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.
Collaborative E-Learning
Sara Hattersley
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!
emails
virtunal
learning
environments
screencasts
webquests
MLearning
web
authoring
tools
MS Office
tools
Tools for
collaborative
e-learning
blogs
wikis
podcasts
tablets
social
networking
forums/
chat
rooms
voting
technology
interactive
white
boards
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
Voting system example:
www.polleverywhere.com
Wiki
• Creating shared resource– authorship (learnercentred/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
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
Blog example:
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk
Social networking example:
http://www.facebook.com
Group
privacy
settings
Links to key
resources
Events and
notices
Links to photos
and videos
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).
Evaluative cycle
What is the learning
objective?
Is this a purposeful
use of collaborative elearning?
What might the issues
be (learner,
organisational, tutor
etc?)?
Why might it benefit
from a collaborative
approach?
Which technology
might be helpful and
why?
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.
Activity design
Pre-task
During
task
Post-task
•
•
•
•
Setting up of equipment/electronic learning tools
Considering where it fits in overall session plan
Notes on session plan (e.g. learner groups)
Clear instructions to learners, including learning objectives
•
•
•
•
Facilitator role with support as required
Reinforcing of instructions and encouragement of collaboration
Refer to session plan (including timings)
Observation/formative assessment of collaboration and learning
•
•
•
•
Plenary and summative assessment opportunities – learning objectives
Evaluation from learners (on collaboration and learning)
Evaluation by tutor (notes on session plan?)
Re-design of activity
Sara Hattersley
Essential Skills Resource Centre
024 76574558
S.Hattersley@warwick.ac.uk