tranel, D; Denburg, N L

    2015-01-01

    Learning and memory abilities tend to decline as people age. The current study examines the question of whether a learning situation that emphasises collaborative social interaction might help older persons overcome age-related learning and memory changes and thus perform similarly to younger persons. Younger and Older participants (n = 34 in each group) completed the Barrier Task (BT), a game-like social interaction where partners work together to develop labels for a set of abstract tangrams. Participants were also administered standard clinical neuropsychological measures of memory, on which the Older group showed expected inferiority to the Younger group. On the BT, the Older group performed less well than the Younger group early on, but as the task progressed, the performance of the Older group caught up and became statistically indistinguishable from that of the Younger group. These results can be taken to suggest that a learning milieu characterised by collaborative social interaction can attenuate some of the typical memory disadvantages associated with being older.

  10. Collaborative remembering in older adults: age-invariant outcomes in the context of episodic recall deficits.

    PubMed

    Henkel, Linda A; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-09-01

    Rapidly growing research reveals complex yet systematic consequences of collaboration on memory in young adults, but much less is known about this phenomenon in older adults. Young and older adults studied a list of categorized words and took three successive recall tests. Test 1 and 3 were always taken individually, and Test 2 was done either in triads or alone. Despite older adults recalling less overall than young adults, both age groups exhibited similar costs and benefits of collaboration: Collaboration reduced both correct and false recall during collaborative remembering, was associated with more positive beliefs about its value, and produced reminiscence, collective memory, and some forgetting in its cascading effects on postcollaborative recall. We examine the role of retrieval organization in these effects. As environmental support may play a substantial role in healthy aging, the relatively preserved effects of collaboration on memory in older adults hold promise for testing judicious uses of group remembering in aging.

  11. Including the kids across the hall: collaborative instruction of hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing students.

    PubMed

    Gaustad, M

    1999-01-01

    This study follows graduate interns and their cooperating teachers through a collaborative student teaching experience in D/HH and hearing classrooms at the same grade level. Teacher teams, enrolled in a graduate course on collaboration, designed and conducted collaborative instruction (K-junior high school level), which focused on cooperative learning activities. Measures included student evaluations and separate intern and teacher evaluations of student performance, the integrated instructional units, and professional collaboration. Student evaluations included positive responses to integrated instruction by both groups, though there was more trepidation expressed by some D/HH students. Teachers reported very positive outcomes for all students including increased motivation to learn about and to interact with the other group and, for D/HH students, an increase in socially and academically appropriate behaviors. Specific student needs for training prior to integrated experiences were noted. Teachers stressed the importance of topic selections that would involve the expertise of all participants equally, needs for teacher in-service training and, administrative support for collaborative planning.

  12. Collaboration enhances later individual memory for emotional material.

    PubMed

    Bärthel, Gwennis A; Wessel, Ineke; Huntjens, Rafaële J C; Verwoerd, Johan

    2017-05-01

    Research on collaborative remembering suggests that collaboration hampers group memory (i.e., collaborative inhibition), yet enhances later individual memory. Studies examining collaborative effects on memory for emotional stimuli are scarce, especially concerning later individual memory. In the present study, female undergraduates watched an emotional movie and recalled it either collaboratively (n = 60) or individually (n = 60), followed by an individual free recall test and a recognition test. We replicated the standard collaborative inhibition effect. Further, in line with the literature, the collaborative condition displayed better post-collaborative individual memory. More importantly, in post-collaborative free recall, the centrality of the information to the movie plot did not play an important role. Recognition rendered slightly different results. Although collaboration rendered more correct recognition for more central details, it did not enhance recognition of background details. Secondly, the collaborative and individual conditions did not differ with respect to overlap of unique correct items in free recall. Yet, during recognition former collaborators more unanimously endorsed correct answers, as well as errors. Finally, extraversion, neuroticism, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms did not moderate the influence of collaboration on memory. Implications for the fields of forensic and clinical psychology are discussed.

  13. The influence of learning methods on collaboration: prior repeated retrieval enhances retrieval organization, abolishes collaborative inhibition, and promotes post-collaborative memory.

    PubMed

    Congleton, Adam R; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-11-01

    Research on collaborative memory has unveiled the counterintuitive yet robust phenomenon that collaboration impairs group recall. A candidate explanation for this collaborative inhibition effect is the disruption of people's idiosyncratic retrieval strategies during collaboration, and it is hypothesized that employing methods that improve one's organization protects against retrieval disruption. Here it is investigated how one's learning method during the study phase--defined as either repeatedly studying or repeatedly retrieving information--influences retrieval organization and what effects this has on collaborative recall and post-collaborative individual recall. Results show that repeated retrieval consistently eliminated collaborative inhibition. This enabled participants to gain the most from re-exposure to materials recalled by their partners that they themselves did not recall and led to improvements in their individual memory following collaboration. This repeated retrieval advantage stemmed from the preferential manner in which this learning method strengthened retrieval organization. Findings are also discussed that reveal a relationship between retrieval organization and the interaction observed between learning method and short versus long delay seen in the testing effect literature. Finally, results show that the elusive benefits of cross-cuing during collaboration may be best detected with a longer study-test delay. Together, these findings illuminate when and how collaboration can enhance memory.

  14. The Effects of Mobile-Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Meta-Analysis and Critical Synthesis.

    PubMed

    Sung, Yao-Ting; Yang, Je-Ming; Lee, Han-Yueh

    2017-08-01

    One of the trends in collaborative learning is using mobile devices for supporting the process and products of collaboration, which has been forming the field of mobile-computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL). Although mobile devices have become valuable collaborative learning tools, evaluative evidence for their substantial contributions to collaborative learning is still scarce. The present meta-analysis, which included 48 peer-reviewed journal articles and doctoral dissertations written over a 16-year period (2000-2015) involving 5,294 participants, revealed that mCSCL has produced meaningful improvements for collaborative learning, with an overall mean effect size of 0.516. Moderator variables, such as domain subject, group size, teaching method, intervention duration, and reward method were related to different effect sizes. The results provided implications for future research and practice, such as suggestions on how to appropriately use the functionalities of mobile devices, how to best leverage mCSCL through effective group learning mechanisms, and what outcome variables should be included in future studies to fully elucidate the process and products of mCSCL.

  15. The Effects of Mobile-Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Meta-Analysis and Critical Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Sung, Yao-Ting; Yang, Je-Ming; Lee, Han-Yueh

    2017-01-01

    One of the trends in collaborative learning is using mobile devices for supporting the process and products of collaboration, which has been forming the field of mobile-computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL). Although mobile devices have become valuable collaborative learning tools, evaluative evidence for their substantial contributions to collaborative learning is still scarce. The present meta-analysis, which included 48 peer-reviewed journal articles and doctoral dissertations written over a 16-year period (2000–2015) involving 5,294 participants, revealed that mCSCL has produced meaningful improvements for collaborative learning, with an overall mean effect size of 0.516. Moderator variables, such as domain subject, group size, teaching method, intervention duration, and reward method were related to different effect sizes. The results provided implications for future research and practice, such as suggestions on how to appropriately use the functionalities of mobile devices, how to best leverage mCSCL through effective group learning mechanisms, and what outcome variables should be included in future studies to fully elucidate the process and products of mCSCL. PMID:28989193

  16. 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…

  17. Collaboration Indices for Monitoring Potential Problems in Online Small Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jahng, Namsook

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to test the validity and reliability of three collaboration indices ("quantity", "equality", "and shareness") proposed by Jahng et al. (2010). The present study repeated the quantitative assessment of Jahng et al., and performed a further qualitative analysis to identify possible factors…

  18. Collaborative Planning in Process: An Ethnomethodological Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Josephine; Burch, Alfred Rue

    2017-01-01

    Following Ellis's (2005) call for more social and process-oriented planning research, this study explores how learners approach collaborative planning tasks in the classroom as a locally contingent activity in situ. Drawing on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, the present study focuses on a group planning stage that precedes the final…

  19. Quantitative Approach to Collaborative Learning: Performance Prediction, Individual Assessment, and Group Composition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cen, Ling; Ruta, Dymitr; Powell, Leigh; Hirsch, Benjamin; Ng, Jason

    2016-01-01

    The benefits of collaborative learning, although widely reported, lack the quantitative rigor and detailed insight into the dynamics of interactions within the group, while individual contributions and their impacts on group members and their collaborative work remain hidden behind joint group assessment. To bridge this gap we intend to address…

  20. An Ontology Engineering Approach to the Realization of Theory-Driven Group Formation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isotani, Seiji; Inaba, Akiko; Ikeda, Mitsuru; Mizoguchi, Riichiro

    2009-01-01

    One of the main difficulties during the design of collaborative learning activities is adequate group formation. In any type of collaboration, group formation plays a critical role in the learners' acceptance of group activities, as well as the success of the collaborative learning process. Nevertheless, to propose both an effective and…

  1. Investigating the experiences in a school-based occupational therapy program to inform community-based paediatric occupational therapy practice.

    PubMed

    Rens, Lezahn; Joosten, Annette

    2014-06-01

    A collaborative approach with teachers is required when providing community-based occupational therapy to educationally at risk children. Collaborators share common goals and interact and support each other but challenges arise in providing collaborative occupational therapy in settings outside the school environment. The aim of this study was to capture experiences of teachers and occupational therapists working within a school-based occupational therapy program to determine if their experiences could inform collaborative practice. In this pilot study, participant responses to questionnaires (n = 32) about their experiences formed the basis for focus groups and individual interviews. Two focus group were conducted, one with teachers (n = 11) and one with occupational therapy participants (n = 6). Individual interviews were conducted with the supervising occupational therapist, school principal and two leading teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data from closed questions, and thematic analysis using a constant comparison approach was used to analyse open ended questions, focus groups and interviews. Three main themes emerged: (i) the need for occupational therapists to spend time in the school, to explain their role, build relationships, understand classroom routines and the teacher role; (ii) occupational therapists need to not see themselves as the expert but develop equal partnerships to set collaborative goals and (iii) occupational therapists advocating for all parties to be informed throughout the occupational therapy process. The pilot study findings identified teacher and therapist experiences within the school setting that could inform improved collaborative practice with teachers and community-based occupational therapists and these findings warrant further investigation. © 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  2. Preparation for teacher collaboration in inclusive classrooms - stress reduction for special education students via acceptance and commitment training: A controlled study.

    PubMed

    Pülschen, Simone; Pülschen, Dietrich

    2015-01-01

    The education system in Germany is beginning to witness a sea change, lately, owing to the country's ratification of the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The enactment is aiming at making provision for special education teachers to share the same teaching platform and institution with other teachers for teaching children from all backgrounds, irrespective of their needs. While promoting the benefits of collaborative teaching, this provision would also effectively establish role demarcation among teachers. However, the level of participation and adaptiveness displayed by individual teachers would play a major role in determining the success or failure of the intended collaborative framework. Collaboration also becomes challenging due to the level of stress involved in the teaching profession. The fact that only 65 % of teachers in Germany reach retirement age while still in service, primarily due to psychiatric illness, has posed questions on adopting the collaborative framework for teachers from diverse backgrounds. In other words, it can be stated that the process of collaborating with teachers from different professional backgrounds and with varying levels of skills will potentially lead to further stress. The stress-related psychological states, developed through the collaborative processes, might affect the biological stress-response systems of the participating teachers. With stress-response contributing directly to the pathogenesis of stress-related diseases and disorders in the long term, it would be important to contain the ripple effect of collaborative framework that the enactment intends to establish between SEN (special educational needs) teachers and others. In addition to impacting the long-term health of teachers, the collaborative framework is also suggestive of having similar effects on students studying special education (SEN students). A study was conducted to examine the stress levels associated with the collaborative framework. An expression in terms of two (group affiliation) × 2 (measurement time) between subjects design was implemented to examine the effects of an Acceptance and Commitment Training on the subjective tension of a sample (N = 68) of SEN students. The sample was split into an intervention and a control group (IG and CG). The effects of the training on collaborative competence were examined using the Chi-square test. Questionnaire and role plays were used to assess the collaborative competence and the subjective tension. The participants had significant stress levels and displayed an uncooperative attitude during the initial assessment. However, these results reversed after the Acceptance and Commitment Training. Significant decrease in stress levels and improved cooperation were evident among the participants in the intervention group, as opposed to the participants of the control group. The findings of this study show that the Acceptance and Commitment Training is an appropriate medium to establish and develop collaboration skills, and an effective technique to reduce high levels of subjective stress. Furthermore, the training evaluation and feedback indicate that it is well-accepted by all participants. The training is also endorsed as a practically relevant medium to help SEN students collaborate and combat stress.

  3. Effects of collaboration and inquiry on reasoning and achievement in biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jensen, Jamie Lee

    The primary purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two collaborative grouping strategies and two instructional methods in terms of gains in reasoning ability and achievement in college biology. In order to do so, a quasi-experimental study was performed in which students were placed in one of four treatment conditions: heterogeneous grouping within inquiry instruction, homogeneous grouping within inquiry instruction, heterogeneous grouping within non-inquiry instruction, and homogeneous grouping within non-inquiry instruction. Students were placed in groups based on initial reasoning level. Reasoning levels and achievement gains were assessed at the end of the study. Results showed that within non-inquiry instruction, heterogeneous mean group scores were higher in both reasoning and achievement than homogeneous groups. In contrast, within inquiry instruction, homogeneous mean group scores were higher in both reasoning and achievement. Inquiry instruction, as a whole, significantly outperformed non-inquiry instruction in the development of reasoning ability. Within inquiry instruction, low-ability students had significantly greater reasoning gains when grouped homogeneously. These results support Piaget's developmental theory and contradict Vygotsky's developmental theory. These results also suggest that the success of one grouping strategy over another is highly dependent upon the nature of instruction, which may be a cause for such conflicting views on grouping strategies within the educational literature. In addition, inquiry instruction led to students having greater confidence in their reasoning ability as well as a more positive attitude toward collaboration. Instructional implications are discussed.

  4. An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students.

    PubMed

    Khosa, Deep K; Volet, Simone E; Bolton, John R

    2010-01-01

    In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.

  5. Collaboration of chemistry instructional games and group investigation (Gi) model to improve learning outcome in high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Puspita, Ita; Sugiyarto, Kristian H.; Ikhsan, Jaslin

    2017-05-01

    The aims of this research are to: (1) develop chemistry instructional games on reaction rate matter; and (2) reveal the collaboration of chemistry instructional games and group investigation model to improvement learning outcome in high school student. This study is research and development (R&D). The procedure of developing product was adapted from Borg & Gall that modified into three principal steps: product planning, product developing, and product evaluating. The product planning step consist of field study, literature study, and manufacturing product. Product developing was developed product using Adobe Flash Professional CS 6 program. The last, product evaluating was performed by year XI of high school students, uses experimental methods nonequivalent control-group design by control class and experiment class. The results of this research show that: (1) a software of chemistry instructional games successfully developed using Adobe Flash Professional CS 6 and can be run on Android device; and (2) the test results of students showed that the collaboration of instructional games and group investigation model able to improvement learning outcome of hight school student.

  6. Collaborative learning in pre-clinical dental hygiene education.

    PubMed

    Mueller-Joseph, Laura J; Nappo-Dattoma, Luisa

    2013-04-01

    Dental hygiene education continues to move beyond mastery of content material and skill development to learning concepts that promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative learning and determine the growth in intellectual development of 54 first-year dental hygiene students. The control group used traditional pre-clinical teaching and the experimental group used collaborative pedagogy for instrument introduction. All students were subjected to a post-test evaluating their ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Intellectual development was determined using pre- and post-tests based on the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development. Student attitudes were assessed using daily Classroom Assessment Activities and an end-of-semester departmental course evaluation. Findings indicated no significant difference between collaborative learning and traditional learning in achieving pre-clinical competence as evidenced by the students' ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Advancement in intellectual development did not differ significantly between groups. Value added benefits of a collaborative learning environment as identified by the evaluation of student attitudes included decreased student reliance on authority, recognition of peers as legitimate sources of learning and increased self-confidence. A significant difference in student responses to daily classroom assessments was evident on the 5 days a collaborative learning environment was employed. Dental hygiene students involved in a pre-clinical collaborative learning environment are more responsible for their own learning and tend to have a more positive attitude toward the subject matter. Future studies evaluating collaborative learning in clinical dental hygiene education need to investigate the cost/benefit ratio of the value added outcomes of collaborative learning.

  7. Comparison of USDA Forest Service and Stakeholder Motivations and Experiences in Collaborative Federal Forest Governance in the Western United States.

    PubMed

    Davis, Emily Jane; White, Eric M; Cerveny, Lee K; Seesholtz, David; Nuss, Meagan L; Ulrich, Donald R

    2017-11-01

    In the United States, over 191 million acres of land is managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, a federal government agency. In several western U.S. states, organized collaborative groups have become a de facto governance approach to providing sustained input on management decisions on much public land. This is most extensive in Oregon, where at least 25 "forest collaboratives" currently exist. This affords excellent opportunities for studies of many common themes in collaborative governance, including trust, shared values, and perceptions of success. We undertook a statewide survey of participants in Oregon forest collaboratives to examine differences in motivations, perceptions of success, and satisfaction among Forest Service participants ("agency participants"), who made up 31% of the sample, and other respondents ("non-agency") who represent nonfederal agencies, interest groups, citizens, and non-governmental groups. We found that agency participants differed from non-agency participants. They typically had higher annual incomes, and were primarily motivated to participate to build trust. However, a majority of all respondents were similar in not indicating any other social or economic motivations as their primary reason for collaborating. A majority also reported satisfaction with their collaborative-despite not ranking collaborative performance on a number of specific potential outcomes highly. Together, this suggests that collaboration in Oregon is currently perceived as successful despite not achieving many specific outcomes. Yet there were significant differences in socioeconomic status and motivation that could affect the ability of agency and nonagency participants to develop and achieve mutually-desired goals.

  8. Who's in Charge: Role Clarity in a Midwestern Watershed Group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Floress, Kristin; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Ayres, Janet

    2011-10-01

    Studies of collaborative watershed groups show that effective leadership is an important factor for success. This research uses data from in-depth interviews and meeting observation to qualitatively examine leadership in a Midwestern collaborative watershed group operating with government funding. One major finding was a lack of role definition for volunteer steering-committee members. Lack of role clarity and decision-making processes led to confusion regarding project management authority among the group, paid project staff members, and agency personnel. Given the important role of government grants for funding projects to protect water quality, this study offers insight into leadership issues that groups with Clean Water Act Section 319 (h) funds may face and suggestions on how to resolve them.

  9. Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Progress Through Collaboration

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jun J.; Hunger, Stephen P.; Pieters, Rob; Schrappe, Martin; Biondi, Andrea; Vora, Ajay; Baruchel, André; Silverman, Lewis B.; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Escherich, Gabriele; Horibe, Keizo; Benoit, Yves C.M.; Izraeli, Shai; Yeoh, Allen Eng Juh; Liang, Der-Cherng; Downing, James R.; Evans, William E.; Relling, Mary V.; Mullighan, Charles G.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To review the impact of collaborative studies on advances in the biology and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children and adolescents. Methods A review of English literature on childhood ALL focusing on collaborative studies was performed. The resulting article was reviewed and revised by the committee chairs of the major ALL study groups. Results With long-term survival rates for ALL approaching 90% and the advent of high-resolution genome-wide analyses, several international study groups or consortia were established to conduct collaborative research to further improve outcome. As a result, treatment strategies have been improved for several subtypes of ALL, such as infant, MLL-rearranged, Philadelphia chromosome–positive, and Philadelphia chromosome–like ALL. Many recurrent genetic abnormalities that respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors and multiple genetic determinants of drug resistance and toxicities have been identified to help develop targeted therapy. Several genetic polymorphisms have been recognized that show susceptibility to developing ALL and that help explain the racial/ethnic differences in the incidence of ALL. Conclusion The information gained from collaborative studies has helped decipher the heterogeneity of ALL to help improve personalized treatment, which will further advance the current high cure rate and the quality of life for children and adolescents with ALL. PMID:26304874

  10. Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Progress Through Collaboration.

    PubMed

    Pui, Ching-Hon; Yang, Jun J; Hunger, Stephen P; Pieters, Rob; Schrappe, Martin; Biondi, Andrea; Vora, Ajay; Baruchel, André; Silverman, Lewis B; Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Escherich, Gabriele; Horibe, Keizo; Benoit, Yves C M; Izraeli, Shai; Yeoh, Allen Eng Juh; Liang, Der-Cherng; Downing, James R; Evans, William E; Relling, Mary V; Mullighan, Charles G

    2015-09-20

    To review the impact of collaborative studies on advances in the biology and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children and adolescents. A review of English literature on childhood ALL focusing on collaborative studies was performed. The resulting article was reviewed and revised by the committee chairs of the major ALL study groups. With long-term survival rates for ALL approaching 90% and the advent of high-resolution genome-wide analyses, several international study groups or consortia were established to conduct collaborative research to further improve outcome. As a result, treatment strategies have been improved for several subtypes of ALL, such as infant, MLL-rearranged, Philadelphia chromosome-positive, and Philadelphia chromosome-like ALL. Many recurrent genetic abnormalities that respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors and multiple genetic determinants of drug resistance and toxicities have been identified to help develop targeted therapy. Several genetic polymorphisms have been recognized that show susceptibility to developing ALL and that help explain the racial/ethnic differences in the incidence of ALL. The information gained from collaborative studies has helped decipher the heterogeneity of ALL to help improve personalized treatment, which will further advance the current high cure rate and the quality of life for children and adolescents with ALL. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  11. 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…

  12. Conflict management training and nurse-physician collaborative behaviors.

    PubMed

    Boone, Brenda N; King, Major L; Gresham, Louise S; Wahl, Patricia; Suh, Eunice

    2008-01-01

    Collaboration between nurses and physicians continues to be elusive although it is a desirable goal for most in health care. This study used a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the outcomes of a conflict resolution (management) training program on nurses' perception of their collaboration with the physicians with whom they work. Results showed no differences between the experimental and control groups following the intervention. Individual readiness and evaluation of the antecedents of collaboration should be determined before implementing such an intervention.

  13. Mobile Technology in Science Classrooms: Using iPad-Enabled Constructivist Learning to Promote Collaborative Problem Solving and Chemistry Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ting, Melodie Mirth G.

    Most recently, there has been a noticeable rise in the push for use of technology in the classroom. The advancement in digital science has increased greatly the capacity to explore animations, models, and interesting apps. that should substantially enhance science cognition. At the same time, there is a great need to increase collaboration in the science classroom. There is a concern that the collaborative experience will be lost with the use of technology in the classroom. This study seeks to explore the use of iPads in conjunction with a constructivist learning approach to promote student collaboration. The participants in this study included two sections of 11 th grade AP Chemistry students. Data was generated from different sources such as teacher observations of classroom interactions patterned after Gilles (2004). In order to gauge student perception of working in groups with the use of the iPad, survey questions adapted from Knezek, Mills and Wakefield (2012) and group interviews were used (Galleta, 2013). Learning outcomes were assessed using methods adapted from a study by Lord and Baviskar (2007). Findings of this study showed high percentages of evidence for increased community, productive student group communication, effective feedback through use of the iPads, and value of the interactive apps., but it also showed that students still preferred face-to-face interactions over virtual interactions for certain learning situations. The study showed good content learning outcomes, as well as favorable opinions among the students for the effectiveness of the use of iPads in collaborative settings in the classroom.

  14. The Power of a "Maverick" in Collaborative Problem Solving: An Experimental Investigation of Individual Perspective-Taking Within a Group.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Yugo

    2018-05-01

    Integrating different perspectives is a sophisticated strategy for developing constructive interactions in collaborative problem solving. However, cognitive aspects such as individuals' knowledge and bias often obscure group consensus and produce conflict. This study investigated collaborative problem solving, focusing on a group member interacting with another member having a different perspective (a "maverick"). It was predicted that mavericks might mitigate disadvantages and facilitate perspective taking during problem solving. Thus, 344 university students participated in two laboratory-based experiments by engaging in a simple rule-discovery task that raised conflicts among perspectives. They interacted with virtual partners whose conversations were controlled by multiple conversational agents. Results show that when participants interacted with a maverick during the task, they were able to take others' perspectives and integrate different perspectives to solve the problem. Moreover, when participants interacted in groups with a positive mood, groups with a maverick outperformed groups having several perspectives. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  15. Distributed Deliberative Recommender Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Recio-García, Juan A.; Díaz-Agudo, Belén; González-Sanz, Sergio; Sanchez, Lara Quijano

    Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is one of most successful applied AI technologies of recent years. Although many CBR systems reason locally on a previous experience base to solve new problems, in this paper we focus on distributed retrieval processes working on a network of collaborating CBR systems. In such systems, each node in a network of CBR agents collaborates, arguments and counterarguments its local results with other nodes to improve the performance of the system's global response. We describe D2ISCO: a framework to design and implement deliberative and collaborative CBR systems that is integrated as a part of jcolibritwo an established framework in the CBR community. We apply D2ISCO to one particular simplified type of CBR systems: recommender systems. We perform a first case study for a collaborative music recommender system and present the results of an experiment of the accuracy of the system results using a fuzzy version of the argumentation system AMAL and a network topology based on a social network. Besides individual recommendation we also discuss how D2ISCO can be used to improve recommendations to groups and we present a second case of study based on the movie recommendation domain with heterogeneous groups according to the group personality composition and a group topology based on a social network.

  16. Motivation and Performance within a Collaborative Computer-Based Modeling Task: Relations between Students' Achievement Goal Orientation, Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Processing, and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sins, Patrick H. M.; van Joolingen, Wouter R.; Savelsbergh, Elwin R.; van Hout-Wolters, Bernadette

    2008-01-01

    Purpose of the present study was to test a conceptual model of relations among achievement goal orientation, self-efficacy, cognitive processing, and achievement of students working within a particular collaborative task context. The task involved a collaborative computer-based modeling task. In order to test the model, group measures of…

  17. A Compound LAMS-MOODLE Environment to Support Collaborative Project-Based Learning: A Case Study with the Group Investigation Method

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paschalis, Giorgos

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative project-based learning is well established as a component of several courses in higher education, since it seems to motivate students and make them active in the learning process. Collaborative Project-Based Learning methods are demanded so that tutors become able to intervene and guide the students in flexible ways: by encouraging…

  18. An Exploration of What Happens when Second and Third Graders in Two Countries Interact through a Technology Enhanced Multicultural Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Brenda Eklund

    2010-01-01

    This study used qualitative methodology to document what happened when two groups of children--a second grade class in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.A. and a third grade class in Amman, Jordan--collaborated on a technology enhanced cultural exchange. Key aspects of this project included dialogic collaboration based upon Short's (2003) model of…

  19. Comparison of Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning Methods and Traditional Methods in Physics Classes at Northern Maine Technical College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Overlock, Terrence H., Sr.

    To determine the effect of collaborative learning methods on the success rate of physics students at Northern Maine Technical College (NMTC), a study was undertaken to compare the mean final exam scores of a students in a physics course taught by traditional lecture/lab methods to those in a group taught by collaborative techniques. The…

  20. The Global Research Collaboration of Network Meta-Analysis: A Social Network Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Li, Lun; Catalá-López, Ferrán; Alonso-Arroyo, Adolfo; Tian, Jinhui; Aleixandre-Benavent, Rafael; Pieper, Dawid; Ge, Long; Yao, Liang; Wang, Quan; Yang, Kehu

    2016-01-01

    Background and Objective Research collaborations in biomedical research have evolved over time. No studies have addressed research collaboration in network meta-analysis (NMA). In this study, we used social network analysis methods to characterize global collaboration patterns of published NMAs over the past decades. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched (at 9th July, 2015) to include systematic reviews incorporating NMA. Two reviewers independently selected studies and cross-checked the standardized data. Data was analyzed using Ucinet 6.0 and SPSS 17.0. NetDraw software was used to draw social networks. Results 771 NMAs published in 336 journals from 3459 authors and 1258 institutions in 49 countries through the period 1997–2015 were included. More than three-quarters (n = 625; 81.06%) of the NMAs were published in the last 5-years. The BMJ (4.93%), Current Medical Research and Opinion (4.67%) and PLOS One (4.02%) were the journals that published the greatest number of NMAs. The UK and the USA (followed by Canada, China, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany) headed the absolute global productivity ranking in number of NMAs. The top 20 authors and institutions with the highest publication rates were identified. Overall, 43 clusters of authors (four major groups: one with 37 members, one with 12 members, one with 11 members and one with 10 members) and 21 clusters of institutions (two major groups: one with 62 members and one with 20 members) were identified. The most prolific authors were affiliated with academic institutions and private consulting firms. 181 consulting firms and pharmaceutical industries (14.39% of institutions) were involved in 199 NMAs (25.81% of total publications). Although there were increases in international and inter-institution collaborations, the research collaboration by authors, institutions and countries were still weak and most collaboration groups were small sizes. Conclusion Scientific production on NMA is increasing worldwide with research leadership of Western countries (most notably, the UK, the USA and Canada). More authors, institutions and nations are becoming involved in research collaborations, but frequently with limited international collaborations. PMID:27685998

  1. Collaboration can improve individual recognition memory: evidence from immediate and delayed tests.

    PubMed

    Rajaram, Suparna; Pereira-Pasarin, Luciane P

    2007-02-01

    In two experiments, we tested the effects of collaboration on individual recognition memory. In Experiment 1, participants studied pictures and words either for meaning or for surface properties and made recognition memory judgments individually either following group discussion among 3 members (collaborative condition) or in the absence of discussion (noncollaborative condition). Levels of processing and picture superiority effects were replicated, and collaboration significantly increased individual recognition memory. Experiment 2 replicated this positive effect and showed that even though memory sensitivity declined at longer delays (48 h and 1 week), collaboration continued to exert a positive influence. These findings show that (1) consensus is not necessary for producing benefits of collaboration on individual recognition, (2) collaborative facilitation on individual memory is robust, and (3) collaboration enhances individual memory further if conditions predispose individual accuracy in the absence of collaboration.

  2. 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…

  3. Material Mediation: Tools and Representations Supporting Collaborative Problem-Solving Discourse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Katic, Elvira K.; Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.; Weber, Keith H.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates how a variety of resources mediated collaborative problem solving for a group of preservice teachers. The participants in this study completed mathematical, combinatorial tasks and then watched a video of a sixth grader as he exhibited sophisticated reasoning to recognize the isomorphic structure of these problems. The…

  4. Teacher-School Library Media Specialist Collaboration through Social Marketing Strategies: An Information Behavior Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Immroth, Barbara; Lukenbill, W. Bernard

    2007-01-01

    This research was supported in part though an IMLS Kent State University Grant supporting Information Literacy. Based on the importance of teacher-school library media specialist collaboration, this study seeks to advance knowledge involving the dynamics of this special relationship. The subjects were a group of student librarians--themselves…

  5. Collaborative Blended Learning Writing Environment: Effects on EFL Students' Writing Apprehension and Writing Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Challob, Ala'a Ismael; Bakar, Nadzrah Abu; Latif, Hafizah

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of collaborative blended learning writing environment on students' writing apprehension and writing performance as perceived by a selected group of EFL students enrolled in one of the international schools in Malaysia. Qualitative case study method was employed using semi-structured interview, learning diaries and…

  6. Fostering partnerships in survivorship care: report of the 2011 Canadian genitourinary cancers survivorship conference.

    PubMed

    Bender, Jacqueline L; Wiljer, David; Matthew, Andrew; Canil, Christina M; Legere, Laura; Loblaw, Andrew; Jewett, Michael A S

    2012-09-01

    New models of survivorship care are required to address the needs of genitourinary (GU) cancer survivors. Current approaches do not effectively engage cancer survivors or advocacy groups. A group of clinicians in collaboration with the Canadian Urologic Association held a forum for GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, and health professionals to explore ways to collaboratively enhance survivorship care. Participants attended a 2-day conference that included presentations, breakout groups, and a postconference survey. Discussions by breakout groups were recorded and analyzed alongside open-ended survey responses for common themes. Basic statistics were calculated. Conference participants (n = 42) included 18 cancer survivors/caregivers, 21 health professionals, and 3 researchers representing bladder, kidney, prostate, and testis cancer groups. Breakout group discussions and responses to the postconference survey (83.3 % response rate) showed strong support for greater collaboration among all parties. Strategies to facilitate collaboration reflected a need to: (1) raise awareness of the shared and unique needs of GU cancer survivors and the expertise of cancer advocacy groups, (2) facilitate communication and collaborative opportunities among clinicians/researchers and cancer survivors/advocacy groups, (3) facilitate collaborative programming and fund-raising among GU advocacy groups, and (4) synthesize and facilitate access to GU cancer survivorship resources and services. There is strong support for formal collaboration to enhance survivorship care among a critical mass of GU cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers. Responsibility for collaboration lies with all stakeholder groups. Strategies to foster such partnerships should employ integrated knowledge translation approaches that actively engage all parties throughout the entire research to practice process. Successful partnerships between cancer survivors, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers require familiarity with each other's expertise, along with sufficient resources and organizational structures. GU survivorship advocacy groups need to work more closely together to ensure a strong, unified voice when interacting with clinicians and researchers.

  7. The Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project: A Continuing Education Model to Promote Professional Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomasgard, Michael; Warfield, Janeece

    2005-01-01

    Thomasgard, a physician, and Warfield, a psychologist, describe the multidisciplinary Collaborative Peer Supervision Group Project, originally developed and implemented in Columbus, Ohio. Collaborative Peer Supervision Groups (CPSGs) foster the development of case-based, interdisciplinary, continuing education. CPSGs are designed to improve the…

  8. 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,…

  9. Study Abroad: The Reality of Building Dynamic Group Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ransbury, Molly K.; Harris, Sandra A.

    1994-01-01

    The collaborative effort of a professor of human development with expertise in group process and a general education professor with expertise in Greek mythology and culture uses a case study format to apply theoretical models of group dynamics to the travel and learning experience of study abroad. Implications for course design and group process…

  10. Study Groups: Collaboration and Conflagration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Barbara M.

    In August 1995, the teachers at an elementary school in Houston (Texas) voted to adopt teacher-led study groups as their form of staff development for the 1995-96 school year. This study documents the progress of one of these groups, the Multiple Intelligences group, and examines the changes that occurred in roles and relationships as the teachers…

  11. Implementation of treat-to-target in rheumatoid arthritis through a Learning Collaborative: Rationale and design of the TRACTION trial.

    PubMed

    Solomon, Daniel H; Lee, Sara B; Zak, Agnes; Corrigan, Cassandra; Agosti, Jenifer; Bitton, Asaf; Harrold, Leslie; Losina, Elena; Lu, Bing; Pincus, Ted; Radner, Helga; Smolen, Josef; Katz, Jeffrey N; Fraenkel, Liana

    2016-08-01

    Treat-to-target (TTT) is a recommended strategy in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but various data sources suggest that its uptake in routine care in the US is suboptimal. Herein, we describe the design of a randomized controlled trial of a Learning Collaborative to facilitate implementation of TTT. We recruited 11 rheumatology sites from across the US and randomized them into the following two groups: one received the Learning Collaborative intervention in Phase 1 (month 1-9) and the second formed a wait-list control group to receive the intervention in Phase 2 (months 10-18). The Learning Collaborative intervention was designed using the Model for Improvement, consisting of a Change Package with corresponding principles and action phases. Phase 1 intervention practices had nine learning sessions, collaborated using a web-based tool, and shared results of plan-do-study-act cycles and monthly improvement metrics collected at each practice. The wait-list control group sites had no intervention during Phase 1. The primary trial outcome is the implementation of TTT as measured by chart review, comparing the differences from baseline to end of Phase 1, between intervention and control sites. All intervention sites remained engaged in the Learning Collaborative throughout Phase 1, with a total of 38 providers participating. The primary trial outcome measures are currently being collected by the study team through medical record review. If the Learning Collaborative is an effective means for improving implementation of TTT, this strategy could serve as a way of implementing disseminating TTT more widely. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Improving interprofessional collaboration: The effect of training in nonviolent communication.

    PubMed

    Museux, Anne-Claire; Dumont, Serge; Careau, Emmanuelle; Milot, Élise

    2016-07-01

    This article examines the effects of nonviolent communication (NVC) training on the interprofessional collaboration (IPC) of two health and social services sector care teams. The study was conducted in 2013 with two interprofessional teams (N = 9) using a mixed method research design to measure the effects of the training. Individual IPC competency was measured using the Team Observed Structured Clinical Encounter tool, and group competency using the Observed Interprofessional Collaboration tool. A focus group was held to collect participant perceptions of what they learned in the training. Results revealed improvements in individual competency in client/family-centered collaboration and role clarification. Improvements in group competency were also found with respect to teams' ability to develop a shared plan of action. Data suggests that participants accepted and adopted training content. After the training, they appeared better able to identify the effects of spontaneous communication, more understanding of the mechanisms of empathy, and in a better position to foster collective leadership.

  13. Effects of a Collaborative Science Intervention on High Achieving Students' Learning Anxiety and Attitudes toward Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Zuway-R.

    2010-10-01

    This study investigated the effects of a collaborative science intervention on high achieving students' learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. Thirty-seven eighth-grade high achieving students (16 boys and 21 girls) were selected as an experimental group who joined a 20-week collaborative science intervention, which integrated and utilized an innovative teaching strategy. Fifty-eight eighth-grade high achieving students were selected as the comparison group. The Secondary School Student Questionnaire was conducted to measure all participants' learning anxiety and attitudes toward science. In addition, 12 target students from the experimental group (i.e., six active and six passive students) were recruited for weekly classroom observations and follow-up interviews during the intervention. Both quantitative and qualitative findings revealed that experimental group students experienced significant impact as seen through increased attitudes and decreased anxiety of learning science. Implications for practice and research are provided.

  14. Climate Voices: Bridging Scientist Citizens and Local Communities across the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wegner, K.; Ristvey, J. D., Jr.

    2016-12-01

    Based out of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), the Climate Voices Science Speakers Network (climatevoices.org) has more than 400 participants across the United States that volunteer their time as scientist citizens in their local communities. Climate Voices experts engage in nonpartisan conversations about the local impacts of climate change with groups such as Rotary clubs, collaborate with faith-based groups on climate action initiatives, and disseminate their research findings to K-12 teachers and classrooms through webinars. To support their participants, Climate Voices develops partnerships with networks of community groups, provides trainings on how to engage these communities, and actively seeks community feedback. In this presentation, we will share case studies of science-community collaborations, including meta-analyses of collaborations and lessons learned.

  15. The Effect of Socially Shared Regulation Approach on Learning Performance in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Lanqin; Li, Xin; Huang, Ronghuai

    2017-01-01

    Students' abilities to socially shared regulation of their learning are crucial to productive and successful collaborative learning. However, how group members sustain and regulate collaborative processes is a neglected area in the field of collaborative learning. Furthermore, how group members engage in socially shared regulation still remains to…

  16. Effects of repeated collaborative retrieval on individual memory vary as a function of recall versus recognition tasks.

    PubMed

    Blumen, Helena M; Rajaram, Suparna

    2009-11-01

    Our research examines how prior group collaboration modulates later individual memory. We recently showed that repeated collaborative recall sessions benefit later individual recall more than a single collaborative recall session (Blumen & Rajaram, 2008). Current research compared the effects of repeated collaborative recall and repeated collaborative recognition on later individual recall and later individual recognition. A total of 192 participants studied a list of nouns and then completed three successive retrieval sessions in one of four conditions. While two collaborative recall sessions and two collaborative recognition sessions generated comparable levels of individual recall (CRecall-CRecall-I Recall approximately CRecognition-CRecognition-I Recall , Experiment 1a), two collaborative recognition sessions generated greater levels of individual recognition than two collaborative recall sessions (CRecognition-CRecognition- IRecognition > CRecall-CRecall- I Recognition , Experiment 1b). These findings are discussed in terms of two opposing mechanisms that operate during collaborative retrieval-re-exposure and retrieval disruption-and in terms of transfer-appropriate processing across collaborative and individual retrieval sessions.

  17. A Survey of Students' Experiences on Collaborative Virtual Learning Activities Based on Five-Stage Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karaman, M. Kemal; Özen, Sevil Orhan

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to design collaborative virtual learning (CVL) activities by using a five-stage model (FSM) and survey of students' experiences. The study group consisted of 14 voluntary students in the Turkish Teaching Department. In this case study, data were collected through observations, recordings in Second Life (SL) and interviews.…

  18. Visions of Restoration in Fire-Adapted Forest Landscapes: Lessons from the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program.

    PubMed

    Urgenson, Lauren S; Ryan, Clare M; Halpern, Charles B; Bakker, Jonathan D; Belote, R Travis; Franklin, Jerry F; Haugo, Ryan D; Nelson, Cara R; Waltz, Amy E M

    2017-02-01

    Collaborative approaches to natural resource management are becoming increasingly common on public lands. Negotiating a shared vision for desired conditions is a fundamental task of collaboration and serves as a foundation for developing management objectives and monitoring strategies. We explore the complex socio-ecological processes involved in developing a shared vision for collaborative restoration of fire-adapted forest landscapes. To understand participant perspectives and experiences, we analyzed interviews with 86 respondents from six collaboratives in the western U.S., part of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration on U.S. Forest Service lands. Although forest landscapes and group characteristics vary considerably, collaboratives faced common challenges to developing a shared vision for desired conditions. Three broad categories of challenges emerged: meeting multiple objectives, collaborative capacity and trust, and integrating ecological science and social values in decision-making. Collaborative groups also used common strategies to address these challenges, including some that addressed multiple challenges. These included use of issue-based recommendations, field visits, and landscape-level analysis; obtaining support from local agency leadership, engaging facilitators, and working in smaller groups (sub-groups); and science engagement. Increased understanding of the challenges to, and strategies for, developing a shared vision of desired conditions is critical if other collaboratives are to learn from these efforts.

  19. Visions of Restoration in Fire-Adapted Forest Landscapes: Lessons from the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urgenson, Lauren S.; Ryan, Clare M.; Halpern, Charles B.; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Belote, R. Travis; Franklin, Jerry F.; Haugo, Ryan D.; Nelson, Cara R.; Waltz, Amy E. M.

    2017-02-01

    Collaborative approaches to natural resource management are becoming increasingly common on public lands. Negotiating a shared vision for desired conditions is a fundamental task of collaboration and serves as a foundation for developing management objectives and monitoring strategies. We explore the complex socio-ecological processes involved in developing a shared vision for collaborative restoration of fire-adapted forest landscapes. To understand participant perspectives and experiences, we analyzed interviews with 86 respondents from six collaboratives in the western U.S., part of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program established to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration on U.S. Forest Service lands. Although forest landscapes and group characteristics vary considerably, collaboratives faced common challenges to developing a shared vision for desired conditions. Three broad categories of challenges emerged: meeting multiple objectives, collaborative capacity and trust, and integrating ecological science and social values in decision-making. Collaborative groups also used common strategies to address these challenges, including some that addressed multiple challenges. These included use of issue-based recommendations, field visits, and landscape-level analysis; obtaining support from local agency leadership, engaging facilitators, and working in smaller groups (sub-groups); and science engagement. Increased understanding of the challenges to, and strategies for, developing a shared vision of desired conditions is critical if other collaboratives are to learn from these efforts.

  20. Primary Children's Management of Themselves and Others in Collaborative Group Work: "Sometimes It Takes Patience…"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kershner, Ruth; Warwick, Paul; Mercer, Neil; Kleine Staarman, Judith

    2014-01-01

    We focus on children's approaches to managing group work in classrooms where collaborative learning principles are explicit. Small groups of 8-10 year olds worked on collaborative science activities using an interactive whiteboard. Insubsequent interviews, they spoke of learning to "be patient" and "wait", for multiple social…

  1. Exploratory Talk in the Early Years: Analysing Exploratory Talk in Collaborative Group Activities Involving Younger Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Eira Wyn

    2018-01-01

    Collaborative group work has the potential for providing rich opportunities for children to learn through talk with peers; however, in practice, little effective engagement in learning is observed within authentic learning contexts. Exploratory talk is associated with high levels of cognitive challenge within collaborative group work. Detailed…

  2. Designing attractive gamification features for collaborative storytelling websites.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Shang Hwa; Chang, Jen-Wei; Lee, Chun-Chia

    2013-06-01

    Gamification design is considered as the predictor of collaborative storytelling websites' success. Although aforementioned studies have mentioned a broad range of factors that may influence gamification, they neither depicted the actual design features nor relative attractiveness among them. This study aims to identify attractive gamification features for collaborative storytelling websites. We first constructed a hierarchical system structure of gamification design of collaborative storytelling websites and conducted a focus group interview with eighteen frequent users to identify 35gamification features. After that, this study determined the relative attractiveness of these gamification features by administrating an online survey to 6333 collaborative storytelling websites users. The results indicated that the top 10 most attractive gamification features could account for more than 50% of attractiveness among these 35 gamification features. The feature of unpredictable time pressure is important to website users, yet not revealed in previous relevant studies. Implications of the findings were discussed.

  3. Comparison of USDA Forest Service and Stakeholder Motivations and Experiences in Collaborative Federal Forest Governance in the Western United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Emily Jane; White, Eric M.; Cerveny, Lee K.; Seesholtz, David; Nuss, Meagan L.; Ulrich, Donald R.

    2017-11-01

    In the United States, over 191 million acres of land is managed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, a federal government agency. In several western U.S. states, organized collaborative groups have become a de facto governance approach to providing sustained input on management decisions on much public land. This is most extensive in Oregon, where at least 25 "forest collaboratives" currently exist. This affords excellent opportunities for studies of many common themes in collaborative governance, including trust, shared values, and perceptions of success. We undertook a statewide survey of participants in Oregon forest collaboratives to examine differences in motivations, perceptions of success, and satisfaction among Forest Service participants ("agency participants"), who made up 31% of the sample, and other respondents ("non-agency") who represent nonfederal agencies, interest groups, citizens, and non-governmental groups. We found that agency participants differed from non-agency participants. They typically had higher annual incomes, and were primarily motivated to participate to build trust. However, a majority of all respondents were similar in not indicating any other social or economic motivations as their primary reason for collaborating. A majority also reported satisfaction with their collaborative—despite not ranking collaborative performance on a number of specific potential outcomes highly. Together, this suggests that collaboration in Oregon is currently perceived as successful despite not achieving many specific outcomes. Yet there were significant differences in socioeconomic status and motivation that could affect the ability of agency and nonagency participants to develop and achieve mutually-desired goals.

  4. Finnish upper secondary students' collaborative processes in learning statistics in a CSCL environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaleva Oikarinen, Juho; Järvelä, Sanna; Kaasila, Raimo

    2014-04-01

    This design-based research project focuses on documenting statistical learning among 16-17-year-old Finnish upper secondary school students (N = 78) in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. One novel value of this study is in reporting the shift from teacher-led mathematical teaching to autonomous small-group learning in statistics. The main aim of this study is to examine how student collaboration occurs in learning statistics in a CSCL environment. The data include material from videotaped classroom observations and the researcher's notes. In this paper, the inter-subjective phenomena of students' interactions in a CSCL environment are analysed by using a contact summary sheet (CSS). The development of the multi-dimensional coding procedure of the CSS instrument is presented. Aptly selected video episodes were transcribed and coded in terms of conversational acts, which were divided into non-task-related and task-related categories to depict students' levels of collaboration. The results show that collaborative learning (CL) can facilitate cohesion and responsibility and reduce students' feelings of detachment in our classless, periodic school system. The interactive .pdf material and collaboration in small groups enable statistical learning. It is concluded that CSCL is one possible method of promoting statistical teaching. CL using interactive materials seems to foster and facilitate statistical learning processes.

  5. Variations in patient safety climate and perceived quality of collaboration between professions in out-of-hours care

    PubMed Central

    Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Deilkås, Ellen Tveter; Hofoss, Dag; Bondevik, Gunnar Tschudi

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To get an overview of health care workers perceptions of patient safety climates and the quality of collaboration in Slovenian out-of-hours health care (OOHC) between professional groups. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out in all (60) Slovenian OOHC clinics; 37 (61.7%) agreed to participate with 438 employees. The questionnaire consisted of the Slovenian version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire – Ambulatory Version (SAQ-AV). Results The study sample consisted of 175 (70.0%) physicians, nurse practitioners, and practice nurses. Practice nurses reported the highest patient safety climate scores in all dimensions. Total mean (standard deviation) SAQ-AV score was 60.9±15.2. Scores for quality of collaboration between different professional groups were high. The highest mean scores were reported by nurse practitioners on collaboration with practice nurses (4.4±0.6). The lowest mean scores were reported by practice nurses on collaboration with nurse practitioners (3.8±0.9). Conclusion Due to large variations in Slovenian OOHC clinics with regard to how health care workers from different professional backgrounds perceive safety culture, more attention should be devoted to improving the team collaboration in OOHC. A clearer description of professional team roles should be provided. PMID:29184416

  6. Malignant tumors of the liver in children.

    PubMed

    Aronson, Daniel C; Meyers, Rebecka L

    2016-10-01

    This article aims to give an overview of pediatric liver tumors; in particular of the two most frequently occurring groups of hepatoblastomas and hepatocellular carcinomas. Focus lays on achievements gained through worldwide collaboration. We present recent advances in insight, treatment results, and future questions to be asked. Increasing international collaboration between the four major Pediatric Liver Tumor Study Groups (SIOPEL/GPOH, COG, and JPLT) may serve as a paradigm to approach rare tumors. This international effort has been catalyzed by the Children's Hepatic tumor International Collaboration (CHIC) formation of a large collaborative database. Interrogation of this database has led to a new universal risk stratification system for hepatoblastoma using PRETEXT/POSTTEXT staging as a backbone. Pathologists in this international collaboration have established a new histopathological consensus classification for pediatric liver tumors. Concomitantly there have been advances in chemotherapy options, an increased role of liver transplantation for unresectable tumors, and a web portal system developed at www.siopel.org for international education, consultation, and collaboration. These achievements will be further tested and validated in the upcoming Paediatric Hepatic International Tumour Trial (PHITT). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. OLDER ADULTS CATCH UP TO YOUNGER ADULTS ON A LEARNING AND MEMORY TASK THAT INVOLVES COLLABORATIVE SOCIAL INTERACTION

    PubMed Central

    Derksen, B.J.; Duff, M.C.; Weldon, K.; Zhang, J.; Zamba, G.; Tranel, D.; Denburg, N.L.

    2014-01-01

    Learning and memory abilities tend to decline as people age. The current study examines the question of whether a learning situation that emphasizes collaborative social interaction might help older persons overcome age-related learning and memory changes and thus perform similarly to younger persons. Younger and Older participants (n = 34 in each group) completed the Barrier Task, a game-like social interaction where partners work together to develop labels for a set of abstract tangrams. Participants were also administered standard clinical neuropsychological measures of memory, on which the Older group showed expected inferiority to the Younger group. On the Barrier Task, the Older group performed less well than the Younger group early on, but as the task progressed, the performance of the Older group caught up and became statistically indistinguishable from that of the Younger group. These results can be taken to suggest that a learning milieu characterized by collaborative social interaction can attenuate some of the typical memory disadvantages associated with being older. PMID:24841619

  8. Collaborative leadership and the implementation of community-based fall prevention initiatives: a multiple case study of public health practice within community groups.

    PubMed

    Markle-Reid, Maureen; Dykeman, Cathy; Ploeg, Jenny; Kelly Stradiotto, Caralyn; Andrews, Angela; Bonomo, Susan; Orr-Shaw, Sarah; Salker, Niyati

    2017-02-16

    Falls among community-dwelling older adults are a serious public health concern. While evidence-based fall prevention strategies are available, their effective implementation requires broad cross-sector coordination that is beyond the capacity of any single institution or organization. Community groups comprised of diverse stakeholders that include public health, care providers from the public and private sectors and citizen volunteers are working to deliver locally-based fall prevention. These groups are examples of collective impact and are important venues for public health professionals (PHPs) to deliver their mandate to work collaboratively towards achieving improved health outcomes. This study explores the process of community-based group work directed towards fall prevention, and it focuses particular attention on the collaborative leadership practices of PHPs, in order to advance understanding of the competencies required for collective impact. Four community groups, located in Ontario, Canada, were studied using an exploratory, retrospective, multiple case study design. The criteria for inclusion were presence of a PHP, a diverse membership and the completion of an initiative that fit within the scope of the World Health Organization Fall Prevention Model. Data were collected using interviews (n = 26), focus groups (n = 4), and documents. Cross-case synthesis was conducted by a collaborative team of researchers. The community groups differed by membership, the role of the PHP and the type of fall prevention initiatives. Seven practice themes emerged: (1) tailoring to address context; (2) making connections; (3) enabling communication; (4) shaping a vision; (5) skill-building to mobilize and take action; (6) orchestrating people and projects; and (7) contributing information and experience. The value of recognized leadership competencies was underscored and the vital role of institutional supports was highlighted. To align stakeholders working towards fall prevention for community-dwelling older adults and establish a foundation for collective impact, public health professionals employed practices that reflected a collaborative leadership style. Looking ahead, public health professionals will want to shift their focus to evaluating the effectiveness of their group work within communities. They will also need to assess outcomes and evaluate whether the anticipated reductions in fall rates among community-dwelling older adults is being achieved.

  9. Small-group, computer-mediated argumentation in middle-school classrooms: the effects of gender and different types of online teacher guidance.

    PubMed

    Asterhan, Christa S C; Schwarz, Baruch B; Gil, Julia

    2012-09-01

    Research has shown the importance of careful teacher support during collaborative group work to promote productive discourse between students (Webb, 2009). However, this research has traditionally focused on face-to-face communication. The role of online teacher guidance of small-group computer-mediated discussions has received little attention, especially in secondary school classroom settings. Researchers of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), on the other hand, have traditionally focused on software-embedded features, such as scripts, to support a-synchronous peer dialogue, and less so on human guidance of synchronous group discussions. The main aim of the present in vivo, experimental study is to examine whether online teacher guidance can improve the quality of small-group synchronous discussions, and whether different types of guidance (epistemic or interaction guidance) affect these discussions differently, when compared to an unguided condition. The second goal of this study is to explore potential differences between all-female and all-male discussion groups. Eighty-two 9th graders (three classrooms) and six teachers from a rural high school in Israel. Whereas epistemic guidance only improved aspects of the argumentative quality of the discussion, interaction guidance only improved aspects of collaboration. Discussions of all-girls groups scored higher on aspects of collaboration and argumentative quality, compared to all-boys groups. The findings show that teacher guidance of synchronous, online discussions in classrooms is realizable and reasonably reaches its intended goals. Training should be focused on acquiring various guidance strategies to augment their beneficial effects. Furthermore, future research should pay more attention to potential gender differences in peer-to-peer argumentation. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  10. 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…

  11. An international collaboration to standardize HIV-2 viral load assays: results from the 2009 ACHI(E)V(2E) quality control study.

    PubMed

    Damond, F; Benard, A; Balotta, Claudia; Böni, Jürg; Cotten, Matthew; Duque, Vitor; Ferns, Bridget; Garson, Jeremy; Gomes, Perpetua; Gonçalves, Fátima; Gottlieb, Geoffrey; Kupfer, Bernd; Ruelle, Jean; Rodes, Berta; Soriano, Vicente; Wainberg, Mark; Taieb, Audrey; Matheron, Sophie; Chene, Genevieve; Brun-Vezinet, Francoise

    2011-10-01

    Accurate HIV-2 plasma viral load quantification is crucial for adequate HIV-2 patient management and for the proper conduct of clinical trials and international cohort collaborations. This study compared the homogeneity of HIV-2 RNA quantification when using HIV-2 assays from ACHI(E)V(2E) study sites and either in-house PCR calibration standards or common viral load standards supplied to all collaborators. Each of the 12 participating laboratories quantified blinded HIV-2 samples, using its own HIV-2 viral load assay and standard as well as centrally validated and distributed common HIV-2 group A and B standards (http://www.hiv.lanl.gov/content/sequence/HelpDocs/subtypes-more.html). Aliquots of HIV-2 group A and B strains, each at 2 theoretical concentrations (2.7 and 3.7 log(10) copies/ml), were tested. Intralaboratory, interlaboratory, and overall variances of quantification results obtained with both standards were compared using F tests. For HIV-2 group A quantifications, overall and interlaboratory and/or intralaboratory variances were significantly lower when using the common standard than when using in-house standards at the concentration levels of 2.7 log(10) copies/ml and 3.7 log(10) copies/ml, respectively. For HIV-2 group B, a high heterogeneity was observed and the variances did not differ according to the type of standard used. In this international collaboration, the use of a common standard improved the homogeneity of HIV-2 group A RNA quantification only. The diversity of HIV-2 group B, particularly in PCR primer-binding regions, may explain the heterogeneity in quantification of this strain. Development of a validated HIV-2 viral load assay that accurately quantifies distinct circulating strains is needed.

  12. Investigating Science Collaboratively: A Case Study of Group Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zinicola, Debra A.

    2009-01-01

    Discussions of one urban middle school group of students who were investigating scientific phenomena were analyzed; this study was conducted to discern if and how peer interaction contributes to learning. Through a social constructivist lens, case study methodology, we examined conceptual change among group members. Data about science talk was…

  13. Trust Management - Building Trust for International Cross Disciplinary Collaboration on Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oakley, K. V.; Gurney, R. J.

    2014-12-01

    Successful communication and collaboration entails mutual understanding, and transfer, of information. The risk of misunderstanding and/or miscommunication between collaborating groups is tackled in different ways around the globe; some are well documented whereas others may be unknown outside particular groups, whether defined geographically or by specialism. For example; in some countries legally binding contracts define the terms of collaboration. Some regions place greater emphasis on developing trust relationships, and sometimes an official agreement is implied, such as many electronic data transfers on the web. International collaboration on climate change increasingly involves electronic data exchange (e.g. open access publications, shared documents, data repositories etc.) and with this increased reliance on electronic data a need has arisen for scientists to collaborate both internationally and cross-disciplinarily particularly with information technology and data management specialists. Trust of data and metadata on the internet (e.g. privacy, legitimacy etc.) varies, possibly due to a lack of internationally agreed standards for data governance and management, leaving many national, regional and institutional practices tailored to the needs of that group only. It is proposed that building trust relationships between cross-disciplinary and international groups could help facilitate further communication, understanding and benefits from the relationship, while still maintaining independence as separate groups. Complex international cross-disciplinary group relationship dynamics are not easily mapped and producing a set of trust building rules that can be applied to any current and future collaboration with equal validity may be unfeasible. An alternative to such a set of rules may be found in a Trust Manager, whose role is to improve mutually beneficial knowledge exchange between groups, build trust and increase future collaborative potential. This presentation will report on the potential of trust management to improve international cross disciplinary climate change collaboration.

  14. Development of the Modes of Collaboration framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pawlak, Alanna; Irving, Paul W.; Caballero, Marcos D.

    2018-01-01

    Group work is becoming increasingly common in introductory physics classrooms. Understanding how students engage in these group learning environments is important for designing and facilitating productive learning opportunities for students. We conducted a study in which we collected video of groups of students working on conceptual electricity and magnetism problems in an introductory physics course. In this setting, students needed to negotiate a common understanding and coordinate group decisions in order to complete the activity successfully. We observed students interacting in several distinct ways while solving these problems. Analysis of these observations focused on identifying the different ways students interacted and articulating what defines and distinguishes them, resulting in the development of the modes of collaboration framework. The modes of collaboration framework defines student interactions along three dimensions: social, discursive, and disciplinary content. This multidimensional approach offers a unique lens through which to consider group work and provides a flexibility that could allow the framework to be adapted for a variety of contexts. We present the framework and several examples of its application here.

  15. From Skepticism to Scholarship: Learning and Living Self-Study Research in a Doctoral Seminar

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gregory, Kristen H.; Diacopoulos, Mark M.; Branyon, Angela; Butler, Brandon M.

    2017-01-01

    Teacher education doctoral seminars can provide a space for students to collaborate, reflect and support each other as they transition from teacher to teacher educator. These spaces also provide a forum for the learning of new research methodologies. This collaborative self-study chronicles how one group of doctoral students learned self-study…

  16. Teachers and Decision-Making Processes: An Italian Exploratory Study on Individual and Collaborative Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parmigiani, Davide

    2012-01-01

    This research was aimed at highlighting the decision-making processes of Italian teachers; in particular, we have focused on individual and collaborative decisions developed both during meetings and in the classroom. The study has underlined the features of teachers' decisions when decisions are made in groups and individually. A questionnaire was…

  17. Distributed Scaffolding: Wiki Collaboration among Latino High School Chemistry Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Sullivan, Edwin Duncan, Jr.

    2013-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate if wiki collaboration among Latino high school chemistry students can help reduce the science achievement gap between Latino and White students. The study was a quasi-experimental pre/post control group mixed-methods design. It used three intact sections of a high school chemistry course. The first…

  18. Understanding the Effects of Time on Collaborative Learning Processes in Problem Based Learning: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hommes, J.; Van den Bossche, P.; de Grave, W.; Bos, G.; Schuwirth, L.; Scherpbier, A.

    2014-01-01

    Little is known how time influences collaborative learning groups in medical education. Therefore a thorough exploration of the development of learning processes over time was undertaken in an undergraduate PBL curriculum over 18 months. A mixed-methods triangulation design was used. First, the quantitative study measured how various learning…

  19. Collaboration with Sport Psychologists as Viewed by Female Volleyball Junior Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Otrebski, Wojciech; Rutkowska, Katarzyna

    2008-01-01

    Study aim: To determine the need of female junior volleyball players to collaborate with a psychologist, considering previous sport career of those players. Material and methods: A group of 78 female volleyball players aged 14-17 years from 7 top Polish junior teams participated in the study. They were requested to fill questionnaires on their…

  20. The Relation of Learners' Motivation with the Process of Collaborative Scientific Discovery Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saab, Nadira; van Joolingen, Wouter R.; van Hout-Wolters, B. H. A. M.

    2009-01-01

    In this study, we investigated the influence of individual learners' motivation on the collaborative discovery learning process. In this we distinguished the motivation of the individual learners and had eye for the composition of groups, which could be homogeneous or heterogeneous in terms of motivation. The study involved 73 dyads of 10th-grade…

  1. A Collaborative Group Study of Korean Mid-Career Elementary Teachers for Professional Development in Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Jihae; Seog, Moonjoo

    2018-01-01

    Professional development for in-service teachers is necessary to meet the changing needs of students and society. This teacher collaboration study examined the experiences of mid-career elementary teachers in Korea in their music professional development. Research questions included: (1) What were the contents of discussion? (2) What was the level…

  2. Comparison of Collaboration and Performance in Groups of Learners Assembled Randomly or Based on Learners' Topic Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cela, Karina L.; Sicilia, Miguel Ángel; Sánchez, Salvador

    2015-01-01

    Teachers and instructional designers frequently incorporate collaborative learning approaches into their e-learning environments. A key factor of collaborative learning that may affect learner outcomes is whether the collaborative groups are assigned project topics randomly or based on a shared interest in the topic. This is a particularly…

  3. Communities of practice in support of collaborative multi-disciplinary learning and action in response to climate change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heimlich, J. E.; Stylinski, C.; Palmquist, S.; Wasserman, D.

    2017-12-01

    Collaborative efforts reaching across interdisciplinary boundaries to address controversial issues such as climate change present significant complexities, including developing shared language, agreeing on common outcomes, and even establishing habits of regular dialogue. Such collaborative efforts should include museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, and youth groups as each of these informal education institutions provides a critical avenue for supporting learning about and responding to climate change. The community of practice framework offers a potential effective approach to support learning and action of diverse groups with a shared interest. Our study applied this framework to the NSF-funded Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Assessment and Education (MADE-CLEAR) project, facilitating informal educators across these two states to advance their climate change education practices, and could provide insight for a building a citywide multi-sector collaborative effort. We found strategies that center on the process of group evolution; support different perspectives, levels of participation, and community spaces; focus on value as defined by members; and balance familiarity and fun produced a dynamic and functional community with a shared practice where none had existed before. Also important was expanding the community-of-practice focus on relationship building to include structured professional development and spin-off opportunities for small-group team-based endeavors. Our findings suggest that this collaborative professional learning approach is well suited to diverse groups seeking creative solutions to complex and even divisive challenges.

  4. Participatory design of a collaborative clinical trial protocol writing system.

    PubMed

    Weng, Chunhua; McDonald, David W; Sparks, Dana; McCoy, Jason; Gennari, John H

    2007-06-01

    To explore concrete approaches to socio-technical design of collaborative healthcare information systems and to design a groupware technology for collaborative clinical trial protocol writing. We conducted "quick and dirty ethnography" through semi-structured interviews, observational studies, and work artifacts analysis to understand the group work for protocol development. We used participatory design through evolutionary prototyping to explore the feature space of a collaborative writing system. Our design strategies include role-based user advocacy, formative evaluation, and change management. Quick and dirty ethnography helped us efficiently understand relevant work practice, and participatory design helped us engage users into design and bring out their tacit work knowledge. Our approach that intertwined both techniques helped achieve a "work-informed and user-oriented" design. This research leads to a collaborative writing system that supports in situ communication, group awareness, and effective work progress tracking. The usability evaluation results have been satisfactory. The system design is being transferred to an organizational tool for daily use.

  5. Virtual Research Environments for Natural Hazard Modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Napier, Hazel; Aldridge, Tim

    2017-04-01

    The Natural Hazards Partnership (NHP) is a group of 17 collaborating public sector organisations providing a mechanism for co-ordinated advice to government and agencies responsible for civil contingency and emergency response during natural hazard events. The NHP has set up a Hazard Impact Model (HIM) group tasked with modelling the impact of a range of UK hazards with the aim of delivery of consistent hazard and impact information. The HIM group consists of 7 partners initially concentrating on modelling the socio-economic impact of 3 key hazards - surface water flooding, land instability and high winds. HIM group partners share scientific expertise and data within their specific areas of interest including hydrological modelling, meteorology, engineering geology, GIS, data delivery, and modelling of socio-economic impacts. Activity within the NHP relies on effective collaboration between partners distributed across the UK. The NHP are acting as a use case study for a new Virtual Research Environment (VRE) being developed by the EVER-EST project (European Virtual Environment for Research - Earth Science Themes: a solution). The VRE is allowing the NHP to explore novel ways of cooperation including improved capabilities for e-collaboration, e-research, automation of processes and e-learning. Collaboration tools are complemented by the adoption of Research Objects, semantically rich aggregations of resources enabling the creation of uniquely identified digital artefacts resulting in reusable science and research. Application of the Research Object concept to HIM development facilitates collaboration, by encapsulating scientific knowledge in a shareable format that can be easily shared and used by partners working on the same model but within their areas of expertise. This paper describes the application of the VRE to the NHP use case study. It outlines the challenges associated with distributed partnership working and how they are being addressed in the VRE. A case study is included focussing on the application of Research Objects to development work for the surface water flooding hazard impact model, a key achievement for the HIM group.

  6. 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…

  7. Impact of Collaborative Tools Utilization on Group Performance in University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hidayanto, Achmad Nizar; Setyady, Stella Tantra

    2014-01-01

    Nowadays the growth of technology influences the changes in group collaboration's process either for the professional or for the students. The requirement of interaction in group collaboration while doing task forces the students to schedule their meeting in order to finish the task given. So the technology starts to influence the process of group…

  8. Effectiveness of an interprofessional education model based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change to improve interprofessional collaboration.

    PubMed

    Keshmiri, Fatemeh; Rezai, Mahdi; Mosaddegh, Reza; Moradi, Kamran; Hafezimoghadam, Peyman; Zare, Mohammad Amin; Tavakoli, Nader; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali; Shirazi, Mandana

    2017-05-01

    This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an interprofessional education model (IPE) based on the transtheoretical model to improve the participants' interprofessional collaborative practice. The study was conducted in Iran using a controlled before-and-after study design. The participants (n = 91) were the residents of emergency medicine and nurses of the emergency units from two teaching hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The participants in the intervention group (n = 40) were 22 residents and 18 nurses. The control group (n = 51) consisted of 20 residents and 31 nurses. The participants were classified based on their stage of readiness to change. The interventions were two-day workshops for each stage (i.e., attitude and intention). We used the Interprofessional Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR) to assess the effectiveness of the developed model. The interprofessional collaboration of the participants in the intervention and control groups was assessed at four time points before and after the intervention in the real emergency unit environment. Student's t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) were used to analyse the data. We used partial eta-squared (η 2 ) for effect size calculations. The mean values of ICAR scores in the intervention and control groups were 95.63 ± 19.14 and 89.19 ± 16.11 before the intervention. The mean values of ICAR scores at 3 months after the intervention were 99.82 ± 22.32 and 88.29 ± 16.87 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After 6 months, the mean values of ICAR scores of the intervention and control groups were 98.6 ± 23.40 and 87.98 ± 16.01, respectively. The results showed that the intervention had a medium educational effect size (partial η 2  = 0.06) on performance of the participants. Our results showed that an IPE model that is tailored to the learners' stage of readiness to change improves interprofessional collaboration in the participants. The developed model could be applied for improving interprofessional collaborative performance in other IPE programmes.

  9. An Examination of Pennsylvania Superintendents' Approaches to Collaborative Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florio, Tammi L.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated whether Pennsylvania school district superintendents acknowledge the importance of the 2008 ISLLC performance indicators that require collaboration to the same degree they practice them. Superintendents' ratings of importance and frequency were compared across demographic groups. A thirty-two question survey, derived from…

  10. Learning through Blogging: Students' Perspectives in Collaborative Blog-Enhanced Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Yu-Chun; Belland, Brian R.; Kuo, Yu-Tung

    2017-01-01

    This study employed a mixed method approach to investigate the relationships between learners' blogging self-efficacy, sense of community, perceived collaborative learning, and perceived learning in classroom environments. Learners' perspectives of group learning experiences in blog-enhanced settings were examined. Participants were minority adult…

  11. Socially Constructed Self-Regulated Learning and Motivation Regulation in Collaborative Learning Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarvela, Sanna; Jarvenoja, Hanna

    2011-01-01

    Background/Context: Most of the earlier empirical findings deal with motivation regulation in individual learning situations. This study identifies higher education students' socially constructed motivation regulation in collaborative learning and stresses that regulation of motivation is crucial in socially self-regulated learning because…

  12. Building Collaborative Health Promotion Partnerships: The Jackson Heart Study

    PubMed Central

    Addison, Clifton C.; Campbell Jenkins, Brenda W.; Odom, Darcel; Fortenberry, Marty; Wilson, Gregory; Young, Lavon; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna

    2015-01-01

    Building Collaborative Health Promotion Partnerships: The Jackson Heart Study. Background: Building a collaborative health promotion partnership that effectively employs principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) involves many dimensions. To ensure that changes would be long-lasting, it is imperative that partnerships be configured to include groups of diverse community representatives who can develop a vision for long-term change. This project sought to enumerate processes used by the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) Community Outreach Center (CORC) to create strong, viable partnerships that produce lasting change. Methods: JHS CORC joined with community representatives to initiate programs that evolved into comprehensive strategies for addressing health disparities and the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This collaboration was made possible by first promoting an understanding of the need for combined effort, the desire to interact with other community partners, and the vision to establish an effective governance structure. Results: The partnership between JHS CORC and the community has empowered and inspired community members to provide leadership to other health promotion projects. Conclusion: Academic institutions must reach out to local community groups and together address local health issues that affect the community. When a community understands the need for change to respond to negative health conditions, formalizing this type of collaboration is a step in the right direction. PMID:26703681

  13. Building Collaborative Health Promotion Partnerships: The Jackson Heart Study.

    PubMed

    Addison, Clifton C; Campbell Jenkins, Brenda W; Odom, Darcel; Fortenberry, Marty; Wilson, Gregory; Young, Lavon; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna

    2015-12-22

    Building Collaborative Health Promotion Partnerships: The Jackson Heart Study. Building a collaborative health promotion partnership that effectively employs principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) involves many dimensions. To ensure that changes would be long-lasting, it is imperative that partnerships be configured to include groups of diverse community representatives who can develop a vision for long-term change. This project sought to enumerate processes used by the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) Community Outreach Center (CORC) to create strong, viable partnerships that produce lasting change. JHS CORC joined with community representatives to initiate programs that evolved into comprehensive strategies for addressing health disparities and the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This collaboration was made possible by first promoting an understanding of the need for combined effort, the desire to interact with other community partners, and the vision to establish an effective governance structure. The partnership between JHS CORC and the community has empowered and inspired community members to provide leadership to other health promotion projects. Academic institutions must reach out to local community groups and together address local health issues that affect the community. When a community understands the need for change to respond to negative health conditions, formalizing this type of collaboration is a step in the right direction.

  14. Studying the Study Section: How Group Decision Making in Person and via Videoconferencing Affects the Grant Peer Review Process. WCER Working Paper No. 2015-6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pier, Elizabeth L.; Raclaw, Joshua; Nathan, Mitchell J.; Kaatz, Anna; Carnes, Molly; Ford, Cecilia E.

    2015-01-01

    Grant peer review is a foundational component of scientific research. In the context of grant review meetings, the review process is a collaborative, socially mediated, locally constructed decision-making task. The current study examines how collaborative discussion affects reviewers' scores of grant proposals, how different review panels score…

  15. Collaborative Learning Works! Resources for Faculty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brissenden, G. A.; Mathieu, R. D.; National InstituteScience Education; College Level-One Team

    2000-12-01

    Recent calls for instructional innovation in college Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (SMET) courses highlight the need for a solid foundation of education research at the undergraduate level on which to base policy and practice. We report the results of a meta-analysis that integrates research on undergraduate SMET education since 1980. The meta-analysis demonstrates that various forms of small-group learning are effective in promoting greater academic achievement, more favorable attitudes toward learning, and increased persistence through SMET courses and programs. Specifically, the effect of small-group learning on achievement reported in this study would move a student from the 50th percentile to the 70th percentile on a standardized test. Similarly, the effect on students'persistence is enough to reduce attrition from SMET courses and programs by 22 widespread implementation of small-group learning in college SMET courses. We have created a Collaborative Learning website designed to assist instructors who wish to incorporate collaborative learning in their lectures, classrooms, and laboratories. The site provides straightforward, easy-to-use ideas for those just getting started, extensive additional resources for those already using small-group techniques, and the educational research foundation for the use of collaborative learning (including the meta-analysis). The Collaborative Learning site can be found at the NISE "Innovations in SMET Education" website at www.wcer.wisc.edu/nise/cl1

  16. 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

  17. 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.

  18. Student Triads: A Collaborative Approach to Practicum Experiences for Master's Nursing Students.

    PubMed

    Goodwin, Miki; Jenkins-Weinrub, Edith

    2015-01-01

    This article presents an approach for a collaborative practicum experience for master's degree nursing students. The students were placed into triads and then assigned as a group to work in a large health care organization. A triad consisted of 1 student from each concentration of study: nursing administration, nursing education, or nursing informatics, and the group was immersed in real-time problem-solving and decision-making processes over the course of the year.

  19. Economics of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders: a community guide systematic review.

    PubMed

    Jacob, Verughese; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K; Sipe, Theresa Ann; Thota, Anilkrishna B; Byard, Guthrie J; Chapman, Daniel P

    2012-05-01

    Major depressive disorders are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Collaborative Care models developed from the Chronic Care Model during the past 20 years have improved the quality of depression management in the community, raising intervention cost incrementally above usual care. This paper assesses the economic efficiency of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders by comparing its economic costs and economic benefits to usual care, as informed by a systematic review of the literature. The economic review of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders was conducted in tandem with a review of effectiveness, under the guidance of the Community Preventive Services Task Force, a nonfederal, independent group of public health leaders and experts. Economic review methods developed by the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used by two economists to screen, abstract, adjust, and summarize the economic evidence of collaborative care from societal and other perspectives. An earlier economic review that included eight RCTs was included as part of the evidence. The present economic review expanded the evidence with results from studies published from 1980 to 2009 and included both RCTs and other study designs. In addition to the eight RCTs included in the earlier review, 22 more studies of collaborative care that provided estimates for economic outcomes were identified, 20 of which were evaluations of actual interventions and two of which were based on models. Of seven studies that measured only economic benefits of collaborative care in terms of averted healthcare or productivity loss, four found positive economic benefits due to intervention and three found minimal or no incremental benefit. Of five studies that measured both benefits and costs, three found lower collaborative care cost because of reduced healthcare utilization or enhanced productivity, and one found the same for a subpopulation of the intervention group. One study found that willingness to pay for collaborative care exceeded program costs. Among six cost-utility studies, five found collaborative care was cost effective. In two modeled studies, one showed cost effectiveness based on comparison of $/disability-adjusted life-year to annual per capita income; the other demonstrated cost effectiveness based on the standard threshold of $50,000/quality-adjusted life year, unadjusted for inflation. Finally, six of eight studies in the earlier review reported that interventions were cost effective on the basis of the standard threshold. The evidence indicates that collaborative care for management of depressive disorders provides good economic value. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Collaboration amidst Disagreement and Moral Judgment: The Dynamics of Jewish and Arab Students' Collaborative Inquiry of Their Joint Past

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pollack, Sarah; Kolikant, Yifat Ben-David

    2012-01-01

    We present an instructional model involving a computer-supported collaborative learning environment, in which students from two conflicting groups collaboratively investigate an event relevant to their past using historical texts. We traced one enactment of the model by a group comprised of two Israeli Jewish and two Israeli Arab students. Our…

  1. Young children consider individual authority and collective agreement when deciding who can change rules.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Xin; Kushnir, Tamar

    2018-01-01

    Young children demonstrate awareness of normativity in various domains of social learning. It is unclear, however, whether children recognize that rules can be changed in certain contexts and by certain people or groups. Across three studies, we provided empirical evidence that children consider individual authority and collective agreement when reasoning about who can change rules. In Study 1, children aged 4-7years watched videos of children playing simply sorting and stacking games in groups or alone. Across conditions, the group game was initiated (a) by one child, (b) by collaborative agreement, or (c) by an adult authority figure. In the group games with a rule initiated by one child, children attributed ability to change rules only to that individual and not his or her friends, and they mentioned ownership and authority in their explanations. When the rule was initiated collaboratively, older children said that no individual could change the rule, whereas younger children said that either individual could do so. When an adult initiated the rule, children stated that only the adult could change it. In contrast, children always endorsed a child's decision to change his or her own solitary rule and never endorsed any child's ability to change moral and conventional rules in daily life. Age differences corresponded to beliefs about friendship and agreement in peer play (Study 2) and disappeared when the decision process behind and normative force of collaboratively initiated rules were clarified (Study 3). These results show important connections between normativity and considerations of authority and collaboration during early childhood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Using a collaborative Mobile Augmented Reality learning application (CoMARLA) to improve Improve Student Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanafi, Hafizul Fahri bin; Soh Said, Che; Hanee Ariffin, Asma; Azlan Zainuddin, Nur; Samsuddin, Khairulanuar

    2016-11-01

    This study was carried out to improve student learning in ICT course using a collaborative mobile augmented reality learning application (CoMARLA). This learning application was developed based on the constructivist framework that would engender collaborative learning environment, in which students could learn collaboratively using their mobile phones. The research design was based on the pretest posttest control group design. The dependent variable was students’ learning performance after learning, and the independent variables were learning method and gender. Students’ learning performance before learning was treated as the covariate. The sample of the study comprised 120 non-IT (non-technical) undergraduates, with the mean age of 19.5. They were randomized into two groups, namely the experimental and control group. The experimental group used CoMARLA to learn one of the topics of the ICT Literacy course, namely Computer System; whereas the control group learned using the conventional approach. The research instrument used was a set of multiple-choice questions pertaining to the above topic. Pretesting was carried out before the learning sessions, and posttesting was performed after 6 hours of learning. Using the SPSS, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was performed on the data. The analysis showed that there were main effects attributed to the learning method and gender. The experimental group outperformed the control group by almost 9%, and male students outstripped their opposite counterparts by as much as 3%. Furthermore, an interaction effect was also observed showing differential performances of male students based on the learning methods, which did not occur among female students. Hence, the tool can be used to help undergraduates learn with greater efficacy when contextualized in an appropriate setting.

  3. Collaborative Testing in Practical Laboratories: An Effective Teaching-Learning Method in Histology.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yuping; Li, Enzhong

    2016-01-01

    This article presents an experimental teaching and learning program used in histology with first-year students in the second term in the Faculty of Biology at Huanghuai University, China. Eighty-six students were divided randomly into two groups (n=43 per group). Tests were conducted at the end of each practical laboratory (10 laboratories in total) in which collaborative testing was used in the experimental group and traditional testing in the control group. To assess achievement, a final examination in histology was carried out at the end of the course. To determine students' attitude to the teaching styles, a questionnaire survey was conducted at the end of the term. Results showed that students preferred the collaborative testing format. In the experimental group, students' scores were significantly higher than those of students in the control group in final examinations. These findings indicate that collaborative testing enhances student learning and understanding of the material taught, and suggest that collaborative testing is an effective teaching-learning method in histology.

  4. Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn: One Student's Experience of Small Group Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Remedios, Louisa; Clarke, David; Hawthorne, Lesleyanne

    2012-01-01

    The dialogic nature of small group collaborative learning requires verbal contributions from students to progress individual and group learning. Speaking can become privileged over listening as a collaborative act, and an imbalance in these values can become embedded in the classroom culture to the degree that the core value of listening can be…

  5. 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…

  6. Three Cases of Teachers' Collaborative Design: Perspectives from Those Involved

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preciado-Babb, Armando Paulino; Liljedahl, Peter

    2012-01-01

    We present the perspectives of teachers and others involved in the collaborative design of teaching and learning artifacts across three cases: (a) an independent group participating in lesson study; (b) teachers participating in professional development programs; and (c) a district initiative for producing numeracy tasks. Among the results we…

  7. Strategizing Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning toward Knowledge Building

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mukama, Evode

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore how university students can develop knowledge in small task-based groups while acquiring hands-on computer skills. Inspired by the sociocultural perspective, this study presents a theoretical framework on co-construction of knowledge and on computer-supported collaborative learning. The participants were…

  8. Politeness Strategies in Collaborative E-Mail Exchanges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinagre, Margarita

    2008-01-01

    Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has been the subject of a wide range of studies over the last twenty years. Previous research suggests that CSCL exchanges can facilitate group-based learning and knowledge construction among learners who are in different geographical locations [Littleton, K. & Whitelock, D. (2004). "Guiding the…

  9. The Value of Coaching: Collaborative Relationships Spur Professional Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Grace Y.

    2016-01-01

    Teachers do not simply want resources given to them. They often seek out relationships from more knowledgeable or experienced colleagues to ask advice, model lessons, or start an inquiry group. Establishing relationships within collaboration is essential for learning and knowledge development (Putnam & Borko, 2000). This study's goal was to…

  10. Collaborative Strategic Reading: Fostering Success for All

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annamma, Subini; Eppolito, Amy; Klingner, Janette; Boele, Amy; Boardman, Alison; Stillman-Spisak, Stephanie J.

    2011-01-01

    The authors interviewed 17 middle school reading and language arts teachers as part of a larger study on an evidence-based intervention called Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR). CSR is a multi-component reading instructional model combined with cooperative grouping and peer discussion. We show from the teacher interviews that CSR has benefits…

  11. Intertextuality and Multimodal Meanings in High School Physics: Written and Spoken Language in Computer-Supported Collaborative Student Discourse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Kok-Sing; Tan, Seng-Chee

    2017-01-01

    The study in this article examines and illustrates the intertextual meanings made by a group of high school science students as they embarked on a knowledge building discourse to solve a physics problem. This study is situated in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment designed to support student learning through a science…

  12. Exploring the Effects of Employing Google Docs in Collaborative Concept Mapping on Achievement, Concept Representation, and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Yu-Tzu; Chang, Chia-Hu; Hou, Huei-Tse; Wu, Ke-Chou

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the effectiveness of using Google Docs in collaborative concept mapping (CCM) by comparing it with a paper-and-pencil approach. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a physics course. The control group drew concept maps using the paper-and-pencil method and face-to-face discussion, whereas the experimental group…

  13. Unraveling the Motivational Effects and Challenges of Web-Based Collaborative Inquiry Learning across Different Groups of Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raes, Annelies; Schellens, Tammy

    2015-01-01

    This study deals with the implementation of a web-based collaborative inquiry (WISE) project in secondary science education and unravels the contribution and challenges of this learning approach to foster students' motivation to learn science, and its relation with student and class-level characteristics. An empirical mixed methods study in 13…

  14. Strategies for Improving Power in School-Randomized Studies of Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelcey, Ben; Phelps, Geoffrey

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: Group-randomized designs are well suited for studies of professional development because they can accommodate programs that are delivered to intact groups (e.g., schools), the collaborative nature of professional development, and extant teacher/school assignments. Though group designs may be theoretically favorable, prior evidence has…

  15. Learning and Working in Groups.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1999

    This document contains three symposium papers on learning and working in groups. "Collaborating in Public with the Opposition: A Study of the Complex Meaning of Learning in a Cross Boundary Work Group" (Marjorie H. Carkhuff) reports on a study demonstrating that great personal, professional, and team member learning is foundational to the work…

  16. 76 FR 46853 - International Business Machines Corporation, ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-03

    ...] International Business Machines Corporation, ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and Collaboration Group... Business Machines Corporation (IBM), ITD Business Unit, Division 7, E- mail and Collaboration Group... Business Unit, Division 7, E-mail and Collaboration [[Page 46854

  17. Leveraged resources and systems changes in community collaboration.

    PubMed

    Harper, Christopher R; Kuperminc, Gabriel P; Weaver, Scott R; Emshoff, Jim; Erickson, Steve

    2014-12-01

    Most models of community collaboration emphasize the ability of diverse partners to come together to enact systematic changes that improve the health of individuals and communities. The ability of these groups to leverage resources is thought to be an important marker of successful collaboration and eventual improvements in community health. However, there is a paucity of research addressing linkages between systems change activities and leveraged resources. This study used a sample of collaboratives (N = 157) that received technical assistance and funding through the Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) between 2006 and 2007. Data were collected from collaborative report of activities and funding, member ratings of collaborative functioning, and characteristics of the communities served by the collaboratives drawn from US Census data. Cross-lagged regression models tested longitudinal associations between systems change activities and leveraged dollars. The results indicated that systems change activities predict increased leveraging of resources from state/federal and private partners. However, there was no evidence that systems changes were linked with leveraging resources from local groups and agencies. These findings have important implications for providing technical assistance and training to health partnerships. Furthermore, future research should consider the relative strength of different systems change activities in relation to the ability of coalitions to leverage resources.

  18. Collaboration and patient safety at an emergency department - a qualitative case study.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Anna Helene Meldgaard; Rasmussen, Kurt; Grytnes, Regine; Nielsen, Kent Jacob

    2018-03-19

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how conflicts about collaboration between staff at different departments arose during the establishment of a new emergency department and how these conflicts affected the daily work and ultimately patient safety at the emergency department. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative single case study draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The theoretical concepts "availability" and "receptiveness" as antecedents for collaboration will be applied in the analysis. Findings Close collaboration between departments was an essential precondition for the functioning of the new emergency department. The study shows how a lack of antecedents for collaboration affected the working relation and communication between employees and departments, which spurred negative feelings and reproduced conflicts. This situation was seen as a potential threat for the safety of the emergency patients. Research limitations/implications This study presents a single case study, at a specific point in time, and should be used as an illustrative example of how contextual and situational factors affect the working environment and through that patient safety. Originality/value Few studies provide an in-depth investigation of what actually takes place when collaboration between professional groups goes wrong and escalates, and how problems in collaboration may affect patient safety.

  19. Countering Weapons Of Mass Destruction: A Preliminary Field Study In Improving Collaboration

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    Powers, Tim Gildea, and Scot Gonzalez. Thanks to the operators of First Special Forces Group, whose participation and insights enhanced the exercise. A...Jossey-Bass, 1989); Barbara Gray and D. J. Wood , “Collaborative Alliances: Moving from Practice to Theory,” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 27...and D. J. Wood . “Collaborative Alliances: Moving from Practice to Theory.” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 27, no. 2 (1991): 3–22. Gray

  20. Identifying and Supporting Productive Collaborative Teacher Talk

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flarend, Alice M.

    As improvements and changes in science education are promulgated, science teachers must be educated about these changes. Professional development programs are central to promoting teacher learning. Although the field seems to have agreed upon large-scalepedagogical features of high quality professional development with an emphasis on building a collaborative community of learners, effective implementation of these features is still problematic. The connections between these collaborative features and actual teacher work during the professional development remain unclear. This qualitative discourse study investigated how teachers engaged in small group discussions use discourse to collaborate during a weeklong professional development program that employed these useful pedagogical features. Small group discussions among the forty-two participants, diverse in their demographics and teaching experiences, were video and audio recorded. A collaborative discourse framework is developed and applied to the discussions, successfully categorizing episodes of discourse according to their productive potential for learning. The structure of the PD activities is then investigated to determine characteristics encouraging to these productive learning conversations. The analysis in this study indicated requiring groups to come to a consensus helps groups dig deeper into the content, promoting a more productive negotiation of concepts. Building consensus around an artifact such as a graph strengthened the need for consensus and thereby strengthened the opportunities for productive conversation. In addition, professional development activities that target building and using specific language were also opportunities for productive learning talk, providing opportunities to negotiate the deep meaning of words and concepts rather then leaving them unexamined. When viewed through the lens of Wenger's Community of Practice (1998) these findings are ways of strengthening the community. Consensus strengthens the mutual accountability and the purposeful building of vocabulary strengthens the shared repertoire, as did having the consensus artifact.

  1. Implementation of Treat-to-Target in Rheumatoid Arthritis Through a Learning Collaborative: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

    PubMed

    Solomon, Daniel H; Losina, Elena; Lu, Bing; Zak, Agnes; Corrigan, Cassandra; Lee, Sara B; Agosti, Jenifer; Bitton, Asaf; Harrold, Leslie R; Pincus, Theodore; Radner, Helga; Yu, Zhi; Smolen, Josef S; Fraenkel, Liana; Katz, Jeffrey N

    2017-07-01

    Treat-to-target (TTT) is an accepted paradigm for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but some evidence suggests poor adherence. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a group-based multisite improvement learning collaborative on adherence to TTT. We conducted a cluster-randomized quality-improvement trial with waitlist control across 11 rheumatology sites in the US. The intervention entailed a 9-month group-based learning collaborative that incorporated rapid-cycle improvement methods. A composite TTT implementation score was calculated as the percentage of 4 required items documented in the visit notes for each patient at 2 time points, as evaluated by trained staff. The mean change in the implementation score for TTT across all patients for the intervention sites was compared with that for the control sites after accounting for intracluster correlation using linear mixed models. Five sites with a total of 23 participating rheumatology providers were randomized to intervention and 6 sites with 23 participating rheumatology providers were randomized to the waitlist control. The intervention included 320 patients, and the control included 321 patients. At baseline, the mean TTT implementation score was 11% in both arms; after the 9-month intervention, the mean TTT implementation score was 57% in the intervention group and 25% in the control group (change in score of 46% for intervention and 14% for control; P = 0.004). We did not observe excessive use of resources or excessive occurrence of adverse events in the intervention arm. A learning collaborative resulted in substantial improvements in adherence to TTT for the management of RA. This study supports the use of an educational collaborative to improve quality. © 2017, American College of Rheumatology.

  2. Exploring teams of learners becoming "WE" in the Intensive Care Unit--a focused ethnographic study.

    PubMed

    Conte, Helen; Scheja, Max; Hjelmqvist, Hans; Jirwe, Maria

    2015-08-16

    Research about collaboration within teams of learners in intensive care is sparse, as is research on how the learners in a group develop into a team. The aim of this study was to explore the collaboration in teams of learners during a rotation in an interprofessional education unit in intensive care from a sociocultural learning perspective. Focused Ethnographic methods were used to collect data following eight teams of learners in 2009 and 2010. Each team consisted of one resident, one specialist nurse student and their supervisors (n = 28). The material consisted of 100 hours of observations, interviews, and four hours of sound recordings. A qualitative analysis explored changing patterns of interplay through a constant comparative approach. The learners' collaboration progressed along a pattern of participation common to all eight groups with a chronological starting point and an end point. The progress consisted of three main steps where the learners' groups developed into teams during a week's training. The supervisors' guided the progress by gradually stepping back to provide latitude for critical reflection and action. Our main conclusion in training teams of learners how to collaborate in the intensive care is the crucial understanding of how to guide them to act like a team, feel like a team and having the authority to act as a team.

  3. Does quality improvement work? Evaluation of the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative.

    PubMed

    Howard, David H; Siminoff, Laura A; McBride, Virginia; Lin, Monica

    2007-12-01

    The Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative is a quality improvement initiative to encourage adoption of "best practices" for identifying potential donors and obtaining consent for deceased organ donation. We evaluate the impact of the first phase on organ donation rates. We study donation rates in the 95 hospitals that participated in the first phase and a control group of 125 hospitals. We use a controlled pre/post design. The preperiod is the year before the start of the Collaborative (September 2002 to August 2003), the postperiod is the final 6 months of the first phase (March 2004 to August 2004). We use administrative data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to compute the conversion rate in each hospital group and time period. The conversion rate is the proportion of eligible donors who became actual donors. Preperiod conversion rates in Collaborative and control hospitals were similar: 52 and 51 percent, respectively. In the postperiod, the conversion rate increased to 60 percent among Collaborative hospitals and remained at 51 percent among control hospitals. The relative change was 8 percentage points (95 percent confidence interval: 2-13: p<.001). Our findings suggest that the Breakthrough Collaborative led to an increase in donation rates at participating hospitals.

  4. Perceived Benefits of Collaboration Between Local Health Departments and Schools and Programs of Public Health: A Mixed-Methods Study.

    PubMed

    Kovach, Kevin A; Welter, Christina R; Seweryn, Steven M; Torres, Griselle

    2018-06-20

    Collaboration between local health departments (LHDs) and schools and programs of public health (SPPH) may be a way to improve practice, education, and research. However, little is known about why LHDs and SPPH collaborate. This mixed-methods study addressed this issue by exploring what LHDs and SPPH perceive to be beneficial about their collaboration. A mixed-methods study using quantitative and qualitative data was conducted. A survey of 2000 LHDs that completed the 2013 National Profile of LHDs measured how important and effective LHDs perceived 30 indicators of the 10 essential public health services to be for collaboration with SPPH. Focus groups were held with LHD officials and the faculty from SPPH to further explore their perceptions of the mutual benefits of their collaboration. This study showed that LHD officials and the faculty from SPPH valued their collaborative work because it can improve education and training, support public health accreditation, enhance LHD credibility, enhance LHD technological capabilities, and improve research and evidence-based practice. Benefits increased with an increase in the degree of collaboration. This also showed that LHD officials would like to collaborate more closely with SPPH. Collaboration between LHDs and SPPH is mutually beneficial, and close collaboration can help transform public health practice, education, and research. In light of this, more attention should be paid to developing goals and objectives for a collaborative agenda. Attention should be paid not only to the immediate needs of the organizations and individuals involved but also to their long-term goals and underlying desires. Funding opportunities to support the development of partnerships between LHDs and SPPH are needed to provide tangible tasks and opportunities for taking a more long-term and strategic view for collaborative relationships.

  5. Collaborative essay testing: group work that counts.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Peggy A

    2009-01-01

    Because much of a nurse's work is accomplished through working in groups, nursing students need an understanding of group process as well as opportunities to problem-solve in groups. Despite an emphasis on group activities as critical for classroom learning, there is a lack of evidence in the nursing literature that describes collaborative essay testing as a teaching strategy. In this class, nursing students worked together in small groups to answer examination questions before submitting a common set of answers. In a follow-up survey, students reported that collaborative testing was a positive experience (e.g., promoting critical thinking, confidence in knowledge, and teamwork). Faculty were excited by the lively dialog heard during the testing in what appeared to be an atmosphere of teamwork. Future efforts could include providing nursing students with direct instruction on group process and more opportunities to work and test collaboratively.

  6. Facilitating Collaboration in Online Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Geralyn E.; Roberts, Kathryn L.

    2017-01-01

    Demonstrating the ability to collaborate effectively is essential for students moving into 21st century workplaces. Employers are expecting new hires to already possess group-work skills and will seek evidence of their ability to cooperate, collaborate, and complete projects with colleagues, including remotely or at a distance. Instructional…

  7. Collaborative Group Action Research: A Constructivist Approach to Developing an Integrated Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saurino, Penny L.; Saurino, Dan R.

    Elementary teachers collaborated on a research project that investigated how a constructivist approach to gifted and talented integrated curriculum strategies and techniques could be developed and implemented. The collaborative group action research cycle involved planning, collecting baseline data, intervening strategies/modifying interventions,…

  8. Writing Together: Gender's Effect on Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rehling, Louise

    1996-01-01

    Analyzes the behaviors of over 60 student groups in professional writing classes. Finds gender-related effects on collaboration: tendencies to stereotype men as technical experts and to self-segregate into gendered working teams. Suggests new perspectives on the role of gender for collaborative groups in professional writing classrooms. (PA)

  9. International collaborative donor project.

    PubMed

    Ríos Zambudio, Antonio

    2018-02-01

    The International Donor Collaborative Project (PCID) research group was created in 1996 in Spain with the aim of promoting research in the field of organ donation and transplantation, led by Spanish surgeons. During this period they have developed the questionnaires of the PCID, both the attitude towards cadaver and live donation, which are the most used questionnaires in publications in indexed journals. They have been the driving group of stratified studies representative of the populations under study, and of the performance of multivariate statistical analyzes in the field of psycho-social research in organ donation and transplantation. The main contributions of the group focus on the analysis of health center professionals and emerging migrant groups. In recent years, studies have been extended to the United States, Latin America (mainly Mexico) and Europe. Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. Beyond the Books: Case Study of a Collaborative and Holistic Support Model for University Students with Asperger Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacLeod, Andrea; Green, Sue

    2009-01-01

    This article reflects on the experience of one UK higher education institution in its efforts to develop more effective support mechanisms for the growing numbers of students with Asperger syndrome and autism, in collaboration with a specialist support organisation. Case studies are used to illustrate the complex needs of this group of students.…

  11. One Size Does Not Fit All: A System Development Perspective

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-09-01

    study seeks an understanding of the nature and characteristics of failed IT projects . These failures...are in the context of a plethora of resources made available to the Coast Guard to ensure the success of its IT projects . This study is important...features are as follows: 1. Collaboration : Agile methods are highly collaborative inside and outside the development group . 2. Code review:

  12. Classroom Discourse and Reading Comprehension in Bilingual Settings: A Case Study of Collaborative Reasoning in a Chinese Heritage Language Learners' Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Hsiao-Feng

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation examines the participation of one Chinese teacher and five 13 to 15 year-old Chinese heritage students in a classroom in a Chinese community school during group discussions about narrative texts. In this study, the teacher used Collaborative Reasoning (CR) (Anderson, et al., 2001) to help the Chinese heritage students extend…

  13. An International Collaboration To Standardize HIV-2 Viral Load Assays: Results from the 2009 ACHIEV2E Quality Control Study▿

    PubMed Central

    Damond, F.; Benard, A.; Balotta, Claudia; Böni, Jürg; Cotten, Matthew; Duque, Vitor; Ferns, Bridget; Garson, Jeremy; Gomes, Perpetua; Gonçalves, Fátima; Gottlieb, Geoffrey; Kupfer, Bernd; Ruelle, Jean; Rodes, Berta; Soriano, Vicente; Wainberg, Mark; Taieb, Audrey; Matheron, Sophie; Chene, Genevieve; Brun-Vezinet, Francoise

    2011-01-01

    Accurate HIV-2 plasma viral load quantification is crucial for adequate HIV-2 patient management and for the proper conduct of clinical trials and international cohort collaborations. This study compared the homogeneity of HIV-2 RNA quantification when using HIV-2 assays from ACHIEV2E study sites and either in-house PCR calibration standards or common viral load standards supplied to all collaborators. Each of the 12 participating laboratories quantified blinded HIV-2 samples, using its own HIV-2 viral load assay and standard as well as centrally validated and distributed common HIV-2 group A and B standards (http://www.hiv.lanl.gov/content/sequence/HelpDocs/subtypes-more.html). Aliquots of HIV-2 group A and B strains, each at 2 theoretical concentrations (2.7 and 3.7 log10 copies/ml), were tested. Intralaboratory, interlaboratory, and overall variances of quantification results obtained with both standards were compared using F tests. For HIV-2 group A quantifications, overall and interlaboratory and/or intralaboratory variances were significantly lower when using the common standard than when using in-house standards at the concentration levels of 2.7 log10 copies/ml and 3.7 log10 copies/ml, respectively. For HIV-2 group B, a high heterogeneity was observed and the variances did not differ according to the type of standard used. In this international collaboration, the use of a common standard improved the homogeneity of HIV-2 group A RNA quantification only. The diversity of HIV-2 group B, particularly in PCR primer-binding regions, may explain the heterogeneity in quantification of this strain. Development of a validated HIV-2 viral load assay that accurately quantifies distinct circulating strains is needed. PMID:21813718

  14. The Knowledge and Perceptions of Prospective Teachers and Speech Language Therapists in Collaborative Language and Literacy Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Leanne; McNeill, Brigid; Gillon, Gail T.

    2015-01-01

    Successful collaboration among speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers fosters the creation of communication friendly classrooms that maximize children's spoken and written language learning. However, these groups of professionals may have insufficient opportunity in their professional study to develop the shared knowledge, perceptions…

  15. The Effect of a Collaborative Mentoring Program on Beginning Science Teachers' Inquiry-Based Teaching Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nam, Jeonghee; Seung, Eulsun; Go, MunSuk

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated how a collaborative mentoring program influenced beginning science teachers' inquiry-based teaching and their reflection on practice. The one-year program consisted of five one-on-one mentoring meetings, weekly science education seminars, weekly mentoring group discussions, and self-evaluation activities. The participants…

  16. Impact of Collaborative Project-Based Learning on Self-Efficacy of Urban Minority Students in Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Pearl; Hernandez, Anthony; Dong, Jane

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an interdisciplinary research project that studies the impact of collaborative project-based learning (CPBL) on the development of self-efficacy of students from various ethnic groups in an undergraduate senior-level computer networking class. Grounded in social constructivist and situated theories of learning, the study…

  17. 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)…

  18. Multi-Touch Tables and Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Steve; Mercier, Emma; Burd, Liz; Joyce-Gibbons, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    The development of multi-touch tables, an emerging technology for classroom learning, offers valuable opportunities to explore how its features can be designed to support effective collaboration in schools. In this study, small groups of 10- to 11-year-old children undertook a history task where they had to connect various pieces of information…

  19. Co-Constructing Writing Knowledge: Students' Collaborative Talk across Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winzenried, Misty Anne; Campbell, Lillian; Chao, Roger; Cardinal, Alison

    2017-01-01

    Although compositionists recognize that student talk plays an important role in learning to write, there is limited understanding of how students use conversational moves to collaboratively build knowledge about writing across contexts. This article reports on a study of focus group conversations involving first-year students in a cohort program.…

  20. Use of Networked Collaborative Concept Mapping To Measure Team Processes and Team Outcomes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; O'Neil, Harold F., Jr.; Herl, Howard E.; Dennis, Robert A.

    The feasibility of using a computer-based networked collaborative concept mapping system to measure teamwork skills was studied. A concept map is a node-link-node representation of content, where the nodes represent concepts and links represent relationships between connected concepts. Teamwork processes were examined for a group concept mapping…

  1. Provider Perspectives on Adopting and Using Collaborative Consultation in Natural Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salisbury, Christine L.; Woods, Juliann; Copeland, Christina

    2010-01-01

    An exploratory case study was undertaken to investigate the perspectives and experiences of six early intervention providers as they adopted and implemented a collaborative consultation approach to home visiting in urban neighborhoods. Survey, semistructured interview, and focus group methods were used over a 2-year period to obtain data about…

  2. Less Is More: Teachers' Influence during Peer Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Tzu-Jung; Jadallah, May; Anderson, Richard C.; Baker, Amanda R.; Nguyen-Jahiel, Kim; Kim, Il-Hee; Kuo, Li-Jen; Miller, Brian W.; Dong, Ting; Wu, Xiaoying

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the influence of teachers' instructional moves on students' relational thinking during small-group collaborative discussions. One hundred and twenty 4th grade students and 6 teachers participated in a series of 10 discussions, generating a video-recorded corpus containing 32,511 turns for speaking. A microanalysis of a subset…

  3. 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'…

  4. Effects of Collaborative Musical Theater on the Development of Social Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perez-Aldeguer, Santiago

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: This study analyzes the social competence of university students of the Music Education Teaching Degree through variables group climate, team cohesion and social skills. The need to develop good social competence was the basis to implement a project based on the musical theater applied according to the collaborative learning…

  5. Appropriating Geometric Series as a Cultural Tool: A Study of Student Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlsen, Martin

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this article is to illustrate how students, through collaborative small-group problem solving, appropriate the concept of geometric series. Student appropriation of cultural tools is dependent on five sociocultural aspects: involvement in joint activity, shared focus of attention, shared meanings for utterances, transforming actions and…

  6. Rewriting the Rules of Engagement: Elaborating a Model of District-Community Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ishimaru, Ann M.

    2014-01-01

    In this ethnographic case study, Ann M. Ishimaru examines how a collaboration emerged and evolved between a low-income Latino parent organizing group and the leadership of a rapidly changing school district. Using civic capacity and community organizing theories, Ishimaru seeks to understand the role of parents, goals, strategies, and change…

  7. Writers Develop Skills through Collaboration: An Action Research Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferguson-Patrick, Kate

    2007-01-01

    Collaborative approaches designed to increase writing productivity (amount written) as well as writing quality were implemented over a period of six months with a small group of 12 six-year-olds in a Primary School in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. The study demonstrated the positive nature of peer interactions with an increase in quality and…

  8. Collaborative Learning, Circa 1880.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Theodora Penny

    Collaborative learning, such as student-team learning or work-group learning, has become the focus of inservice workshops for teachers, a theme in professional journals, and the daily routine in an increasing number of classrooms. The women's study clubs in late 19th-century United States used a similar pedagogy. By the early 1900s, perhaps as…

  9. Mother-child play in children with Down syndrome and typical development

    PubMed Central

    Venuti, P.; de Falco, S.; Esposito, G.; Bornstein, Marc H.

    2014-01-01

    The present study compares child solitary and collaborative play with mother in 21 children with Down syndrome (DS) and 33 mental-age-matched typically developing (TD) children. In solitary play, children with DS showed less exploratory but similar symbolic play compared to TD children. From solitary to collaborative play, children with DS increased their exploratory play attaining the same level as TD children; Pretense significantly increased from solitary to collaborative play only in TD children . Differences between mothers’ play in the two groups mirrored those between their children. Child and mother play in both groups showed similar attunement and synchrony. Mothers contribute to the play development of children with DS through their own adaptation to their children’s limitations and potentialities alike. PMID:19642713

  10. The Effects of Collaborative Care of Living Animals in Biology Lessons on Students' Relatedness Toward Their Teacher Across Gender

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eckes, Alexander; Großmann, Nadine; Wilde, Matthias

    2018-01-01

    The transition from elementary school to the upper grades can lead to ambiguous feelings toward the new, male teachers. This study investigated whether collaborative animal care in biology lessons affects students' feelings of relatedness toward their biology teachers positively during the first year after the school transition. Four hundred twenty fifth graders (M age = 10.5 years, SD age = 0.6 years) of higher types of tracking participated. We designed one experimental group that involved caring for the living animals to be used in the upcoming lessons, and two control groups. The first control group included lessons with living animals, but did not include prior care of those animals, and the second incorporated neither living animals nor prior care. All groups received biology lessons with the same content. To examine the effects of caretaking, we used an adapted version of the scale "relatedness" (Ryan 1982). In both control groups, boys showed lower relatedness toward female teachers and girls toward male teachers, respectively. Collaborative mice care promoted equal relatedness across all gender combinations among teachers and students.

  11. Capturing readiness to learn and collaboration as explored with an interprofessional simulation scenario: A mixed-methods research study.

    PubMed

    Rossler, Kelly L; Kimble, Laura P

    2016-01-01

    Didactic lecture does not lend itself to teaching interprofessional collaboration. High-fidelity human patient simulation with a focus on clinical situations/scenarios is highly conducive to interprofessional education. Consequently, a need for research supporting the incorporation of interprofessional education with high-fidelity patient simulation based technology exists. The purpose of this study was to explore readiness for interprofessional learning and collaboration among pre-licensure health professions students participating in an interprofessional education human patient simulation experience. Using a mixed methods convergent parallel design, a sample of 53 pre-licensure health professions students enrolled in nursing, respiratory therapy, health administration, and physical therapy programs within a college of health professions participated in high-fidelity human patient simulation experiences. Perceptions of interprofessional learning and collaboration were measured with the revised Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Health Professional Collaboration Scale (HPCS). Focus groups were conducted during the simulation post-briefing to obtain qualitative data. Statistical analysis included non-parametric, inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Pre- and post-RIPLS demonstrated pre-licensure health professions students reported significantly more positive attitudes about readiness for interprofessional learning post-simulation in the areas of team work and collaboration, negative professional identity, and positive professional identity. Post-simulation HPCS revealed pre-licensure nursing and health administration groups reported greater health collaboration during simulation than physical therapy students. Qualitative analysis yielded three themes: "exposure to experiential learning," "acquisition of interactional relationships," and "presence of chronology in role preparation." Quantitative and qualitative data converged around the finding that physical therapy students had less positive perceptions of the experience because they viewed physical therapy practice as occurring one-on-one rather than in groups. Findings support that pre-licensure students are ready to engage in interprofessional education through exposure to an experiential format such as high-fidelity human patient simulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Fostering Collaborative Teaching and Learning Scholarship through an International Writing Group Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marquis, Elizabeth; Healey, Mick; Vine, Michelle

    2016-01-01

    The research presented here explored the experiences of participants in an international collaborative writing group (ICWG) initiative that ran in conjunction with the 2012 International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSoTL) conference. The ICWG sought to cultivate collaborative pedagogical scholarship by bringing together…

  13. Personality, Collaboration, Motivation and Engagement in a Cross-Border Online Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelsen, Brent; Flowers, Simeon

    2018-01-01

    Personality traits are believed to affect both learner ability and group dynamics and cohesion. Another central element influencing how individuals perform in group settings stems from their motivation to collaborate. This article explores the relationship between personality traits, motivation for collaboration and participation of university…

  14. Predicting Student Performance in a Collaborative Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen, Jennifer K.; Aleven, Vincent; Rummel, Nikol

    2015-01-01

    Student models for adaptive systems may not model collaborative learning optimally. Past research has either focused on modeling individual learning or for collaboration, has focused on group dynamics or group processes without predicting learning. In the current paper, we adjust the Additive Factors Model (AFM), a standard logistic regression…

  15. RETHINKING THE ROLE OF SMALL-GROUP COLLABORATORS AND ADVERSARIES IN THE LONDON KLEINIAN DEVELOPMENT (1914-1968).

    PubMed

    Aguayo, Joseph; Regeczkey, Agnes

    2016-07-01

    The authors historically situate the London Kleinian development in terms of the small-group collaborations and adversaries that arose during the course of Melanie Klein's career. Some collaborations later became personally adversarial (e.g., those Klein had with Glover and Schmideberg); other adversarial relationships forever remained that way (with A. Freud); while still other long-term collaborations became theoretically contentious (such as with Winnicott and Heimann). After the Controversial Discussions in 1944, Klein marginalized one group of supporters (Heimann, Winnicott, and Riviere) in favor of another group (Rosenfeld, Segal, and Bion). After Klein's death in 1960, Bion maintained loyalty to Klein's ideas while quietly distancing his work from the London Klein group, immigrating to the United States in 1968. © 2016 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

  16. A Peer-Reviewed Research Assignment for Large Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, LaRhee; Buising, Charisse

    2000-01-01

    Introduces a writing exercise students work on in collaborative groups. Aims to enhance students' scientific research paper writing skills and provide experience working in collaborative groups. Presents evaluation criteria for peer-group evaluation of a poster presentation, intra-group evaluation of peer performance, and peer-group evaluation of…

  17. With a little help from my spouse: does spousal collaboration compensate for the effects of cognitive aging?

    PubMed

    Rauers, Antje; Riediger, Michaela; Schmiedek, Florian; Lindenberger, Ulman

    2011-01-01

    Collaborating with another person may help people compensate for aging-related losses in memory performance. However, collaborating in itself is effortful and draws upon individual cognitive resources. One factor that can facilitate collaboration, and decrease its resource requirements, is familiarity between interaction partners. Such facilitation should be particularly important when cognitive-mechanic resources are low. The current study was conducted to empirically test this theoretical notion. We hypothesized that cognitive aging should amplify the advantage of collaborating with a familiar partner over collaborating with an unfamiliar person. We developed an interpersonal cueing task based on the game Taboo©. The task modeled an everyday-life situation in which one person cues another person to retrieve a piece of information from memory. Seventy-six younger adults (20-33 years) and 80 older adults (63-79 years) worked on this task once with their spouse and once with an unfamiliar cross-sex partner from the same age group. Collaborative performance was operationalized as the number of cue words needed until the partner guessed the target, as determined by independent trained coders. Performance in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test was used as an indicator of cognitive aging. Multilevel-modeling analyses revealed that collaborating spouses outperformed collaborators who had not known each other before. This effect was comparable for both age groups but larger in persons with lower Digit Symbol scores. While participants with lower Digit Symbol scores generally performed worse in the collaborative task, they partly made up for this difference when working with the spouse. We conclude that spousal collaboration may offer a compensatory strategy to cope with individual aging-related losses. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. Wiki technology enhanced group project to promote active learning in a neuroscience course for first-year medical students: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Mi, Misa; Gould, Douglas

    2014-01-01

    A Wiki group project was integrated into a neuroscience course for first-year medical students. The project was developed as a self-directed, collaborative learning task to help medical students review course content and make clinically important connections. The goals of the project were to enhance students' understanding of key concepts in neuroscience, promote active learning, and reinforce their information literacy skills. The objective of the exploratory study was to provide a formative evaluation of the Wiki group project and to examine how Wiki technology was utilized to enhance active and collaborative learning of first-year medical students in the course and to reinforce information literacy skills.

  19. Understanding the drivers of interprofessional collaborative practice among HIV primary care providers and case managers in HIV care programmes.

    PubMed

    Mavronicolas, Heather A; Laraque, Fabienne; Shankar, Arti; Campbell, Claudia

    2017-05-01

    Care coordination programmes are an important aspect of HIV management whose success depends largely on HIV primary care provider (PCP) and case manager collaboration. Factors influencing collaboration among HIV PCPs and case managers remain to be studied. The study objective was to test an existing theoretical model of interprofessional collaborative practice and determine which factors play the most important role in facilitating collaboration. A self-administered, anonymous mail survey was sent to HIV PCPs and case managers in New York City. An adapted survey instrument elicited information on demographic, contextual, and perceived social exchange (trustworthiness, role specification, and relationship initiation) characteristics. The dependent variable, perceived interprofessional practice, was constructed from a validated scale. A sequential block wise regression model specifying variable entry order examined the relative importance of each group of factors and of individual variables. The analysis showed that social exchange factors were the dominant drivers of collaboration. Relationship initiation was the most important predictor of interprofessional collaboration. Additional influential factors included organisational leadership support of collaboration, practice settings, and frequency of interprofessional meetings. Addressing factors influencing collaboration among providers will help public health programmes optimally design their structural, hiring, and training strategies to foster effective social exchanges and promote collaborative working relationships.

  20. Learning through Interactive Talk: A School-Based Mentor Teacher Study Group as a Context for Professional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carroll, D.

    2005-01-01

    This article reports on a year-long study of collaborative professional learning in a mentor teacher study group connected to a large university teacher education program. It introduces a theoretical framework for considering the nature of interactive talk and its relationship to professional learning. Using examples of study group discourse, it…

  1. An examination of how middle school science teachers conduct collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Todd-Gibson, Christine

    This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the teachers' ability to engage in collaborative inquiry. Observational, written, and interview data were collected from observations of teachers' face-to-face meetings and reflections, individual interviews, a focus group interview, and online reflections. The results of this study revealed that collaborative inquiry is a form of professional development that includes answering curricular questions through observation, communication, action, and reflection. This approach was developed and implemented by middle school science teachers. The premise of an inquiry is based on a need with students. Middle school science teachers came to consensus about actions to affect students' conceptual understanding, took action as stated, and shared their reflections of the actions taken with consideration to current and upcoming school activities. Activities involved teachers brainstorming and sharing with one another, talking about how the variables were merged into their curriculum, and how they impacted students' conceptual understanding. Teachers valued talking with one another about science content and pedagogy, but did find the inquiry portion of the approach to require more development. The greatest challenge to conducting collaborative inquiry and reflection was embedding teacher inquiry within a prescribed inquiry that was already being conducted by the Sundown School District. Collaborative inquiry should be structured so that it meets the needs of teachers in order to attend to the needs of students. A conducive atmosphere for collaborative inquiry and reflection is one in which administrators make the process mandatory and facilitate the process by removing an existing inquiry.

  2. The Influence of Learning Methods on Collaboration: Prior Repeated Retrieval Enhances Retrieval Organization, Abolishes Collaborative Inhibition, and Promotes Post-Collaborative Memory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congleton, Adam R.; Rajaram, Suparna

    2011-01-01

    Research on collaborative memory has unveiled the counterintuitive yet robust phenomenon that collaboration impairs group recall. A candidate explanation for this "collaborative inhibition" effect is the disruption of people's idiosyncratic retrieval strategies during collaboration, and it is hypothesized that employing methods that improve one's…

  3. Parents' perspectives on a collaborative approach to the application of the Handwriting Without Tears(®) programme with children with Down syndrome.

    PubMed

    Patton, Sandra; Hutton, Eve

    2016-08-01

    The active involvement of parents and children in goal setting and intervention is integral to contemporary occupational therapy process models. However, parental perspectives on collaborative handwriting intervention are limited. This paper presents parental perspectives on a three-way collaboration involving teachers, parents and an occupational therapist in the application of Handwriting Without Tears(®) (HWT(®) ) with children with Down syndrome. Within a larger mixed methods study, 44 parents completed purpose-designed questionnaires and six parents participated in a focus group, post 8 months of programme implementation. Both methods gathered parent's perspectives on the usefulness and limitations of applying HWT(®) . The focus group explored collaboration in depth. Analysis involved triangulation of data from descriptive analysis of numerical data with content analysis of open-ended questions and focus group data. Enablers of parent-child engagement in HWT(®) were identified as; the parent-child-friendly aspects of HWT(®) , the teacher involvement ensuring continuity which eased demands on parents, the ongoing support/guidance of the occupational therapist and the child's involvement in HWT(®) group intervention. The occupational therapists' involvement was reported as essential to encouraging teacher/parent involvement. Barriers to child-parent engagement included fluctuations in child health, mood, attention span and time limitations including the child's involvement in other therapy programmes. Parents perceived the HWT(®) and the three-way collaborative approach as enabling active parent-child engagement in handwriting intervention. This approach warrants further investigation. Findings have the potential to inform practice guidelines and pre- and post-graduation education related to collaborative handwriting intervention with children with Down syndrome and their families. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  4. Collaboration among eldercare workers: barriers, facilitators and supporting processes.

    PubMed

    Jakobsen, Louise M; Albertsen, Karen; Jorgensen, Anette F B; Greiner, Birgit A; Rugulies, Reiner

    2018-05-03

    To retain qualified care workers and to ensure high-quality care for residents in eldercare homes, well-functioning collaboration among care workers is pivotal. This study aims to identify barriers and facilitators of collaboration among eldercare workers and to describe the processes leading to well-functioning collaboration. We collected focus group data from 33 eldercare workers from seven Danish eldercare homes. We found that collaboration was hampered by a number of formal and informal divisions among care workers. To ensure well-functioning collaboration, social and professional relations among care workers needed to be dealt with actively by care workers and by managers. The analysis showed that managers are essential for creating a well-functioning framework around the collaboration between care workers by providing guidelines and procedures for working across various divisions, by being attentive to care workers and taking decisive action when needed and by dealing with conflicts in the workgroups. © 2018 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  5. Collaboration process for integrated social and health care strategy implementation.

    PubMed

    Korpela, Jukka; Elfvengren, Kalle; Kaarna, Tanja; Tepponen, Merja; Tuominen, Markku

    2012-01-01

    To present a collaboration process for creating a roadmap for the implementation of a strategy for integrated health and social care. The developed collaboration process includes multiple phases and uses electronic group decision support system technology (GDSS). A case study done in the South Karelia District of Social and Health Services in Finland during 2010-2011. An expert panel of 13 participants was used in the planning process of the strategy implementation. The participants were interviewed and observed during the case study. As a practical result, a roadmap for integrated health and social care strategy implementation has been developed. The strategic roadmap includes detailed plans of several projects which are needed for successful integration strategy implementation. As an academic result, a collaboration process to create such a roadmap has been developed. The collaboration process and technology seem to suit the planning process well. The participants of the meetings were satisfied with the collaboration process and the GDSS technology. The strategic roadmap was accepted by the participants, which indicates satisfaction with the developed process.

  6. [Coauthorship networks and institutional collaboration in Revista de Neurología].

    PubMed

    González-Alcaide, G; Alonso-Arroyo, A; González de Dios, J; Sempere, A P; Valderrama-Zurián, J C; Aleixandre-Benavent, R

    Scientific cooperation is essential for the advance of science. Bibliometrics and social network analysis offer evaluation indicators to analyse collaboration in scientific papers. The aim of this study is to characterize scientific collaboration patterns in Revista de Neurología between 2002 and 2006. Coauthorships and institutional relationships of papers published in Revista de Neurología have been identified. Collaboration Index, the most productive authors' and institutional collaboration patterns and the types of institutional collaborations have been quantified. Also, it has been constructed the coauthorship networks and the institutional collaboration network. Networks have been identified and represented using Access and Pajek software tools. The Collaboration Index was 4.01. 56.54% of papers involved institutional collaboration. The collaboration between institutions of the same country prevails (52.7%), followed by collaborations between departments, services or units of the same institution (40.47%) and international collaboration (6.83%). 45 coauthorship networks involving 149 investigators with a high intensity of collaboration and a large institutional network involved 80 centres were observed. Revista de Neurología covers scientific production of a high number of research groups. It has been observed a positive evolution in the collaboration patterns over the time. Nevertheless, it is essential to encourage inter-regional and international collaboration.

  7. Involving Users to Improve the Collaborative Logical Framework

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    In order to support collaboration in web-based learning, there is a need for an intelligent support that facilitates its management during the design, development, and analysis of the collaborative learning experience and supports both students and instructors. At aDeNu research group we have proposed the Collaborative Logical Framework (CLF) to create effective scenarios that support learning through interaction, exploration, discussion, and collaborative knowledge construction. This approach draws on artificial intelligence techniques to support and foster an effective involvement of students to collaborate. At the same time, the instructors' workload is reduced as some of their tasks—especially those related to the monitoring of the students behavior—are automated. After introducing the CLF approach, in this paper, we present two formative evaluations with users carried out to improve the design of this collaborative tool and thus enrich the personalized support provided. In the first one, we analyze, following the layered evaluation approach, the results of an observational study with 56 participants. In the second one, we tested the infrastructure to gather emotional data when carrying out another observational study with 17 participants. PMID:24592196

  8. Novel Approach to Facilitating Tradeoff Multi-Objective Grouping Optimization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Yu-Shih; Chang, Yi-Chun; Chu, Chih-Ping

    2016-01-01

    The grouping problem is critical in collaborative learning (CL) because of the complexity and difficulty in adequate grouping, based on various grouping criteria and numerous learners. Previous studies have paid attention to certain research questions, and the consideration for a number of learner characteristics has arisen. Such a multi-objective…

  9. Teaching astronomy with case studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slater, Timothy F.

    2015-11-01

    Breaking the students into small, collaborative learning groups to solve a meaningful task together is one of the most successful and fully evaluated teaching techniques implemented over the last century. Although there are many ways to accomplish small group learning, a long-standing and consistently successful collaborative class activity is to use the case study teaching strategy. The use of case studies is common in medical schools and law schools, but not so common in the teaching of astronomy. Case studies create meaningful conversations among students and with the professor by focusing on life-like dilemmas to be solved. Case study tasks ask audience members to synthesize several ideas or evaluate scenarios that have not been explicitly presented to them in the lecture or in available readings.

  10. Constructing Maps Collaboratively.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leinhardt, Gaea; Stainton, Catherine; Bausmith, Jennifer Merriman

    1998-01-01

    Summarizes a study that maintains that students who work together in small groups had a better understanding of map concepts. Discusses why making maps in groups can enhance students' conceptual geographic understanding and offers suggestions for improving geography instructions using small group configurations. Includes statistical and graphic…

  11. Physicians' perspectives of pharmacist-physician collaboration in the United Arab Emirates: Findings from an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Hasan, S; Stewart, K; Chapman, C B; Kong, D C M

    2018-03-28

    Interprofessional collaborative care has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Physicians' views on collaboration with pharmacists give an insight into what contributes to a well-functioning team. Little is known about these views from low and ​middle-income countries and nothing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The purpose of this study is to investigate physicians' opinions on collaborative relationships with community pharmacists in the UAE. Semi-structured individual interviews and group discussions are conducted with a purposive sample of physicians. Thematic analysis based on the framework approach is used to generate themes. A total of 53 physicians participated. Three themes about collaboration emerged: perceived benefits of collaboration, facilitators of collaboration and perceived barriers to collaboration. Perceived benefits include reducing the burden on physicians, having the pharmacist as an extra safety check within the system, having the pharmacist assist patients to manage their medications: coping with side effects, reducing drug waste and costs, and attaining professional and health-system gains. Perceived facilitators included awareness and trust building, professional role definition, pharmacists' access to patient records and effective communication. Perceived barriers included patient and physician acceptance, logistic and financial issues and perceived pharmacist competence. This study has, for the first time, provided useful information to inform the future development of pharmacist-physician collaboration in the UAE and other countries with similar healthcare systems.

  12. Advances and Directions for the Intelligent Systems for Geosciences Research Community: Updates and Opportunities from the NSF EarthCube IS-GEO RCN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pierce, S. A.

    2017-12-01

    The Earthcube Intelligent Systems for Geosciences Research Collaboration Network (IS-GEO RCN) represents an emerging community of interdisciplinary researchers aiming to create fundamental new capabilities for understanding Earth systems. Collaborative efforts across IS-GEO fields of study offer opportunities to accelerate scientific discovery and understanding. The IS-GEO community has an active membership of approximately 65 researchers and includes researchers from across the US, international members, and an early career committee. Current working groups are open to new participants and are focused on four thematic areas with regular coordination meetings and upcoming sessions at professional conferences. (1) The Sensor-based data Collection and Integration Working group looks at techniques for analyzing and integrating of information from heterogeneous sources, with a possible application for early warning systems. (2) The Geoscience Case Studies Working group is creating benchmark data sets to enable new collaborations between geoscientists and data scientists. (3) The Geo-Simulations Working group is evaluating the state of the art in practices for parametrizations, scales, and model integration. (4) The Education Working group is gathering, organizing and collecting all the materials from the different IS-GEO courses. Innovative IS-GEO applications will help researchers overcome common challenges while will redefining the frontiers of discovery across fields and disciplines. (Visit IS-GEO.org for more information or to sign up for any of the working groups.)

  13. Labouring Together: collaborative alliances in maternity care in Victoria, Australia-protocol of a mixed-methods study.

    PubMed

    Watkins, Vanessa; Nagle, Cate; Kent, Bridie; Hutchinson, Alison M

    2017-03-07

    For over a decade, enquiries into adverse perinatal outcomes have led to reports that poor collaboration has been detrimental to the safety and experience of maternity care. Despite efforts to improve collaboration, investigations into maternity care at Morecambe Bay (UK) and Djerriwarrh Health Services (Australia) have revealed that poor collaboration and decision-making remain a threat to perinatal safety. The Labouring Together study will investigate how elements hypothesised to influence the effectiveness of collaboration are reflected in perceptions and experiences of clinicians and childbearing women in Victoria, Australia. The study will explore conditions that assist clinicians and women to work collaboratively to support positive maternity outcomes. Results of the study will provide a platform for consumers, clinician groups, organisations and policymakers to work together to improve the quality, safety and experience of maternity care. 4 case study sites have been selected to represent a range of models of maternity care in metropolitan and regional Victoria, Australia. A mixed-methods approach including cross-sectional surveys and interviews will be used in each case study site, involving both clinicians and consumers. Quantitative data analysis will include descriptive statistics, 2-way multivariate analysis of variance for the dependent and independent variables, and χ 2 analysis to identify the degree of congruence between consumer preferences and experiences. Interview data will be analysed for emerging themes and concepts. Data will then be analysed for convergent lines of enquiry supported by triangulation of data to draw conclusions. Organisational ethics approval has been received from the case study sites and Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (2014-238). Dissemination of the results of the Labouring Together study will be via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and in written reports for each case study site to support organisational change. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  14. 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.…

  15. Dynamic Group Formation as an Approach to Collaborative Learning Support

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Srba, Ivan; Bielikova, Maria

    2015-01-01

    In the current time of globalization, collaboration among people in virtual environments is becoming an important precondition of success. This trend is reflected also in the educational domain where students collaborate in various short-term groups created repetitively but changing in each round (e.g. in MOOCs). Students in these kind of dynamic…

  16. The Role of Context in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Task during Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ritella, Giuseppe; Ligorio, Maria Beatrice; Hakkarainen, Kai

    2016-01-01

    This article analyses how a group of teachers managed the resources available while performing computer-supported collaborative problem-solving tasks in the context of professional development. The authors video-recorded and analysed collaborative sessions during which the group of teachers used a digital environment to prepare a pedagogical…

  17. Dynamic Group Formation Based on a Natural Phenomenon

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zedadra, Amina; Lafifi, Yacine; Zedadra, Ouarda

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a new approach of learners grouping in collaborative learning systems. This grouping process is based on traces left by learners. The goal is the circular dynamic grouping to achieve collaborative projects. The proposed approach consists of two main algorithms: (1) the circular grouping algorithm and (2) the dynamic grouping…

  18. Using co-teaching as a means of facilitating interprofessional collaboration in health and social care.

    PubMed

    Crow, Jayne; Smith, Lesley

    2003-02-01

    In this paper we report the findings of a collaborative enquiry on our experience as tutors co-teaching interprofessional collaboration to a multidisciplinary group of undergraduates. We have different professional/academic backgrounds and the student group included health and social work professionals alongside a number of non-professionals. Our data included our perceptions of the co-teaching experience collected by means of our reflective diaries and reflective conversations during planning and after teaching sessions. We also collected data on student perceptions elicited by means of student evaluations and a student focus group discussion. The data illuminate the process of using co-teaching to role model shared learning and collaborative working within the classroom and highlight the importance of carefully planning co-teaching interaction, including the use of humour, tension, different knowledge bases and styles of debate. The deliberate use of the interactions made possible by coteaching enabled us to create an active learning environment that facilitated the teaching of collaboration. Drawing on our experience, we discuss the considerable potential of using co-teaching to role model collaborative working for multidisciplinary student groups.

  19. Difficulties encountered in collaborative care: logistics trumps desire.

    PubMed

    Legault, Frances; Humbert, Jennie; Amos, Stephanie; Hogg, William; Ward, Natalie; Dahrouge, Simone; Ziebell, Laura

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the development of collaborative relationships between family physicians (FPs) and Anticipatory And Preventative Team Care (APTCare) team members providing care to medically complex patients who have been identified as at-risk for negative health outcomes. We undertook a qualitative study of a primary health care intervention in a family practice. Interviews were held with FPs and ATPCare intervention nurse practitioners (NPs) and pharmacists. Focus groups were conducted and a survey was administered to participating FPs, NPs, and pharmacists. NPs and pharmacists maintained a log recording their tasks and moments of collaboration. Scheduling demands rendered face-to-face collaboration difficult, leaving the team to rely on technological tools to keep in touch. Limited space meant the APTCare team had to work out of a downstairs office, limiting informal interactions with the practitioners on the main level. We demonstrate that the difficulties inherent in collaborative care are independent of the patient population being cared for. Regardless of the patient population and sector of health care, developing collaborative relationships and learning to work collaboratively is difficult and takes time. What many of these teams need is ongoing support and education about how to make these collaborative care practices work.

  20. The Collaborative Study on Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Other Neurological and Sensory Disorders of Infancy and Childhood. Bibliography No. 8. July 1974 through June 1975.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Inst. of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NIH), Bethesda, MD.

    The eighth in a series of annual bibliographies of the Collaborative Perinatal Project lists 30 manuscripts and journal articles from studies on cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and other neurological and sensory disorders of infancy and childhood. Entries are grouped under the categories of core and non-core data publications (based on…

  1. What Do We Know about Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Small Group Tutorials in Problem-Based Learning?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Schmidt, Henk G.

    2006-01-01

    Students collaborating in small groups is a characteristic of problem-based learning (PBL) that is receiving increased consideration in the literature. In this paper findings from studies in this area are synthesized and discussed. A distinction is made between studies focusing on cognitive effects of group learning and studies focusing on…

  2. Academic Life-Support: The Self Study of a Transnational Collaborative Mentoring Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bristol, Laurette; Adams, Anne E.; Guzman Johannessen, B. Gloria

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we examined the collaborative mentoring processes of a transnational network. A narrative approach was employed to explore the mentoring practices and experiences of 19 women involved in the CURVE-Y-FRiENDs (C-Y-F) network. Their mentoring practices go beyond transnational, ethnic, discipline, and university borders. The processes…

  3. Promoting Collaboration in a Project-Based E-Learning Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papanikolaou, Kyparisia; Boubouka, Maria

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we investigate the value of collaboration scripts for promoting metacognitive knowledge in a project-based e-learning context. In an empirical study, 82 students worked individually and in groups on a project using the e-learning environment MyProject, in which the life cycle of a project is inherent. Students followed a particular…

  4. A Collaboration of School Administrators and a University Faculty to Advance School Administrator Practices Using Appreciative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calabrese, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: An appreciative inquiry (AI) collaborative study with 11 school administrators in a highly diverse suburban school district sought to understand if observing and sharing successful school practices/events in a whole group setting led to change in their perceptions, attitudes, and administrative practice. The paper aims to discuss these…

  5. Defying Borders: Transforming Learning Through Collaborative Feminist Organizing and Interdisciplinary, Transnational Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carney, T.; Geertsema-Sligh, M.; Savage, A.; Sluis, A.

    2012-01-01

    The authors provide a case study of how a group of faculty members was able to initiate transformation in student learning and institutional structures at a small university in the Midwestern U.S. through the introduction of collaborative feminist organizing and pedagogy. It details faculty-led initiatives that set the stage for innovative…

  6. Fostering Collaboration in CALL: Benefits and Challenges of Using Virtual Language Resource Centres

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Medina, Liliana Cuesta; Alvarez, Claudia Patricia

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on collaborative CALL design and implementation carried out with two groups of postgraduate language-teacher trainees who designed and piloted nine virtual language resource centres (VLRC) at 16 educational institutions of different levels and contents for an academic year. The project was…

  7. The Effectiveness of Using Procedural Scaffoldings in a Paper-Plus-Smartphone Collaborative Learning Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Hui-Wen; Wu, Chih-Wei; Chen, Nian-Shing

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using procedural scaffoldings in fostering students' group discourse levels and learning outcomes in a paper-plus-smartphone collaborative learning context. All participants used built-in camera smartphones to learn new knowledge by scanning Quick Response (QR) codes, a type of…

  8. 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…

  9. Collaboration between Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists: Services for Primary School Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glover, Anna; McCormack, Jane; Smith-Tamaray, Michelle

    2015-01-01

    Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are prevalent among primary school-aged children. Collaboration between speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers is beneficial for supporting children's communication skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the needs of both professional groups and their preferences for service…

  10. The Difficulties and Possibilities of Cross-Cultural Communication: A Case Study of the Global Development of the Confucius Institutes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Qili, Lei; Dong, Chang

    2016-01-01

    Cultural communication is rooted in fusion: multicultural fusion requires that incoming cultures participate in various cultural activities at their place of arrival, such as cementing collaboration with local universities, reinforcing cooperation with local social groups, and strengthening collaboration with civil forces and local governments,…

  11. Understanding Collaborative Language Learning in Novice-Level Foreign Language Classrooms: Perceptions of Teachers and Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Peijian; Yuan, Rui

    2018-01-01

    This study explored the congruence and disparities among three groups of foreign language (Chinese, French, and German) students' and teachers' perceptions of collaborative/cooperative language learning (CLL) strategies in novice-level classroom contexts. A total of 168 participants from a university in the USA took part in this mixed-method…

  12. Assisting People with Developmental Disabilities Improve Their Collaborative Pointing Efficiency with a Multiple Cursor Automatic Pointing Assistive Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shih, Ching-Hsiang; Cheng, Hsiao-Fen; Li, Chia-Chun; Shih, Ching-Tien; Chiang, Ming-Shan

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated whether four persons (two groups) with developmental disabilities would be able to improve their collaborative pointing performance through a Multiple Cursor Automatic Pointing Assistive Program (MCAPAP) with a newly developed mouse driver (i.e., a new mouse driver replaces standard mouse driver, and is able to…

  13. 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…

  14. Synthesis of Aryl-Substituted 2,4-Dinitrophenylamines: Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution as a Problem-Solving and Collaborative-Learning Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santos, Elvira Santos; Garcia, Irma Cruz Gavilan; Gomez, Eva Florencia Lejarazo; Vilchis-Reyes, Miguel Angel

    2010-01-01

    A series of experiments based on problem-solving and collaborative-learning pedagogies are described that encourage students to interpret results and draw conclusions from data. Different approaches including parallel library synthesis, solvent variation, and leaving group variation are used to study a nucleophilic aromatic substitution of…

  15. Preventing Dating Violence in Public Schools: An Evaluation of an Interagency Collaborative Program for Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowe, Laura A.; Jones, Chris D.; Banks, Leon

    2007-01-01

    Many communities offer programs aimed at improving teen dating skills and knowledge about violence and sexual behavior. This research study evaluates one such program, operated by an interagency collaborative. Each of four participating community agencies provided one hour of curriculum during one week of health class. Lecture, group activities,…

  16. A Preliminary Exploration of Operating Models of Second Cycle/Research Led Open Education Involving Industry Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsson, Ulf

    2014-01-01

    Scientists from five Swedish universities were interviewed about open second cycle education. Research groups and scientists collaborate closely with industry, and the selection of scientists for the study was made in relation to an interest in developing technology-enhanced open education, indicated by applications for funding from the Knowledge…

  17. Emerging Collaborative and Cooperative Practices in 1:1 Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andersson, Annika; Wiklund, Matilda; Hatakka, Mathias

    2016-01-01

    In this article, the authors explored how laptops used in 1:1 classrooms affect cooperation and collaboration practices. Based on an observational time study, the authors found that the most common activity in 1:1 classrooms is group work using the computer. They also found that, despite what the concept 1:1 alludes to about one student working…

  18. Writing Our Way into Shared Understanding: Collaborative Autobiographical Writing in the Qualitative Methods Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lapadat, Judith C.

    2009-01-01

    From her experience as an instructor, the author finds that it is valuable to engage graduate students in conducting a study within their qualitative methods course. In this article, the author discusses how she used a collaborative autobiographical research approach. Class members generate autobiographical writing to be shared with the group, and…

  19. Predicting Student Success in a Psychological Statistics Course Emphasizing Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorvine, Benjamin J.; Smith, H. David

    2015-01-01

    This study describes the use of a collaborative learning approach in a psychological statistics course and examines the factors that predict which students benefit most from such an approach in terms of learning outcomes. In a course format with a substantial group work component, 166 students were surveyed on their preference for individual…

  20. Finnish Upper Secondary Students' Collaborative Processes in Learning Statistics in a CSCL Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oikarinen, Juho Kaleva; Järvelä, Sanna; Kaasila, Raimo

    2014-01-01

    This design-based research project focuses on documenting statistical learning among 16-17-year-old Finnish upper secondary school students (N = 78) in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. One novel value of this study is in reporting the shift from teacher-led mathematical teaching to autonomous small-group learning in…

  1. Building effective service linkages in primary mental health care: a narrative review part 2

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Primary care services have not generally been effective in meeting mental health care needs. There is evidence that collaboration between primary care and specialist mental health services can improve clinical and organisational outcomes. It is not clear however what factors enable or hinder effective collaboration. The objective of this study was to examine the factors that enable effective collaboration between specialist mental health services and primary mental health care. Methods A narrative and thematic review of English language papers published between 1998 and 2009. An expert reference group helped formulate strategies for policy makers. Studies of descriptive and qualitative design from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, USA and Canada were included. Data were extracted on factors reported as enablers or barriers to development of service linkages. These were tabulated by theme at clinical and organisational levels and the inter-relationship between themes was explored. Results A thematic analysis of 30 papers found the most frequently cited group of factors was "partnership formation", specifically role clarity between health care workers. Other factor groups supporting clinical partnership formation were staff support, clinician attributes, clinic physical features and evaluation and feedback. At the organisational level a supportive institutional environment of leadership and change management was important. The expert reference group then proposed strategies for collaboration that would be seen as important, acceptable and feasible. Because of the variability of study types we did not exclude on quality and findings are weighted by the number of studies. Variability in local service contexts limits the generalisation of findings. Conclusion The findings provide a framework for health planners to develop effective service linkages in primary mental health care. Our expert reference group proposed five areas of strategy for policy makers that address organisational level support, joint clinical problem solving, local joint care guidelines, staff training and supervision and feedback. PMID:21435273

  2. Rabbit Trails, Ephemera, and Other Stories: Feminist Methodology and Collaborative Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burnett, Rebecca E.; Ewald, Helen Rothschild

    1994-01-01

    Explores the intersections between feminist methodology and collaborative research to identify flashpoints that might derail attempts at collaboration. Analyzes the personal experiences of the authors in four ongoing collaborative research groups. (HB)

  3. Fostering the exchange of real world data across different countries to answer primary care research questions: an UNLOCK study from the IPCRG.

    PubMed

    Cragg, Liza; Williams, Siân; van der Molen, Thys; Thomas, Mike; Correia de Sousa, Jaime; Chavannes, Niels H

    2018-03-08

    There is growing awareness amongst healthcare planners, providers and researchers of the need to make better use of routinely collected health data by translating it into actionable information that improves efficiency of healthcare and patient outcomes. There is also increased acceptance of the importance of real world research that recruits patients representative of primary care populations and evaluates interventions realistically delivered by primary care professionals. The UNLOCK Group is an international collaboration of primary care researchers and practitioners from 15 countries. It has coordinated and shared datasets of diagnostic and prognostic variables for COPD and asthma to answer research questions meaningful to professionals working in primary care over a 6-year period. Over this time the UNLOCK Group has undertaken several studies using data from unselected primary care populations from diverse contexts to evaluate the burden of disease, multiple morbidities, treatment and follow-up. However, practical and structural constraints have hampered the UNLOCK Group's ability to translate research ideas into studies. This study explored the constraints, challenges and successes experienced by the UNLOCK Group and its participants' learning as researchers and primary care practitioners collaborating to answer primary care research questions. The study identified lessons for future studies and collaborations that require data sharing across borders. It also explored specific challenges to fostering the exchange of primary care data in comparison to other datasets such as public health, prescribing or hospital data and mechanisms that may be used to overcome these.

  4. Computer-Mediated Collaborative Projects: Processes for Enhancing Group Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dupin-Bryant, Pamela A.

    2008-01-01

    Groups are a fundamental part of the business world. Yet, as companies continue to expand internationally, a major challenge lies in promoting effective communication among employees who work in varying time zones. Global expansion often requires group collaboration through computer systems. Computer-mediated groups lead to different communicative…

  5. Collaborative Data Publication Utilizing the Open Data Repository's Data Publisher

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stone, N.; Lafuente, B.; Bristow, T.; Keller, R. M.; Downs, R. T.; Blake, D.; Fonda, M.; Dateo, C.; Pires, A.

    2017-01-01

    For small communities in multidisciplinary fields such as astrobiology, publishing and sharing data can be challenging. While large, homogenous fields often have repositories and existing data standards, small groups of independent researchers have few options for publishing data that can be utilized within their community. In conjunction with teams at NASA Ames and the University of Arizona, a number of pilot studies are being conducted to assess the needs of these research groups and to guide the software development so that it allows them to publish and share their data collaboratively.

  6. Promoting research and audit at medical school: evaluating the educational impact of participation in a student-led national collaborative study.

    PubMed

    Chapman, Stephen J; Glasbey, James C D; Khatri, Chetan; Kelly, Michael; Nepogodiev, Dmitri; Bhangu, Aneel; Fitzgerald, J Edward F

    2015-03-13

    Medical students often struggle to engage in extra-curricular research and audit. The Student Audit and Research in Surgery (STARSurg) network is a novel student-led, national research collaborative. Student collaborators contribute data to national, clinical studies while gaining an understanding of audit and research methodology and ethical principles. This study aimed to evaluate the educational impact of participation. Participation in the national, clinical project was supported with training interventions, including an academic training day, an online e-learning module, weekly discussion forums and YouTube® educational videos. A non-mandatory, online questionnaire assessed collaborators' self-reported confidence in performing key academic skills and their perceptions of audit and research prior to and following participation. The group completed its first national clinical study ("STARSurgUK") with 273 student collaborators across 109 hospital centres. Ninety-seven paired pre- and post-study participation responses (35.5%) were received (male = 51.5%; median age = 23). Participation led to increased confidence in key academic domains including: communication with local research governance bodies (p < 0.001), approaching clinical staff to initiate local collaboration (p < 0.001), data collection in a clinical setting (p < 0.001) and presentation of scientific results (p < 0.013). Collaborators also reported an increased appreciation of research, audit and study design (p < 0.001). Engagement with the STARSurg network empowered students to participate in a national clinical study, which increased their confidence and appreciation of academic principles and skills. Encouraging active participation in collaborative, student-led, national studies offers a novel approach for delivering essential academic training.

  7. Becoming a Client, Becoming a Practitioner: Student Narratives of a Dance Movement Therapy Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Payne, Helen

    2004-01-01

    This paper documents one of several themes arising from a larger research study which invited trainees' views on their experience in a weekly, 2 year, dance movement therapy (DMT) personal development group. This group formed part of their post-graduate training. The study used a phenomenological, grounded theory and collaborative methodology…

  8. Drama and Role Playing in Teaching Practice: The Role of Group Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çerkez, Yagmur; Altinay, Zehra; Altinay, Fahriye; Bashirova, Elnara

    2012-01-01

    The research study aims to explore the essence of group work in drama and role playing for teaching practice inline with the nature of collaborative learning process. This research study has qualitative nature by capturing experiences of volunteer ninety pre-service teachers about group works, gained skills from drama and role playing in their…

  9. Building successful coalitions for promoting advance care planning.

    PubMed

    Marchand, Lucille; Fowler, Kathryn J; Kokanovic, Obrad

    2006-01-01

    Advance care planning (ACP) has had few successful initiatives. This qualitative study explores the challenges and successes of an advance care planning coalition in Wisconsin called Life Planning 2000 using key informant interviews (n = 24) and grounded theory. Major themes included: commitment (the need for leadership, recruitment of key members, and funding); cohesiveness (disparate groups collaborating toward a common purpose), and outcomes (shift in paradigm from signing documents to process of advanced care planning, new-found collaborative relationships, and educational tool development). Coalitions need to define short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals that result in measurable outcomes and an evaluation process. Resources must be commensurate with goals. Strong leadership, paid staff adequate funding, and the collaboration of diverse groups working toward common goals are the basic requirements of a successful coalition.

  10. The effectiveness of an integrated collaborative care model vs. a shifted outpatient collaborative care model on community functioning, residential stability, and health service use among homeless adults with mental illness: a quasi-experimental study.

    PubMed

    Stergiopoulos, Vicky; Schuler, Andrée; Nisenbaum, Rosane; deRuiter, Wayne; Guimond, Tim; Wasylenki, Donald; Hoch, Jeffrey S; Hwang, Stephen W; Rouleau, Katherine; Dewa, Carolyn

    2015-08-28

    Although a growing number of collaborative mental health care models have been developed, targeting specific populations, few studies have utilized such interventions among homeless populations. This quasi-experimental study compared the outcomes of two shelter-based collaborative mental health care models for men experiencing homelessness and mental illness: (1) an integrated multidisciplinary collaborative care (IMCC) model and (2) a less resource intensive shifted outpatient collaborative care (SOCC) model. In total 142 participants, 70 from IMCC and 72 from SOCC were enrolled and followed for 12 months. Outcome measures included community functioning, residential stability, and health service use. Multivariate regression models were used to compare study arms with respect to change in community functioning, residential stability, and health service use outcomes over time and to identify baseline demographic, clinical or homelessness variables associated with observed changes in these domains. We observed improvements in both programs over time on measures of community functioning, residential stability, hospitalizations, emergency department visits and community physician visits, with no significant differences between groups over time on these outcome measures. Our findings suggest that shelter-based collaborative mental health care models may be effective for individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Future studies should seek to confirm these findings and examine the cost effectiveness of collaborative care models for this population.

  11. Impact of a pharmacist-physician collaborative care model on patient outcomes and health services utilization.

    PubMed

    Matzke, Gary R; Moczygemba, Leticia R; Williams, Karen J; Czar, Michael J; Lee, William T

    2018-05-22

    The impact of a pharmacist-physician collaborative care model on patient outcomes and health services utilization is described. Six hospitals from the Carilion Clinic health system in southwest Virginia, along with 22 patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices affiliated with Carilion Clinic, participated in this project. Eligibility criteria included documented diagnosis of 2 or more of the 7 targeted chronic conditions (congestive heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression), prescriptions for 4 or more medications, and having a primary care physician in the Carilion Clinic health system. A total of 2,480 evaluable patients were included in both the collaborative care group and the usual care group. The primary clinical outcomes measured were the absolute change in values associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia management from baseline within and between the collaborative care and usual care groups. Significant improvements ( p < 0.01) in glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol were observed in the collaborative care group compared with the usual care group. Hospitalizations declined significantly in the collaborative care group (23.4%), yielding an estimated cost savings of $2,619 per patient. The return on investment (net savings divided by program cost) was 504%. Inclusion of clinical pharmacists in this physician-pharmacist collaborative care-based PCMH model was associated with significant improvements in patients' medication-related clinical health outcomes and a reduction in hospitalizations. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of Ability Grouping in Reciprocal Teaching Technique of Collaborative Learning on Individual Achievements and Social Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sumadi; Degeng, I Nyoman S.; Sulthon; Waras

    2017-01-01

    This research focused on effects of ability grouping in reciprocal teaching technique of collaborative learning on individual achievements dan social skills. The results research showed that (1) there are differences in individual achievement significantly between high group of homogeneous, middle group of homogeneous, low group of homogeneous,…

  13. Case-Based Learning in Virtual Groups--Collaborative Problem Solving Activities and Learning Outcomes in a Virtual Professional Training Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kopp, Birgitta; Hasenbein, Melanie; Mandl, Heinz

    2014-01-01

    This article analyzes the collaborative problem solving activities and learning outcomes of five groups that worked on two different complex cases in a virtual professional training course. In this asynchronous virtual learning environment, all knowledge management content was delivered virtually and collaboration took place through forums. To…

  14. 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…

  15. The Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group: Early Development and Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petrosino, Anthony; Farrington, David P.; Sherman, Lawrence W.

    2003-01-01

    The Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group was inaugurated in 2000 to prepare, update, and disseminate systematic reviews on what works to reduce crime or improve justice. After providing a brief description of a systematic review and the origins of the Campbell Collaboration, this paper provides an overview of the first 36 months of the…

  16. Group Tasks, Activities, Dynamics, and Interactions in Collaborative Robotics Projects with Elementary and Middle School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yuen, Timothy T.; Boecking, Melanie; Stone, Jennifer; Tiger, Erin Price; Gomez, Alvaro; Guillen, Adrienne; Arreguin, Analisa

    2014-01-01

    Robotics provide the opportunity for students to bring their individual interests, perspectives and areas of expertise together in order to work collaboratively on real-world science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) problems. This paper examines the nature of collaboration that manifests in groups of elementary and middle school…

  17. Assisting people with disabilities to actively improve their collaborative physical activities with Nintendo Wii Balance Boards by controlling environmental stimulation.

    PubMed

    Shih, Ching-Hsiang; Chen, Ling-Che; Shih, Ching-Tien

    2012-01-01

    The latest researches have adopted software technology to modify the Nintendo Wii Balance Board functionality and used it to enable two people with developmental disabilities to actively perform physical activities. This study extended the latest research of the Wii Balance Board application to assess whether four people (two groups) with developmental disabilities would be able to actively improve their physical activities collaboration--walking to the designated location following simple instructions, by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation through using three Nintendo Wii Balance Boards. We employed an A-B-A-B design, with A represented the baseline and B represented intervention phases. Data showed that both groups of participants significantly increased their collaborative target response (collaboratively performing designated physical activities) by activating the control system to produce their preferred environmental stimulation during the intervention phases. Practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Chinese perceptions of the interface between school and museum education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Changyun; Anderson, David; Wu, Xinchun

    2010-09-01

    The current political and social backdrop in China that is characterized by rapid educational reforms to the K-12 education system, rapid growth in the number of science museum institutions, and Central Government policy which encourages collaboration between museums and school has the potential to be fertile ground for meaningful engagement between museums and schools. Notwithstanding, the Chinese K-12 education system generally does not utilize museum resources to support the curriculum, as is common in Western countries. This hermeneutic phenomenographic study elucidates the current Chinese views and perceptions among three stakeholders—school teachers, museum staffs and science educators—around this collaborative concept. The outcomes demonstrate that strongly entrenched cultural views and long-standing practices among stakeholder groups are obstacles to meaningful collaboration despite Central Government policy which encourages such engagement. The cultural values and perceptual views of stakeholder groups were discerned with the purpose of promoting mutual understandings and ultimately enabling meaningful collaboration in support of K-12 education in China.

  19. The effectiveness of integration of virtual patients in a collaborative learning activity.

    PubMed

    Marei, Hesham F; Donkers, Jeroen; Van Merrienboer, Jeroen J G

    2018-05-07

    Virtual patients (VPs) have been recently integrated within different learning activities. To compare between the effect of using VPs in a collaborative learning activity and using VPs in an independent learning activity on students' knowledge acquisition, retention and transfer. For two different topics, respectively 82 and 76 dental students participated in teaching, learning and assessment sessions with VPs. Students from a female campus and from a male campus have been randomly assigned to condition (collaborative and independent), yielding four experimental groups. Each group received a lecture followed by a learning session using two VPs per topic. Students were administrated immediate and delayed written tests as well as transfer tests using two VPs to assess their knowledge in diagnosis and treatment. For the treatment items of the immediate and delayed written tests, females outperformed males in the collaborative VP group but not in the independent VP group. On the female campus, the use of VPs in a collaborative learning activity is more effective than its use as an independent learning activity in enhancing students' knowledge acquisition and retention. However, the collaborative use of VPs by itself is not enough to produce consistent results across different groups of students and attention should be given to all the factors that would affect students' interaction.

  20. Collaborative writing: Tools and tips.

    PubMed

    Eapen, Bell Raj

    2007-01-01

    Majority of technical writing is done by groups of experts and various web based applications have made this collaboration easy. Email exchange of word processor documents with tracked changes used to be the standard technique for collaborative writing. However web based tools like Google docs and Spreadsheets have made the process fast and efficient. Various versioning tools and synchronous editors are available for those who need additional functionality. Having a group leader who decides the scheduling, communication and conflict resolving protocols is important for successful collaboration.

  1. Supporting Effective Collaboration: Using a Rearview Mirror to Look Forward

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McManus, Margaret M.; Aiken, Robert M.

    2016-01-01

    Our original research, to design and develop an Intelligent Collaborative Learning System (ICLS), yielded the creation of a Group Leader Tutor software system which utilizes a Collaborative Skills Network to monitor students working collaboratively in a networked environment. The Collaborative Skills Network was a conceptualization of…

  2. "Who Did What?": A Participatory Action Research Project to Increase Group Capacity for Advocacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia-Iriarte, E.; Kramer, J. C.; Kramer, J. M.; Hammel, J.

    2009-01-01

    Background: This participatory action research (PAR) project involved a collaboration with a self-advocacy group of people with intellectual disabilities that sought to build group capacity for advocacy. Materials and Methods: This study used a focus group, sustained participatory engagement and a reflexive process to gather qualitative and…

  3. Resident Physicians' Perspectives on Effective Outpatient Teaching: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kisiel, John B.; Bundrick, John B.; Beckman, Thomas J.

    2010-01-01

    Learning theories, which suggest that experienced faculty use collaborative teaching styles, are reflected in qualitative studies of learners in hospital settings. However, little research has used resident focus groups to explore characteristics of successful teachers in outpatient clinics. Therefore, focus group discussions with first through…

  4. Development of the Modes of Collaboration Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pawlak, Alanna; Irving, Paul W.; Caballero, Marcos D.

    2018-01-01

    Group work is becoming increasingly common in introductory physics classrooms. Understanding how students engage in these group learning environments is important for designing and facilitating productive learning opportunities for students. We conducted a study in which we collected video of groups of students working on conceptual electricity…

  5. 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…

  6. 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.

  7. The "Ticket to Ride" Formative Assessment Ritual: Collaboration and Festivity in High School Chemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klawiter, Mark F.

    2015-01-01

    Chemistry taught in high schools typically has group interaction components designed to provide opportunities for groups of two or more students to collaborate. Such opportunities, however, can lead to diminished learning among some students, as domination, group dissonance, and/or non-participation among group members can derail the collaborative…

  8. Context-Aware Mobile Collaborative Systems: Conceptual Modeling and Case Study

    PubMed Central

    Benítez-Guerrero, Edgard; Mezura-Godoy, Carmen; Montané-Jiménez, Luis G.

    2012-01-01

    A Mobile Collaborative System (MCOS) enable the cooperation of the members of a team to achieve a common goal by using a combination of mobile and fixed technologies. MCOS can be enhanced if the context of the group of users is considered in the execution of activities. This paper proposes a novel model for Context-Aware Mobile COllaborative Systems (CAMCOS) and a functional architecture based on that model. In order to validate both the model and the architecture, a prototype system in the tourism domain was implemented and evaluated. PMID:23202007

  9. Methodological considerations in the design and implementation of clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Cirrincione, Constance T; Lavoie Smith, Ellen M; Pang, Herbert

    2014-02-01

    To review study design issues related to clinical trials led by oncology nurses, with special attention to those conducted within the cooperative group setting; to emphasize the importance of the statistician's role in the process of clinical trials. Studies available at clinicaltrials.gov using experimental designs that have been published in peer-reviewed journals; cooperative group trials are highlighted. The clinical trial is a primary means to test intervention efficacy. A properly designed and powered study with clear and measurable objectives is as important as the intervention itself. Collaboration among the study team, including the statistician, is central in developing and conducting appropriately designed studies. For optimal results, collaboration is an ongoing process that should begin early on. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Blending problem-based learning with Web technology positively impacts student learning outcomes in acid-base physiology.

    PubMed

    Taradi, Suncana Kukolja; Taradi, Milan; Radic, Kresimir; Pokrajac, Niksa

    2005-03-01

    World Wide Web (Web)-based learning (WBL), problem-based learning (PBL), and collaborative learning are at present the most powerful educational options in higher education. A blended (hybrid) course combines traditional face-to-face and WBL approaches in an educational environment that is nonspecific as to time and place. To provide educational services for an undergraduate second-year elective course in acid-base physiology, a rich, student-centered educational Web-environment designed to support PBL was created by using Web Course Tools courseware. The course is designed to require students to work in small collaborative groups using problem solving activities to develop topic understanding. The aim of the study was to identify the impact of the blended WBL-PBL-collaborative learning environment on student learning outcomes. Student test scores and satisfaction survey results from a blended WBL-PBL-based test group (n = 37) were compared with a control group whose instructional opportunities were from a traditional in-class PBL model (n = 84). WBL students scored significantly (t = 3.3952; P = 0.0009) better on the final acid-base physiology examination and expressed a positive attitude to the new learning environment in the satisfaction survey. Expressed in terms of a difference effect, the mean of the treated group (WBL) is at the 76th percentile of the untreated (face-to-face) group, which stands for a "medium" effect size. Thus student progress in the blended WBL-PBL collaborative environment was positively affected by the use of technology.

  11. The effects of group size and group economic factors on collaboration: a study of the financial performance of rural hospitals in consortia.

    PubMed

    Chan, B; Feldman, R; Manning, W G

    1999-04-01

    To determine factors that distinguish effective rural hospital consortia from ineffective ones in terms of their ability to improve members' financial performance. Two questions in particular were addressed: (1) Do large consortia have a greater collective impact on their members? (2) Does a consortium's economic environment determine the degree of collective impact on members? Based on the hospital survey conducted during February 1992 by the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital-Based Rural Health Care project of rural hospital consortia. The survey data were augmented with data from Medicare Cost Reports (1985-1991), AHA Annual Surveys (1985-1991), and other secondary data. Dependent variables were total operating profit, cost per adjusted admission, and revenue per adjusted admission. Control variables included degree of group formalization, degree of inequality of resources among members (group asymmetry), affiliation with other consortium group(s), individual economic environment, common hospital characteristics (bed size, ownership type, system affiliation, case mix, etc.), year (1985-1991), and census region dummies. All dependent variables have a curvilinear association with group size. The optimum group size is somewhere in the neighborhood of 45. This reveals the benefits of collective action (i.e., scale economies and/or synergy effects) and the issue of complexity as group size increases. Across analyses, no strong evidence exists of group economic environment impacts, and the environmental influences come mainly from the local economy rather than from the group economy. There may be some success stories of collaboration among hospitals in consortia, and consortium effects vary across different collaborations. When studying consortia, it makes sense to develop a typology of groups based on some performance indicators. The results of this study imply that government, rural communities, and consortium staff and steering committees should forge the consortium concept by expanding membership in order to gain greater financial benefits for individual hospitals.

  12. The Role of Inter-Professional Collaboration in Developing Inclusive Education: Experiences of Teachers and Occupational Therapists in Slovenia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suc, Lea; Bukovec, Boris; Karpljuk, Damir

    2017-01-01

    This was the first qualitative study of the inclusion of children with special needs into regular schools in Slovenia that focused on inter-professional collaboration and its contributions to the inclusion process. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with primary school teachers (N = 36) and occupational therapists (N = 9) to…

  13. Peer Review-Based Scripted Collaboration to Support Domain-Specific and Domain-General Knowledge Acquisition in Computer Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demetriadis, Stavros; Egerter, Tina; Hanisch, Frank; Fischer, Frank

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the effectiveness of using peer review in the context of scripted collaboration to foster both domain-specific and domain-general knowledge acquisition in the computer science domain. Using a one-factor design with a script and a control condition, students worked in small groups on a series of computer science problems…

  14. How to Become a Broker: The Role of Teacher Educators in Developing Collaborative Teacher Research Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willegems, Vicky; Consuegra, Els; Struyven, Katrien; Engels, Nadine

    2016-01-01

    This study explores how teacher educators involved in developing collaborative teacher research teams of pre-service and in-service teachers perceive their new role. Ten teacher educators in 9 teams were involved in a 1-year teacher research cycle. Thematic analysis was performed on the transcriptions of audio-taped group sessions, video diaries…

  15. Composing Music, Developing Dialogues: An Enactive Perspective on Children's Collaborative Creativity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Veloso, Ana Luisa

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to provide new insights on the nature of the embodied and collaborative processes related to the emergence of new musical ideas that occur when children are composing in groups. Data was obtained by participant observation of the teacher/researcher and by ten videotaped one-hour musical sessions dedicated to the development of a…

  16. Students' Questions and Discursive Interaction: Their Impact on Argumentation during Collaborative Group Discussions in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chin, Christine; Osborne, Jonathan

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the potential of students' written and oral questions both as an epistemic probe and heuristic for initiating collaborative argumentation in science. Four classes of students, aged 12-14 years from two countries, were asked to discuss which of two graphs best represented the change in temperature as ice was heated to steam.…

  17. Social Constructivist Approach to Web-Based EFL Learning: Collaboration, Motivation, and Perception on the Use of Google Docs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Sarah Hsueh-Jui; Lan, Yu-Ju

    2016-01-01

    This study reports on the differences in motivation, vocabulary gain, and perceptions on using or the Google Docs between individual and collaborative learning at a tertiary level. Two classes of English-as-a-Foreign Language (EFL) students were recruited and each class was randomly assigned into one of the two groups--individuals or…

  18. Collaborative Workshops and Student Academic Performance in Introductory College Mathematics Courses: A Study of a Treisman Model Math Excel Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duncan, Hollis; Dick, Thomas

    2000-01-01

    Describes the Treisman model which involves supplemental workshops in which college students solve problems in collaborative learning groups. Reports on the effectiveness of Math Excel, an implementation of the Treisman model for introductory mathematics courses at Oregon State University over five academic terms. Reveals a significant effect on…

  19. Fostering critical thinking and collaborative learning skills among medical students through a research protocol writing activity in the curriculum.

    PubMed

    Sahoo, Soumendra; Mohammed, Ciraj Ali

    2018-06-01

    This intervention was aimed to analyse the effect of academic writing and journal critiquing as educational approaches in improving critical thinking and collaborative learning among undergraduate medical students. A research proposal writing format was created for the 4th year medical students of Melaka Manipal Medical College, Malaysia during their ophthalmology clinical postings. The students worked in small groups and developed research protocols through an evidence based approach. This was followed by writing reflective summaries in academic portfolios about the activity undertaken. A mixed methods study was designed to explore the possible role of collaborative research proposal writing in enhancing critical thinking and collaborative learning. Analysis of reflections submitted by 188 medical students after the intervention indicate that majority of them found an improvement in their skills of critical thinking and collaborative learning as a result of research protocol writing. All participants agreed that the model helped in applying concepts to new situations in the form of designing their own study, which reflected in enhanced higher order cognitive skills. This study shows that the introduction of a structured module in the core medical curriculum that focuses on research writing skills embedded with collaborative and reflective practices can enhance collaborative learning, critical thinking, and reasoning among medical students.

  20. Team Leadership: It's Not for the Faint of Heart

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curry, Katherine A.

    2014-01-01

    Group decision-making can result in important benefits for organizational effectiveness. However, collaborative environments do not emerge organically. Effective leadership is critical for group success. Educational leaders must understand group processes and the importance of creating a culture that supports collaboration. Student discipline for…

  1. Student Interactions and the Development of Ideas in Multi-Touch and Paper-Based Collaborative Mathematical Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mercier, Emma; Vourloumi, Georgia; Higgins, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Multi-touch technology is increasingly being used to support collaborative learning activities. However, to know how this technology can be used most effectively, we need to understand if collaborative interactions differ when groups are using multi-touch technology compared with other tools. In this paper, we compare the interactions of groups of…

  2. Who needs collaborative care treatment? A qualitative study exploring attitudes towards and experiences with mental healthcare among general practitioners and care managers.

    PubMed

    Møller, Marlene Christina Rosengaard; Mygind, Anna; Bro, Flemming

    2018-05-30

    Collaborative care treatment is widely recognized as an effective approach to improve the quality of mental healthcare through enhanced and structured collaboration between general practice and specialized psychiatry. However, studies indicate that the complexity of collaborative care treatment interventions challenge the implementation in real-life general practice settings. Four Danish Collaborative Care Models were launched in 2014 for patients with mild/moderate anxiety and depression. These involved collaboration between general practitioners, care managers and consultant psychiatrists. Taking a multi-practice bottom-up approach, this paper aims to explore the perceived barriers and enablers related to collaborative care for patients with mental health problems and to investigate the actual experiences with a Danish collaborative care model in a single-case study in order to identify enablers and barriers for successful implementation. Combining interviews and observations of usual treatment practices, we conducted a multi-practice study among general practitioners who were not involved in the Danish collaborative care models to explore their perspectives on existing mental health treatment and to investigate (from a bottom-up approach) their perceptions of and need for collaborative care in mental health treatment. Additionally, by combining observations and qualitative interviews, we followed the implementation of a Danish collaborative care model in a single-case study to convey identified barriers and enablers of the collaborative care model. Experienced and perceived enablers of the Danish collaborative care model mainly consisted of a need for new treatment options to deal with mild/moderate anxiety and depression. The model was considered to meet the need for a free fast track to high-quality treatment. Experienced barriers included: poor adaptation of the model to the working conditions and needs in daily general practice, time consumption, unsustainable logistical set-up and unclear care manager role. General practitioners in the multi-practice study considered access to treatment and not collaboration with specialised psychiatry to be essential for this group of patients. The study calls for increased attention to implementation processes and better adaptation of collaborative care models to the clinical reality of general practice. Future interventions should address the treatment needs of specific patient populations and should involve relevant stakeholders in the design and implementation processes.

  3. 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.

  4. Interorganizational Collaboration in Emergency Cardiovascular Care.

    PubMed

    Langabeer, James R; Champagne-Langabeer, Tiffany; Helton, Jeffrey R; Segrest, Wendy; Kash, Bita; DelliFraine, Jami; Fowler, Raymond

    Interorganizational collaboration management theory contends that cooperation between distinct but related organizations can yield innovation and competitive advantage to the participating organization. Yet, it is unclear if a multi-institutional collaborative can improve quality outcomes across communities. We developed a large regional collaborative network of 15 hospitals and 24 emergency medical service agencies surrounding Dallas, Texas, and collected patient-level data on treatment times for acute myocardial infarctions. Using a pre-/posttest research design, we applied median tests of differences to explore outcome changes between groups and over the 6-year period, using data extracted from participating hospital electronic health records. We analyzed temporal trends and changes in treatment times for 2302 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction between the pre- and posttest groups. We found a statistically significant 19-minute median reduction in the key outcome metric (total ischemic time, the time difference between the patient's first reported symptoms and the definitive opening of the artery). This represents a 10.8% community-wide improvement over time. Interorganizational collaboration focused on quality improvement can impact population health across a community. This study provides a basis for broader understanding and participation by health care organizations in multi-institutional community change efforts.

  5. Determining Surgical Complications in the Overweight (DISCOVER): a multicentre observational cohort study to evaluate the role of obesity as a risk factor for postoperative complications in general surgery.

    PubMed

    Nepogodiev, Dmitri; Chapman, Stephen J; Glasbey, James; Kelly, Michael; Khatri, Chetan; Drake, Thomas M; Kong, Chia Yew; Mitchell, Harriet; Harrison, Ewen M; Fitzgerald, J Edward; Bhangu, Aneel

    2015-07-20

    Obesity is increasingly prevalent among patients undergoing surgery. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the impact of obesity on postoperative complications. This multicentre study aims to determine whether obesity is associated with increased postoperative complications following general surgery. This prospective, multicentre cohort study will be performed utilising a collaborative methodology. Consecutive adults undergoing open or laparoscopic, elective or emergency, gastrointestinal, bariatric or hepatobiliary surgery will be included. Day case patients will be excluded. The primary end point will be the overall 30-day major complication rate (Clavien-Dindo grade III-V complications). Data will be collected to risk-adjust outcomes for potential confounding factors, such as preoperative cardiac risk. This study will be disseminated through structured medical student networks using established collaborative methodology. The study will be powered to detect a two-percentage point increase in the major postoperative complication rate in obese versus non-obese patients. Following appropriate assessment, an exemption from full ethics committee review has been received, and the study will be registered as a clinical audit or service evaluation at each participating hospital. Dissemination will take place through national and local research collaborative networks. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  6. An Analysis of Collaborative Problem-Solving Activities Mediated by Individual-Based and Collaborative Computer Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, C.-J.; Chang, M.-H.; Liu, C.-C.; Chiu, B.-C.; Fan Chiang, S.-H.; Wen, C.-T.; Hwang, F.-K.; Chao, P.-Y.; Chen, Y.-L.; Chai, C.-S.

    2017-01-01

    Researchers have indicated that the collaborative problem-solving space afforded by the collaborative systems significantly impact the problem-solving process. However, recent investigations into collaborative simulations, which allow a group of students to jointly manipulate a problem in a shared problem space, have yielded divergent results…

  7. Science Teachers Taking their First Steps toward Teaching Socioscientific Issues through Collaborative Action Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Hyunju; Yang, Jung-eun

    2017-06-01

    This study presents two science teachers, Catherine and Jennifer, who took their first steps toward teaching socioscientific issues through collaborative action research. The teachers participated in the collaborative action research project because they wanted to address socioscientific issues but had limited experience in teaching them. The research questions included what kinds of challenges the teachers encountered when implementing socioscientific issues and to what extent they resolved the challenging issues as participating in collaborative action research. The primary data source consisted of audiotapes of regular group meetings containing information on the process of constructing and implementing lesson plans and reflecting on their teaching of socioscientific issues. We also collected classroom videotapes of the teachers' instruction and audiotapes of students' small group discussions and their worksheets. The findings indicated that when addressing socioscientific issues in the classes, the teachers encountered several challenging issues. We categorized them into four: (1) restructuring classroom dynamics and culture, (2) scaffolding students' engagement in socioscientific issues, (3) dealing with values, and (4) finding their niche in schools. However, this study showed that collaborative action research could be a framework for helping the teachers to overcome such challenges and have successful experiences of teaching socioscientific issues. These experiences became good motivation, to gradually develop their understanding of teaching socioscientific issues and instructional strategies for integrating the knowledge and skills that they had accumulated over the years.

  8. Delivering team training to medical home staff to impact perceptions of collaboration.

    PubMed

    Treadwell, Janet; Binder, Brenda; Symes, Lene; Krepper, Rebecca

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore whether an evidence-based educational and experiential intervention to develop team skills in medical homes would positively affect team members' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. The study population consisted of primary care medical home practices associated with the health plan sponsor of this research. All practices were located within the greater Houston region of Texas and had more than 500 patients. A cluster design experimental study was conducted between August 2013 and June 2014. Fifty medical home practices, 25 intervention and 25 attention control, were recruited as study sites. Results indicate that individual team members in the medical homes receiving the intervention were significantly more likely than the individual team members in the attention control groups to report higher levels of positive perception of team collaboration after the 12-week intervention. This research indicates that educating teams about interprofessional collaboration tools and supporting technique use may be an effective strategy to assist medical homes in developing collaborative environments. Case management experience in collaboration supports the role facilitating team training. Transforming culture from hierarchical to team-based care supports the case management approach of collaborative practice. In addition, role satisfaction attained through the respect and communication of team-based care delivery may influence retention within the case management profession. As case managers in primary care settings assume roles of embedded care coordinators, program leaders, and transition facilitators, an understanding of collaboration techniques is needed to support the entire care team to achieve desired outcomes.

  9. The Influence of Collaborative Learning on Student Attitudes and Performance in an Introductory Chemistry Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shibley, Ivan A., Jr.; Zimmaro, Dawn M.

    2002-06-01

    This study was designed to determine the effect of collaborative learning on student attitudes and performance in an introductory chemistry laboratory. Two sections per semester for three semesters were randomly designated as either a control section or an experimental section. Students in the control section performed most labs individually, while those in the experimental section performed all labs in groups of four. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used to evaluate the impact of collaborative learning on student achievement and attitudes. Grades did not differ between the two sections, indicating that collaborative learning did not affect short-term student achievement. Students seemed to develop a more positive attitude about the laboratory and about chemistry in the collaborative learning sections as judged from their classroom evaluations of the teacher, the course, and the collaborative learning experience. The use of collaborative learning in the laboratory as described in this paper therefore may provide a means of improving student attitudes toward chemistry.

  10. Other-Regulation in Collaborative Groups: Implications for Regulation Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogat, Toni Kempler; Adams-Wiggins, Karlyn R.

    2014-01-01

    The current study examines variation in other-regulation, conceptualized as efforts by one student to regulate their group's work. This study extends research which has conceptualized other-regulation as temporarily guiding others' conceptual understanding and skill development by broadening the spectrum of other-regulation to include…

  11. Comparing Productive Online Dialogue in Two Group Styles: Cooperative and Collaborative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rose, Mary Annette

    2004-01-01

    This study examined the influence of group structures upon six groups of distributed graduate students as they pursued a six-week problem-based learning activity by communicating in an asynchronous computer conference. Henri and Rigault's (1996) content analysis framework and Howell-Richardson and Mellar's (1996) guidelines for interconnectedness…

  12. DPT Student Perceptions of the Physical Therapist Assistant's Role: Effect of Collaborative Case-Based Learning Compared to Traditional Content Delivery and Clinical Experience.

    PubMed

    Colgrove, Yvonne M; VanHoose, Lisa D

    2017-01-01

    Doctor of physical therapy (DPT) student learning about role delineation of physical therapist assistants (PTAs) is essential to ethical and legal practice. Survey assessment of three DPT student cohorts compared collaborative interprofessional case-based learning with PTA students to traditional curriculum delivery strategies. Control cohorts were assessed one time. The intervention group was assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and after completing a full-time clinical experience. The case-based learning covered 46% of survey content, allowing for the assessment of content-specific material and potential learning through collaboration. Following the educational intervention, the intervention group improved significantly in areas inside and outside the case-based study content, outscoring both control groups on 25-34% of the survey items. Following the clinical experience, the intervention group declined answer accuracy for patient evaluation and treatment implementation, suggesting unlearning. Improvement in the administrative section was observed after the clinical experience. Perceptions of the tasks within the PTA role were diminished while tasks outside the scope of practice appeared clarified following the clinical experience. While case-based collaborative intraprofessional learning proves effective in student learning about the PTA role, changes following the clinical experience raise questions about the influence of the clinical environment on learning and the practical application of recently learned knowledge.

  13. A novel collaborative e-learning platform for medical students - ALERT STUDENT

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The increasing complexity of medical curricula would benefit from adaptive computer supported collaborative learning systems that support study management using instructional design and learning object principles. However, to our knowledge, there are scarce reports regarding applications developed to meet this goal and encompass the complete medical curriculum. The aim of ths study was to develop and assess the usability of an adaptive computer supported collaborative learning system for medical students to manage study sessions. Results A study platform named ALERT STUDENT was built as a free web application. Content chunks are represented as Flashcards that hold knowledge and open ended questions. These can be created in a collaborative fashion. Multiple Flashcards can be combined into custom stacks called Notebooks that can be accessed in study Groups that belong to the user institution. The system provides a Study Mode that features text markers, text notes, timers and color-coded content prioritization based on self-assessment of open ended questions presented in a Quiz Mode. Time spent studying and Perception of knowledge are displayed for each student and peers using charts. Computer supported collaborative learning is achieved by allowing for simultaneous creation of Notebooks and self-assessment questions by many users in a pre-defined Group. Past personal performance data is retrieved when studying new Notebooks containing previously studied Flashcards. Self-report surveys showed that students highly agreed that the system was useful and were willing to use it as a reference tool. Conclusions The platform employs various instructional design and learning object principles in a computer supported collaborative learning platform for medical students that allows for study management. The application broadens student insight over learning results and supports informed decisions based on past learning performance. It serves as a potential educational model for the medical education setting that has gathered strong positive feedback from students at our school. This platform provides a case study on how effective blending of instructional design and learning object principles can be brought together to manage study, and takes an important step towards bringing information management tools to support study decisions and improving learning outcomes. PMID:25017028

  14. A novel collaborative e-learning platform for medical students - ALERT STUDENT.

    PubMed

    Taveira-Gomes, Tiago; Saffarzadeh, Areo; Severo, Milton; Guimarães, M Jorge; Ferreira, Maria Amélia

    2014-07-14

    The increasing complexity of medical curricula would benefit from adaptive computer supported collaborative learning systems that support study management using instructional design and learning object principles. However, to our knowledge, there are scarce reports regarding applications developed to meet this goal and encompass the complete medical curriculum. The aim of ths study was to develop and assess the usability of an adaptive computer supported collaborative learning system for medical students to manage study sessions. A study platform named ALERT STUDENT was built as a free web application. Content chunks are represented as Flashcards that hold knowledge and open ended questions. These can be created in a collaborative fashion. Multiple Flashcards can be combined into custom stacks called Notebooks that can be accessed in study Groups that belong to the user institution. The system provides a Study Mode that features text markers, text notes, timers and color-coded content prioritization based on self-assessment of open ended questions presented in a Quiz Mode. Time spent studying and Perception of knowledge are displayed for each student and peers using charts. Computer supported collaborative learning is achieved by allowing for simultaneous creation of Notebooks and self-assessment questions by many users in a pre-defined Group. Past personal performance data is retrieved when studying new Notebooks containing previously studied Flashcards. Self-report surveys showed that students highly agreed that the system was useful and were willing to use it as a reference tool. The platform employs various instructional design and learning object principles in a computer supported collaborative learning platform for medical students that allows for study management. The application broadens student insight over learning results and supports informed decisions based on past learning performance. It serves as a potential educational model for the medical education setting that has gathered strong positive feedback from students at our school.This platform provides a case study on how effective blending of instructional design and learning object principles can be brought together to manage study, and takes an important step towards bringing information management tools to support study decisions and improving learning outcomes.

  15. Social Network Analysis as an Analytic Tool for Task Group Research: A Case Study of an Interdisciplinary Community of Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lockhart, Naorah C.

    2017-01-01

    Group counselors commonly collaborate in interdisciplinary settings in health care, substance abuse, and juvenile justice. Social network analysis is a methodology rarely used in counseling research yet has potential to examine task group dynamics in new ways. This case study explores the scholarly relationships among 36 members of an…

  16. The Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study: baseline Axis I/II and II/II diagnostic co-occurrence.

    PubMed

    McGlashan, T H; Grilo, C M; Skodol, A E; Gunderson, J G; Shea, M T; Morey, L C; Zanarini, M C; Stout, R L

    2000-10-01

    To describe baseline diagnostic co-occurrence in the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. Six hundred and sixty-eight patients were reliably assessed with diagnostic interviews for DSM-IV Axis I and II disorders to create five groups: Schizotypal (STPD), Borderline (BPD), Avoidant (AVPD), Obsessive-Compulsive (OCPD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) without personality disorder (PD). Mean number of Axis I lifetime diagnoses was 3.4; STPD and BPD groups had more diagnoses than AVPD, OCPD, and MDD groups. Significant Axis I co-occurrences emerged for Social Phobia/ AVPD, PTSD/BPD and Substance Use/BPD. Mean number of co-occurring PDs was 1.4; STPD had more than BPD group which had more than AVPD and OCPD groups. Significant PD co-occurrence emerged for: STPD/ Paranoid and Schizoid PDs, BPD with Antisocial and Dependent PDs, and lower frequency for OCPD/Antisocial PD. Diagnostic co-occurrences generally followed base rates, while significant departures resemble those of controlled literature.

  17. Interprofessional Collaboration between General Physicians and Emergency Department Teams in Belgium: A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Tricas-Sauras, Sandra; Darras, Elisabeth; Macq, Jean

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to assess interprofessional collaboration between general physicians and emergency departments in the French speaking regions of Belgium. Eight group interviews were conducted both in rural and urban areas, including in Brussels. Findings showed that the relational components of collaboration, which are highly valued by individuals involved, comprise mutual acquaintanceship and trust, shared power and objectives. The organizational components of collaboration included out-of-hours services, role clarification, leadership and overall environment. Communication and patient’s role were also found to be key elements in enhancing or hindering collaboration across these two levels of care. Relationships between general physicians and emergency departments’ teams were tightly linked to organizational factors and the general macro-environment. Health system regulation did not appear to play a significant role in promoting collaboration between actors. A better role clarification is needed in order to foster multidisciplinary team coordination for a more efficient patient management. Finally, economic power and private practice impeded interprofessional collaboration between the care teams. In conclusion, many challenges need to be addressed for achievement of a better collaboration and more efficient integration. Not only should integration policies aim at reinforcing the role of general physicians as gatekeepers, also they should target patients’ awareness and empowerment. PMID:29588632

  18. Productive Group Work for Students. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Ronald

    2010-01-01

    There is clear evidence that students who are involved in productive collaborative groups outperform their peers. Cooperative group work also results in improved self-esteem, improved relationships and enhanced social and decision-making skills. Johnson and Johnson (1993) identified the elements of a successful collaborative activity. They include…

  19. Multiage Grouping and Student Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cowan, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this action research project was to investigate students' social preferences and pro-social interactions in a multiage, high school classroom in order to better understand how to group students to maximize learning and collaboration. According to many educational experts and previous inquiries, mixed-age learning groups introduce…

  20. Seeking Shared Practice: A Juxtaposition of the Attributes and Activities of Organized Fossil Groups with Those of Professional Paleontology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crippen, Kent J.; Ellis, Shari; Dunckel, Betty A.; Hendy, Austin J. W.; MacFadden, Bruce J.

    2016-10-01

    This study sought to define the attributes and practices of organized fossil groups (e.g., clubs, paleontological societies) as amateur paleontologists, as well as those of professional paleontologists, and explore the potential for these two groups to work collaboratively as a formalized community. Such an investigation is necessary to develop design principles for an online environment that supports this community and encourages communication and shared practice among individuals with different backgrounds in paleontology and who are geographically isolated. A national survey of fossil group representatives and professional paleontologists was used to address the research questions. The results provide a rich description of the attributes and activities of both groups and are discussed in terms of three design principles for supporting the two groups in a form of collaboration and fellowship via a coherent shared practice within an online learning community.

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