Collaborative Learning

Complexity, Benefits, and Challenges of Open Education and Pedagogy.

Figure 1: Tips for collaborative learning. (From www.teachthought.com)

In topic 2, we discussed the complexity, benefits, and challenges of open education and pedagogy. One of the interesting components was teaching and learning in a community. So Topic 3 is a natural continuation of the discussion.

In our group, we decided to focus on finding the best strategies to develop collaborative learning inside the classroom and beyond it. The classroom offers a safe space for students to develop collaborative skills, and opportunities to build networks can be done outside the classroom.

It was pretty useful because I strongly believe in collaborative learning (online and face-to-face), and it allowed me to reflect on my teaching practices. Many of my assignments are based on group work. I realised that for some courses, especially first and second-year students, I am very involved in their group work, but I am less involved in other courses (third-year or even Master’s students). Probably because I imagine, at this level, they are already familiar with the process and have acquired the skills. After discussing with my group and reading Brindley, Walti, and Blaschke (2009) and Capdeferro and Romero (2012), it is clear that instructional strategies should be implemented systematically.

It is worth listing the sources of frustration that Capdeferro and Romero (2012) found from surveying 40 students from an online Master’s programme involved in collaborative learning experiences:

1. imbalance in the level of commitment, responsibility, and effort,

2. unshared goals and difficulties in organization,

3. difficulties in communication/dialogue in terms of frequency,

4. problems with negotiation skills

5. imbalance in quality of individual contributions

6. excess of time spent and workload

7. conflict and problems in reaching consensus

8. imbalance between individual expected mark and group mark

9. misunderstandings

10. lack of instructor’s support/orientation

Some issues are outside our control; however, we can significantly help the effectiveness of group collaboration by choosing appropriate instructional designs. Brindley, Walti, and Blaschke (2009) shared strategies they used in their online Master’s programme to show students the value of collaborative learning and engage them in this experience. Here are some key components I find especially useful:

1. Clear expectations: Tell the students when they will work in groups, for what assignments, and the benefits (now and in the future) they will gain.
2. Clear instructions for the task: What are they meant to find out as a group? Give them clear directions with learning objectives and assessment rubrics. As a clear structure is essential, making sure they have the space to exercise their independent learning is crucial.
3. Guidance for collaborative work: Impart the necessary skills for the students to work effectively as a group. It is best achieved with a scaffolded strategy.
4. Appropriate task: Choosing the right task is important to realise the benefits of working together.
5. Relevance & connections: Connect to the students’ prior knowledge and new knowledge. Provide an opportunity for authentic learning. Get students to give feedback to each other.
6. Developing rapport: People work best when comfortable with each other, and it takes time. It is worth giving low stake activities for students to bond with others.
7. Follow group progress & give feedback. Students need to be supported in their collaborative learning. Sometimes it is just a matter of improving their self-efficacy, and other times it helps them address learning challenges.
8. Give enough time for students to carry out their assignments and make the most of the experience. Also, avoid unnecessary stress.

Collaborative work is a small part of learning in communities. Connected learning has so many layers, so it will take time to understand its full potential. I have a lot to explore!