Unit 1: Collaboration and Technology

Unit Objective

This unit examines the importance of collaboration in learning, and describes various types of technologies that you can use to foster collaboration in your classes. For many instructors, fostering collaboration in your classrooms is not hard. You can have your students work in groups on various assignments, but what happens once your class ends for the day? The collaboration stops. Using collaborative technologies, you can extend the conversation and discourse outside of the classroom to fully engage students. Through careful reading and your participation in the learning activity, you will work towards building a deeper understanding of collaboration and technology.

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

Explain the importance of collaboration in student learning
Discuss the differences between the various types of collaborative technologies

Lesson 1: What is collaboration and why is it important?

What exactly is collaboration?

Collaboration is the act of working with one or more people to produce or create something. Whether it is in school or at work, collaboration and our ability to work in teams is essential because regardless of what we do for a living, we will need to work with others. By working together, we are able to look past our personal bias, and see things from other perspectives.

What makes collaboration important in education?

In the context of education, collaboration is the process of having students work together to build knowledge and expand student understanding of course topics. By giving students the opportunity to work together to build knowledge rather than teach them directly, students can get a deeper understanding of course topics, as well as gain invaluable experience collaborating with others. These collaborative activities translate into meaningful learning experiences that students can apply to situations in their personal, academic and professional lives.

Taking responsibility for learning and building meaning is a key component of constructivism, and can be done individually or in groups. For the purposes of this course, we will focus on the group construction of knowledge or social constructivism, "which focuses on designing instruction to facilitate construction of meaning by groups" (Larson & Lockee, 2014, p. 77). According to Larreamendy-Joerns and Leinhardt (2006), "educational research over the last two decades has consistently indicated that learning is more of a communal act than cognitive models suggest" (p. 589), meaning that collaboration in education is becoming more and more prominent.

Fostering Collaboration

Collaborative learning activities play a huge role in the success of students because "they put students into environments in and out of class where they are interactive closely with peers, faculty members, college staff and administrators, and/or community partners/members" (Love et al., 2014, p. 181). Part of this success comes from the fact that students are taking responsibility for their learning and "learning to work and solve problems in the company of others, and sharpening one's own understanding by listening seriously to the insights of others, especially those with different backgrounds and life experiences" (Love et al., 2014, p. 180). By working closely with others, students can learn to look past their own bias and approach learning activities and other real-world problems with different perspectives.

What does this mean for teachers?

In collaborative learning environments, students co-create knowledge and understanding with their peers rather than obtain knowledge from a teacher. Since students are taking on a larger responsibility in learning and classes are becoming "more student centered, with teachers naturally shifting away from traditional roles as lecturers and disciplinarians, and embracing roles as facilitators and mentors engaged in shared problem solving with students" (Larreamendy-Joerns & Leinhardt, 2006, p. 588).

Lesson 2: Different Types of Collaborative Technologies

What are the different types of collaborative technologies?

There are a variety of different collaborative technologies, each with a unique purpose. These collaborative technologies are designed to engage students and encourage learning to take place even after students leave the classroom. Through a variety of different tools, collaborative technologies allow students to communicate with one another and interact even though they are not in the same place.

This course will cover a variety of different collaborative technologies that you can use to increase student engagement in your classes. The following is a breakdown of the different types of technologies we will be covering in the following units:

Asynchronous discussion via multimedia (VoiceThread)
Synchronous document collaboration (Google Drive)
Synchronous communication via multimedia (Web Conferencing)
Asynchronous discussion via text (Discussion Boards)

The technologies we will work with fall into two different categories: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous technologies require collaborators to work at the same time, regardless of where they are. On the other hand, asynchronous technologies allow collaborators to work at their leisure, regardless of where they are. Both synchronous and asynchronous collaborative technologies allow you and your students to bridge gaps in communication to build a stronger community of learning that extends outside of your classroom.

Why is technology important in education?

Although technology and education seem to exist in two separate spheres, technology definitely affects education. According to Beldarrain (2006), "the 21st century learner wants to stay connected to peers and receive prompt feedback from the instructor" (p. 144), and technology makes this possible. Technology helps students and faculty stay connected well after the end of a class period, and it also brings the entire world into the classroom. Part of staying connected is building a sense of community in a class, and and there is no doubt that "technology impacts social interaction, which in turn, affects the learning process" (Beldarrain, 2006, p. 147). That being said, it is clear that technology has a strong connection to education.

Activity

Read

Read the following article about technology and collaboration, and think about the possible implication for your class(es):

Impact of Collaborative Tools Utilization on Group Performance in University Students

Write

Based on the article provided above, please post your answers to the following questions in a well-written discussion board post. Be sure to include any relevant information from your personal or professional experiences to enhance your post. Take this activity as an opportunity to reflect on your current teaching practices, and think about possible improvements for the future. To access the discussion board, please click the Discussion tab at the top of this window.

What are some characteristics of collaborative technologies that impact group performance?
Thinking about some of the learning activities in your class(es), how can collaborative technologies improve learning?
What are some ways that collaborative technologies can improve your classes?
Are there technologies that you are currently using in your classes?
If so, how do these technologies make your class more engaging and/or interactive?

Watch

The relationship between collaboration and technology has a strong influence, and involves more than just working together. There are many different attributes to collaborative technologies. Take a few moments to watch this video: Click here to to watch the video.

Pay close attention to the discussion about synchronous vs. asynchronous collaboration: Click here to watch the video starting at 21:47. Please note, this is the same video as above, however this link fast-forwards to the specific part of the discussion about synchronous vs. asynchronous collaboration.

After watching the video, please reflect on the following questions:

What are some concepts that can be applied to your classes?
Thinking about technology as a supportive tool, how can you use technology to foster a sense of community in your class?
How can virtual collaboration improve on the learning experience?

What's Next

Now that you have an understanding of collaboration and technology, let's move onto the next unit!

Please note that Unit 2 through Unit 5 can be completed in any sequence. Click the link below to access the following unit of your choice:

Click here to go back to the Course Homepage.

References

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153.

Larson, M. B. & Lockee, B. B. (2014). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design. New York, NY: Routledge.

Larreamendy-Joerns, J., & Leinhardt, G. (2006). Going the distance with online education. Review of Educational Research, 76(4), 567-605.

Love, A. G., Dietrich, A., Fitzgerald, J., Gordon, D. (2014). Integrating collaborative learning inside and outside of the classroom. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 25(3&4), 177-196.