Online Collaborative Learning Theory

Online collaborative learning theory, is a form of constructivist teaching that takes the form of instructor-led group learning online. In OCL, students are encouraged to collaboratively solve problems, discuss, share ideas through discourse instead of memorizing correct answers. The goals of OCL, is the process of connecting users digitally to communicate in an online environment space. Online Collaboration is usually supplemented using a software system that lets students chat using video, audio and text. It is mainly a way for peers to also improve communication skills. Collaborative learning is not aimed to replace the teacher but to help students use technology to help problem solving skills, and to help improve the communication between teacher and student. In collaborative online learning, group discussions will help students listen to each other, offer feedback, respond to questions, participating, with positive peer feedback with one another. Laal, 2012 highlights collaborative learning requires that learners work together to make their connections uncover new ways of understanding concepts.

The word collaboration “suggests a way of dealing with people which respects and highlights individual group members’ abilities and contributions. The foundation of collaborative learning is the idea that learning with others is better than learning alone (Nokes-Malach et al., 2015).  In fact, the primary goal of team-centered, collaborative environments is to apply the unique backgrounds and skills that individuals bring to a group and accomplish something together that they may otherwise be unable to accomplish individually (Roberts, 2004). Online collaboration learning is a pedagogical approach which helps to promote learning performance and a deeper learning. Allen & Seaman 2016 have found that collaborative learning makes the online learning community proactive, active, and more effective than face to face class. Integrating the online learning community in collaborative learning can provide access and opportunities for students to work together in the online learning environment (McDonough, 2015). Mittlelmeier (2017) expressed that future research needs to be conducted on best practices to vreate more supportive online course community with the use of large and small groups to help foster interaction successfully. 

Harasim highlights on how the teacher plays a crucial role as a facilitator as well as a member of the knowledge community under study (Harasim, 2017). Teachers use group work as a means to increase engagement and facilitate a connection in the online classroom. The teacher serves as a facilitator of the discussion in an effort to move students through the process of generating, organizing, and synthesizing ideas (Bates, 2015). The concept of “teacher” as “facilitator” is student-centered, online learning. Teachers using group work shave to model and find creative ways to monitor multiple groups working together. Teachers should teach their students how to one another. Provide activities that are structured to reflect on experiences and evaluate their own listening skills. Another is modeling expectations with modeling listening, questioning since there is less direct instruction. As students are taught to listen to each other’s ideas students become skilled collaborators 

(Bates, 2015).

In remote learning, students often interact with one another without actually engaging in collaborative work. Here, they are collaborating. Online collaboration begins with mutual respect while collaboration begins with mutual trust. Transparency and vulnerability comes with collaboration. Online collaboration has shared goals and includes shared values. A recent article on LinkedIn Learning (Pace, 2020) outlines the “soft” skills that students are seeking in 2020. These skills include creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence – all skills that “demonstrate how we work with others and bring new ideas to the table” Collaborative learning can help students learn peer instruction with each other by communicating, addressing misunderstandings and being able to clarify misconceptions.

The optimal learning with online collaborative learning may be classified as a constructivist approach to learning (Bates, 2015). Constructivism is a theory that posits that learners actively construct knowledge as opposed to passively receiving it. This can help students collaborate online and gain knowledge is further developed through life experiences allowing students to develop mental models as a way to make sense of new information in collaboration. Online collaborative environment has various features in selecting tools that provide interaction and participation that allows for the students to easily interact with each other and teachers. Building knowledge and ensuring online collaboration, messaging and discussions, and the creation and sharing of content and the formation of options. 

Instructional online material tools: Zoom, Canvas, Google Docs are great online collaboration tools to help facilitate the communication in the online collaborative platform. These web based tools can allow students to collaborate together also with online messaging, file sharing, discussions, and assessments. Teachers will be able to communicate and collaborate with their students all students will be provided with materials to succeed in the online learning environment to encourage online collaboration. These tools help students to discuss and share ideas with one another.

Flipgrid is a tool that allows learners to create and share short videos and can be used for reflections, discussions, or short presentations. Additionally, peers can respond to posts in video form. Think - pair-share this strategy This strategy starts by dividing students into pairs. The instructor then provides students with a discussion prompt or question to consider. Individual learners reflect on the problem independently before sharing their thoughts or ideas with their peer.

Student self-reflections, discussion rubrics, collaborative assessments, peer-to peer feedback.

Social: Collaborative learning creates a support system for students as they work through challenges together. Psychological: Learner-centered instruction improves self-confidence in the learner and working on problems together can help lessen feelings of anxiety for students. Academic: Collaborative learning creates a student-centered approach to learning, fosters higher-order thinking and facilitates problem-solving skills, positive interactions. Assessment: Collaborative learning efforts use a multitude of assessment techniques(Allen, E., & Seaman, J. 2017).

Allen, E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Grade level: Tracking online education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group Report. Retrieved from:Active and Collaborative Learning | University of Maryland—Teaching and Learning Transformation Center. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://tltc.umd.edu/active-and-collaborative-learning

Bates, A. W. (Tony). (2015). 4.4 Online collaborative learning. In Teaching in a Digital Age. Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/6-5-online-collaborative-learning/ (Links to an external site.)

Falcione, S., Campbell, E., McCollum, B., Chamberlain, J., Macias, M., Morsch, L., & Pinder, C. (2019). Emergence of different perspectives of success in collaborative learning. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(2). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1227390 (Links to an external site.).

Harasim, L (2017). Learning theory and online technologies (2nd ed.). New York, NY:Routledge.

McDonough, K, & Foote, J. A. (2015). The impact of individual and shared clicker use on students’ collaborative learning. Computers & Education, 86, 236-249.

Mittelmeier, J., Rienties, B., Tempelaar, D., & Whitelock, D. (2017). Overcoming cross-cultural group work tensions: Mixed student perspectives on the role of social relationships. Higher Education. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0131-3

Nokes-Malach, T. J., Richey, J. E., & Gadgil, S. (2015). When is it better to learn together? Insights from research on collaborative learning. Educational Psychology Review, 27(4), 645–656. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9312-8

Roberts, T. S. (2004). Online Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice. Idea Group Inc (IGI).