Unit 2: Benefits and Potential Issues with Collaborative Learning and Technology

Course Objective

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the benefits and issues of implementing Technology Supported Collaborative activities into a unit through class discussions, and ultimately creating their own collaborative learning activity using technology.

Unit Objectives

Demonstrate an understanding of the benefits that technology supported collaborative learning activities can have on students by reading and reflecting on articles pertaining to the learning outcomes in an collaborative setting.
Be aware of any potential issues that could occur in technology supported collaborative learning activities by reading and reflecting on articles stating possible issues, and use that information when creating their own activity.

The Benefits to Technology Supported Collaborative Learning

Technology has changed the world as we know it today. Industries have become more efficient, and technology has provided a cost-effective way for businesses to train employees, provide professional development, and expand globally and still stay connected. Socially technology has changed the way we interact with people and gather information. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter give people instant access to what their "friends" are doing, how they are feeling, and where they are located. Our students are heading into a world in which technology has become the main source of communication, information sharing, and interaction. So why not replicate that environment into the classroom? Technologies have been created in which knowledge does not have to be transmitted through a traditional classroom setting. Tools like cloud-based computing, digital textbooks, smartphones, streaming video, and instant updates and notifications have placed a wealth of information in places other than the classroom (Anderson et. al., 2012). It is now up to the instructor to sift through the information and determine what is useful and how they can present the information to the students.

A study was done by Gogoulou et.al. (2007) using the educational setting called SCALE (Supporting Collaboration and Adaptation in a Learning Environment). There were 5 features in which SCALE affected the learners. They were:

Allowing learners to work individually and collaboratively on activities with respect to the learners' knowledge level

Become active participants in the assessment process containing self-, peer-, or collaborative-assessments

Work with a variety of educational environments that facilitate the elaboration of the activities and stimulate the learners' active involvement

Use technological tools that support collaboration/communication, and promote learners' interaction and reflection

Have available to them feedback components tailored to individual preferences

Effective collaboration has proven to be a successful and powerful learning method. Students construct knowledge by actively participating in the interaction with the content, peers, and environment. "Collaborative learning activities immerse students in challenging tasks or questions and enable them to become immediate practitioners and develop higher order reasoning and problem solving skills" (Gogoulou et.al, 2007).

Assessment also plays an important role in education. They assist the students in identifying what they have already learned, how the information is interconnected with other units or disciplines, observe their own personal learning progress, and reflect on how to improve their understanding of the material or their learning process. Since we are creating an environment for higher level thinking, there are new forms of assessment that must be used. Self-, peer-, and collaborative-assessments must be used to allow the learners to reflect on their understanding. Using technology can help instructors provide their students with this type of assessment. The students need an environment in which they can discuss their understanding and questions about the information.

There are also benefits to the learning process when using technology supported collaborative learning activities. For example, when students are working on an activity using the computer they are developing their computer skills which involves refinement of their fine motor skills. They become more accurate, faster, and automatic with their computer skills with increased expertise and experience. Learners also learn collaborative learning skills. These skills include encouraging each other to ask questions, explain and justify their opinions, articulate their reasoning, and elaborate and reflect upon their knowledge (Asanok, Kitrakhan, & Brahmawong, 2008). Finally, there is a sense of accountability that is gained among the individual and the collaborative learning group. Individual accountability is gained when the student understands that they are responsible for certain information that they need to report to the group. In terms of collaborative accountability, instructors have to have policies in place so everyone participates.

Please read the following article to go further in depth on the benefits of collaborative learning and technology:

Enhancing Classroom Performance: A Technology Design To Support The Integration of Collaborative Learning And Participative Teams

Issues with Technology Supported Collaborative Learning

There are a few issues instructors have to be aware of when implementing a technology supported collaborative learning activity. Since there are different issues between using technology and collaborative learning, I have broken it up into two sections.

In terms of creating a collaborative learning atmosphere, instructors have to be aware of motivation factors and collaborative accountability. While students will gain a sense of responsibility when working with others, there will be students who take control of the situation and be overzealous, and there will be others that take more of a backseat approach. Policies and instructions have to be in place to be sure that all the students have equal responsibility (Asanok, Kitrakhan, & Brahmawong, 2008). The other issue is students motivation. Some research suggests that not all learners are able to learn successfully in an online environment. There is minimal instruction or guidance in an online setting which require students to be more self-directed (Rienties et. al, 2012). Therefore, scaffolding becomes very important when implementing collaborative learning activities. The activity needs to progress in a way in which the students can comprehend the information that is being built on itself. That way, the students can continue with the activity and understand the information as it develops into complex concepts.

Technology can provide a whole new set of issues that instructors have to be aware of. The first is making sure the appropriate technology is being used, and that it works. Instructors have to be able to troubleshoot any issue that may arise throughout the activity. Second, students have to know how to use the technological tool that has been selected. If a tool was selected that the students are not familiar with, then some time will need to be used to show them how to navigate through the instrument. Finally, if sections of the activity require the students to complete them outside of class, then the instructor has to be sure that they have access to the technology from home. The students have to be equipped with everything they need in order to be successful.

The following article further describes the issues of collaborative learning and technology:

Learning technologies: Affective and social issues in computer-supported collaborative learning

Discussion

Click on the Link, [Unit 2 Discussion Questions] , and respond and discuss the following questions:

1. Does the benefits of collaborative learning outweigh potential issues?

2. What can you do as an instructor to minimize the potential issues?

*To start a new post, simply click on the red button titled "New Topic" in the upper left hand corner and begin typing.*

Self-Reflection Quiz

Complete the Quiz for your own self-reflection: Unit 2 Reflection Quiz

Next Unit

Unit 3: Creating a Technology Supported Collaborative Learning Activity

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