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Learn about collaborative learning and explore key technologies such as iBrainstorm, Inspiration, Turning Point, Poll Everywhere, YouTube, Notes, and Warwick Blogs to foster collaboration in e-learning. Discover the benefits, issues, teaching activities, and tools for successful collaborative e-learning.
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Activities this session • iPad: ‘iBrainstorm’ for starter activity • Mindmap: ‘Inspiration’ for group brainstorm • Voting systems: Turning Point for group quiz • Screencasting: ‘Poll everywhere’ to demo online voting • Wikis: ‘You Tube’ interactive demo video clip • iPad: ‘Notes’ for wiki simulation activity • iPad and blogs: ‘Warwick blogs’ for iPad evaluation activity.
Learning outcomes • To discuss the benefits and issues arising from collaborative learning approaches. • To explore key technologies which can be used to foster collaboration. • To consider the ‘purposeful use’ of e-learning tools and to discuss how to incorporate collaborative e-learning into planning.
What is collaborative learning? • The grouping and pairing of learners for the purpose of achieving a learning goal. • An instruction method in which learners at various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. • The learners are responsible for one another's learning as well as their own. http://www.gdrc.org/kmgmt/c-learn/index.html
Screen shot from Freemind (free mindmap software) http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Key benefits • Interdependence and ‘accountability’; encourages learners’ responsibility for learning. • Fosters constructivist learning approach; removes teacher from ‘didactic’ position. • Peer teaching reinforces learning for individuals. • Develops communication skills, decision-making and can increase group cohesion. • Frees up teacher to observe and assess learning taking place.
Key issues • The need for sound curriculum design to ‘make it work’. This includes pre- and post-activity instruction and reflection. • Collaborative learning has to be purposeful. • Learners may not have collaborative learning skills – this may need teaching explicitly. • Encouraging ‘equal contributions’ can be challenging; as can managing different levels. • Teacher feels ‘out of control’ as just a facilitator.
Teaching activities during collaborative e-learning NRDC (2007) Effective teaching and Learning: Using ICT, London, pg.39
Collaborative e-learning • The principles of collaborative learning can be applied to the e-learning context. • Additional considerations will be access to technology, room layout etc. • Classroom based V remote approaches • The importance of finding the best tool to match learning outcomes. • Accounting for technology failure!
Voting systems • Allow the whole class to work towards a common learning outcomes, with individual responses. • Individual learners are not identified in responses; can contribute anonymously. • Whole group and individual performance can be assessed and reflected upon. • Good for understanding percentages. • Can be used in conjunction with M-Learning.
Voting system example: http://www.qwizdom.co.uk/ • Press and hold Menu key to turn on the remotes • Select your answer • Press the send key • Receive personal feedback • Numerous Question types
Voting system example: www.polleverywhere.com
Wiki • Creating shared resource– authorship (learner-centred/ecological approach). • Responsibility – only accurate, suitable materials are sustained (e.g. good contributors ‘last’). • Democratic – all learners are ‘knowledge creators’. • Good for developing writing skills and understanding of ‘hypertext’ genre, error checking. • Encourages reading skills such as scanning and comprehension.
Wiki example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uk How to create a wiki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY
Wiki example: http://www.wikispaces.com Contributions from others can be viewed and compared. On the wiki page, however, the combined texts appears as continuous , unidentified prose.
Podcast/ Screencast • Recorded in ‘real time’ and can be uploaded to the Internet, played, saved and downloaded. • ‘Authentic voices’ – tutor or learner • Encourages visual/auditory/kinaesthetic learning styles. • Can be used to give instructions to learners, or them to instruct each other. • Good for the developing of spoken discourse • Recording learning for later use/supportive distance study materials
Podcast/screencast examples: http://audioboo.fm/http://www.techsmith.com/jing/ http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Webquest • A sequential, directed learning activity where learners progress through a number of clearly defined stages. • Structure encourages ‘purposeful’ use of ILT. • Can eliminate the need for direct tutor input. • Encourages constructivist model/discovery method of learning. • Good for developing understanding of instructional text, reading through hypertext, group projects and anything requiring sequential learning approaches.
Web 2.0 • The use of technology on the World Wide Web which allows any kind of interactive content • Includes use of blogs, chat facilities and social networking. • Enables remote access and distance study possibilities. • Many learners already familiar with Web 2.0 formats and conventions. • Ability to embed other e-learning objects (e.g. questionnaires, podcasts) within these. • Encourages holistic approaches to learning
Social networking example: http://www.facebook.com Group privacy settings Links to key resources Links to photos and videos Events and notices
Purposeful design • Some learning objectives lend themselves more readily to collaboration. • Alternatively, some learning objectives, traditionally taught as individual tasks, could be adapted to collaboration. • Design must include ethical considerations, such as access to technology and equity of skills and opportunity. • Structuring and preparation of the activity is as important as the learning objective (e.g. good instructions; established equipment etc).
Lesson planning Collaborative e-learning can be used… • As a whole group session starter • As the ‘delivery mechanism’ for a new concept • As a tool for peer assessment and checking • For formative and summative assessment purposes. • In pairs, small groups or whole class arrangements • In the classroom or remotely as a homework task.
Sara Hattersley Essential Skills Resource Centre 024 76574558 S.Hattersley@warwick.ac.uk