Collaborative Learning Online: Expectations and Experiences

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Collaborative Learning Online Expectations and
Experiences
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Overview

• Reflect on previous research to build current
  study
• Current Study
• Research Question
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusion / Discussion

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Prior Research Focus

• The Role of the Online Professor
• Pilot Study Expectations and Experiences of
  Collaborative Learning
• Current ResearchExpectations and Experiences of
  Collaborative Learning Comparing F2F and Online
  classes

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Implications of Findings

• Two distinct and equally important phases to the
  role
• Strong instructional design
• 2. Active engagement through virtual
  communication mediated through technology.

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Application Based on Findings

• Use instructional design to build interaction
• Focus on collaborative learning in online groups
• Manage communication face
• Immediate
• Highly responsive
• Accessible
• Carefully constructed to be conversational in tone

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Collaborative Learning?

• An activity that is undertaken by equal partners
  who work jointly on the same problem rather than
  on separate components of the problem.
• Meta-analysis
• CL promotes higher achievement, higher level
  reasoning, more frequent generation of ideas and
  solutions, and greater transfer of learning than
  individual or competitive strategies.
• Johnson, Johnson Smith, 1991
• In another 122 studies that examined small group
  and individual learning with technology, small
  groups were found to be more effective in
  learning than individual learning.
• Lou, Abrami, dApollonia, 2001

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Second Research Project

• This case study examined the perception of
  collaborative learning as expected and
  experienced by students in an online college
  class of Interpersonal Communication.

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Implications of Findings

• Students in online groups experience a greater
  sense of collaborative learning than they
  expected in Interpersonal Communication class.

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Application Based on Findings

• Increase projects based on collaborative learning
  principles
• Increase the opportunities for my F2F classes to
  collaborate in online groups outside of class
• Asked myself Do all classes regardless of F2F or
  Online have more positive experiences of
  collaborative learning than they expect?

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New Research Question

• How does an online class compare to a F2F class
  regarding expectations and experiences of
  collaborative learning in Interpersonal
  Communication classes?

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Methodology

• Liberal arts college in southeast
• Modified and distributed survey pre/post class
• Total of 3 comparative groups
• Total of 48 Students
• Class 1 21 Online students
• Class 2 11 F2F students
• Class 3 16 F2F students

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Population Demographics

• Age
• - 81 18-25 7 26-32 933-40 2 41-50
• College level
• 26 Fresh 21 Soph 32 Junior 21 Senior
• Major
• 23 Communication 77 other
• Gender
• 65 Female 35 Male
• Bb before?
• 74 Yes 26 No
• Online class before?
• 35 Yes 63 No 2 no answer
• Threaded discussion before?
• 35 Yes, 65 No

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Analysis

• Conducted factor analysis and reliability tests
  to eliminate and combine items
• Group items into three factors
• Motivation to interact
• Perceived learning
• Psychological comfort and safety
• Used one-way ANOVA for analysis

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Findings Pre Class
No significant difference between Groups 1 2 3
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Findings Post Class
10.1 10.3 10.1
21.5 21.2 21.3
No significant difference between Groups 1
2 Significant difference between 12 and 3 in
all tests.
24.3 24.7 25.3
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Anova
Sum of Squares df Mean Sq F Sig.
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Implications of Findings

• RQ All classes did not experience the same level
  of perceived collaborative learning based on
  pre/post responses.
• There seems to be a relationship between comfort,
  motivation, and learning regardless of the
  medium.
• The amount of perceived comfort appears to be
  significant in collaborative learning.

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New Research Question

• What was going on in Group 1 and Group 2 that was
  similar between them, and what was going on in
  Group 3 that was different than Group 1 and Group
  2?

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New RQ 2.

• What can instructors and/or students do to affect
  motivation and comfort in classes whether online
  or F2F?

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Questions / Discussion
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Communication Research Survey The following
questions are being used for research purposes.
Your participation is voluntary, and will not
affect your grade in any way. If you are willing
to participate, please answer each question to
the best of your ability. We are simply looking
for the most honest answer you can offer. Do not
put your name on this as all responses will be
kept anonymous, although composite information
will be shared openly. Thank you.   Directions
Use the following scale to determine the best
number that corresponds with your answer, and
circle that response. not at all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
To a great extent   L 1. To what extent did you
receive feedback from your classmates that
enhanced your learning experiences? L 2. To what
extent did the examples expressed by others
impact your ability to understand important
course concepts? C 3. To what extent did you feel
that your classmates valued your comments? C 4.
To what extent did you feel you valued the
comments of others in class? C 5. To what extent
were you able to empathize with the experiences
of others? L 6. To what extent did your
interaction with others positively impact your
critical thinking? L 7. To what extent did
interaction with others develop your skills in
word selection to express yourself more fully?  L
8. To what extent did your interaction with
others increase your understanding of strategies
for managing interpersonal conflict?  C 9. How
comfortable did you feel expressing yourself in
class discussions? C 10 How comfortable did you
feel expressing yourself in online discussions? C
11. How comfortable did you feel expressing
yourself socially with others in class? M 12. To
what extent were you motivated to interact with
others? M 13. To what extent did your interaction
with others impact your motivation to learn in
this class? L 14. To what extent did your
interaction with others impact your ability to
identify your personal strengths and weaknesses
in interpersonal communication?   The following
information will be used to capture demographic
data (circle answer) 1. Age 18 25 26
32 33 40 41-49 over 50 2. College
Level Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior 3.
Major Communication Other 4. Gender
Male Female 5. Have you used Blackboard in
class before? Yes No 6. Have you ever taken an
online class before? Yes No 7. Have you ever
used a threaded discussion board? Yes No