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Promoting Collaborative Learning Online A Reference for the Rest of Us!

Promoting Collaborative Learning Online A Reference for the Rest of Us! As Pratt and Paloff (2007) point out, one essential element to building an online community is collaborative learning. Complete the following checklist to ensure that your class promotes the

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Promoting Collaborative Learning Online A Reference for the Rest of Us!

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  1. Promoting Collaborative Learning Online AReference for the Rest of Us! As Pratt and Paloff (2007) point out, one essential element to building an online community is collaborative learning. Complete the following checklist to ensure that your class promotes the collaborative learning that is essential to a successful on line course and community.

  2. Create a Shared Learning Goal

  3. Create a Shared Learning Goal • First, the instructor should begin the course with learning objectives and course goals. This will ensure that the students understand how they will interact and what their responsibilities are. • The instructor may open up a discussion forum to allow for more student input regarding how the class interactions will or should occur. This exercise may be incorporated into the next phase: "Get to Know Each Other ”.

  4. Get To Know Each Other

  5. Get To Know Each Other • It is important to try and make the students feel comfortable in the virtual classroom. In order to ease any anxiety or apprehension students may be feeling, they should be given the opportunity to introduce themselves. • There are many suggestions regarding types of activities that can serve as introductions. Icebreaker activities are one way that students can get to know one another. This link has a few examples of icebreaker activities. http://humanresources.about.com/od/icebreakers/a/my-10-best-ice-breakers.htm As mentioned previously, incorporating a discussion forum regarding course expectations can serve as a useful icebreaker activity.

  6. Get To Know Each Other • Regardless of the activity chosen, the instructor must ensure that all introductory posts are commented on. • This servers as a welcoming tool for participants and can encourage further interactions among students.

  7. Form Teams and Post Guidelines

  8. Form Teams and Post Guidelines • Dividing the class into smaller teams is a great way to promote collaboration. The creation of teams can be difficult and time consuming if left to the students. Instructor team creation was be done quickly and efficiently. • Regardless of how the teams are formed, they must agree on basic guidelines on how the team will function. • In order to establish these guidelines, it is advisable for the team to create some type of "Team Charter". • Many reference documents are available that outline what should be covered within these contracts or charters. Here are a few examples: Paloff, R., and Pratt, K. Building Online Learning Communities. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass, 2007. (pages 165-166) http://www.tvdsb.ca/webpages/mcleanm1/files/Sample%20Group%20Contract.pdf http://egp.rutgers.edu/116/GroupContract.pdf

  9. Now What? • The goals are in place and students have clear course expectations. • The group has completed an icebreaker activity and are feeling comfortable in the classroom. • Smaller teams have been formed and each has created a Team Charter.

  10. Time For Action

  11. Time For Action • Now it is time for the students to get down to business and complete an assigment as a group. • There are many forms of collaborative assignments that can be used. Here are a few that are outlined in "Building On line Communities": • -small group assignments • -research assignments • -case studies • -simulations • -asynchronous and synchronous discussions • -wiki creation • -blogs

  12. Points to Consider • Engaging and fun collaborative activities that foster further on line community building are within your reach! • Just read the following points and keep them in mind when you are creating activities and incorporating collaboration into your course. GOOD LUCK!

  13. Points to Consider • All students have life experience that can and should be brought into course discussions. • Instructors do not always have lead discussions. Allow students to take the lead. • Spend time creating discussion questions that are open and require critical thinking. • Allow students to share in the role of facilitation. • Build in opportunities for student to provide quality feedback to each other. • You are not the only online instructor! Look around for opportunities to collaborate with other on line groups.

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