Superstar Teachers Know That Collaboration And Online Learning Go Hand and Hand
Distance education is the term used when referring to students who are not in the same region and are geographically distant. In recent years it has been used interchangeably with learning, online learning, and web-based learning. Even though these terms are similar meanings, understanding the different learning environments and characteristics can help teachers identify and describe their characteristics.
Learning objects: A resource that is digitally used to mediate learning
Instructor-led: The teacher leads and guides all instruction with a pacing plan includes a sequence.
Self-directed: When students take ownership of learning while monitoring, managing, and cognitively involved independently.
Self-paced: An individual that studies at their own pace and on their own time.
Learning Management System (LMS) – A management system or a platform that has a sequence of online courses that are assembled together in a collection.
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The Need for Collaboration in the 21 Century
K-12 schools typically have their courses on a Learning Management System, which connects students to their teacher and other students in a sequential track of lessons. While 1:1 learning ensures students have what they need to progress to the next module collaborative group learning allows students to share knowledge while socially supporting other students within the community. The real-world job experiences demand collaborative workplaces; while these outcomes bring benefits to the employer and their company. In collaborative spaces and an online environment, students feel a sense of belonging, they share resources and are active participants while working on complex problems.
Collaborative Learning Has Its Challenges
Some student learners who have certain characteristics and learning skills can make collaboration challenging. The “classic distance education learner” is being restructured by social mediation de-emphasizing independent isolated learning with social interaction and collaboration.
Collaboration calls for the student to be an active participant, a listener, a problem solver, and have social skills to get his/her point of view across to other students in the learning group. Teachers who teach online must make collaborative learning relevant, with achievable goals, engaging topics that motivate group communication; which sometimes can be a challenge.
Online courses that require collaboration within the learning group can be as effective, if not more so, than face-to-face courses. For student-student and instructor-student interactions to be meaningful and thought-provoking in an online environment, the interaction must move beyond discussion boards. Students who engage in collaboration in online courses create social and academic connections that impact learning with a sense of professional belonging.
The Online Teacher is the Key
For online collaborative learning to succeed the instructor must create a learning experience with the student in mind. The daily core activity for online educators is collaboration, even with its challenges, when used as a tool in the online learning environment it can be invaluable even for the training of teachers. To support teachers who exceed advanced expectations schools MUST provide advanced planning, training resources, and support to make online learning meaningful, productive, and relevant.
Resources
Zygouris-Coe, V. (2019). Profile. Retrieved October 07, 2020, from https://ccie.ucf.edu/profile/vicky-zygouris-coe/
Moore, J., Dickson-Deane, C., Galyen, K., & Chen, W. (June). Designing for E-learn, Online, and Distance Learning Environments: Are They the Same? Retrieved October 07, 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233751524_Designing_for_Elearn_Online_and_Distance_Learning_Environments_Are_They_the_Same
Higley, M. (2018, January 15). Reasons Why Collaborative Online Learning Activities Are Effective. Retrieved October 07, 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/collaborative-online-learning-activities-reasons-effective