Beyond Discussions: Cooperative and Collaborative Interaction Online

Student Interactions Online   Individual Activities: Individual work shared with the group. Cooperative Activities Two or more students working together to produce a product or accomplish a task. Collaborative Activities Goes beyond ‘simple’ cooperation. Involves consensus- building and a single jointly-produced product.

When to Use a Cooperative or Collaborative Project Learning Objective: Will the use of a collaborative strategy produce better learning outcomes? –Content-specific objective –Ancillary skills objectives –Critical Thinking –Information Literacy –Writing across the curriculum –Teamwork

What is the level of online learning experience in the class? Cooperative and Collaborative Interactions: Factors in determining strategy Low High CooperativeCollaborative

What is the level of group learning experience in the class? Cooperative and Collaborative Interactions: Factors in determining strategy Low High CooperativeCollaborative

How well do students know one another (what stage of group development has the class achieved). Early in Course Or Students Not Acquainted End of Course Or Students Acquainted From Prior Course CooperativeCollaborative Cooperative and Collaborative Interactions: Factors in determining strategy

Low High CooperativeCollaborative What is the prior online teaching experience of the instructor Cooperative and Collaborative Interactions: Factors in determining strategy

How much time is available for the exercise? Cooperative and Collaborative Interactions: Factors in determining strategy Low High CooperativeCollaborative

Structuring Cooperative/Collaborative Projects Allow plenty of time. Establish groups early enough for groups to have time to organize before project begins. Group sizes appropriate to project Cooperative: 4 – 6 Collaborative: For inexperienced groups, Provide specific instructions Break project down Provide interim due dates provide teambuilding strategies Create ‘Private’ discussion forums/topics to support team activity.

Overcoming Student Resistance Make participation mandatory. Divide grade into individual and team components. Include peer evaluation as a factor in individual component of grade. Provide specific parameters for allowing teams to dismiss a member for non-participation.

Example: Cooperative Learning SCAVENGER HUNT Course: Introduction to Online Learning The “Hunt” immediately follows unit on “Finding Information on the Internet”

School Board Role Play Course: Drugs and Society – Controversial Issues Exercise is part of a unit on Substance Abuse Prevention Example: Cooperative Learning

Cooperative and Collaborative Exercises Online Imagination, not technology, is the limiting factor. Creative, challenging, and engaging … for Faculty and Students!