““Collaborative Collaborative learning” (in an learning” (in an online writing online writing

course)course)Claudio de Paiva Franco Claudio de Paiva Franco

(Cultura Inglesa, Duque de Caxias)(Cultura Inglesa, Duque de Caxias)

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Guiding Questions to Guiding Questions to Promote Collaborative Promote Collaborative

Learning in Online CoursesLearning in Online Courses• What is the content of this What is the content of this

course? What aspects of the course? What aspects of the content lend themselves to content lend themselves to collaborative activities?collaborative activities?

• Is there an expectation that Is there an expectation that students will provide feedback to students will provide feedback to each other on their work? How each other on their work? How will this be built into the course?will this be built into the course?

• How will individual performance How will individual performance be evaluated?be evaluated?

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Course AimsCourse Aims

1.1. To provide students with a deeper To provide students with a deeper understanding of the subject they are understanding of the subject they are studying;studying;

2.2. To allow students to develop greater facility To allow students to develop greater facility with online research;with online research;

3.3. To create connections that can serve To create connections that can serve students long after a course ends;students long after a course ends;

4.4. To allow students to become critical thinkers. To allow students to become critical thinkers.

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Learner-Focused Instructional Learner-Focused Instructional Techniques to support online Techniques to support online

learnerslearners1.1. Begin course with Begin course with introductions, posting of bios, introductions, posting of bios,

or completion of profilesor completion of profiles; ;

2.2. Be specific about the number of responses to other Be specific about the number of responses to other students’ posts required weekly;students’ posts required weekly;

3.3. Be specific about the nature of the post and delineate Be specific about the nature of the post and delineate what constitutes a what constitutes a substantive postsubstantive post to the to the discussion;discussion;

4.4. Post guidelines for communication, including Post guidelines for communication, including netiquettenetiquette guidelines; guidelines;

5.5. Develop and post clear expectations for assignments, Develop and post clear expectations for assignments, assignment completion deadlines, and means by assignment completion deadlines, and means by which a grade will be earned;which a grade will be earned;

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• 6.6. Stay on top of student participation and Stay on top of student participation and follow up if it changes;follow up if it changes;

• 7.7. Keep the technology as simple as possible Keep the technology as simple as possible so that it becomes so that it becomes transparent transparent to the user;to the user;

• 8.8. Ask Ask open-ended questionsopen-ended questions to stimulate to stimulate discussion, and encourage students to do the same;discussion, and encourage students to do the same;

• 9.9. Vary course activities to Vary course activities to address all address all learning styleslearning styles and to provide additional interest and to provide additional interest and multiple approaches to the topic;and multiple approaches to the topic;

• 10.10. Include Include the Internet as a teaching toolthe Internet as a teaching tool and resource, and encourage students to seek out and resource, and encourage students to seek out references that they can share.references that they can share.

Learner-Focused Instructional Learner-Focused Instructional Techniques to support online Techniques to support online

learnerslearners

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Process Writing

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Interaction

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DISCUSSION 1 (S-T)

STUDENT 1: Where can I learn more about connectives? ;-)

TEACHER: Try these websites: http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/linkwd.html http://www.uni-iessen.de/~ga1070/conjunctions.pdf QUIZ: http://www.learn-english-today.com/ wordgames/hotpot-quizzes/linking-words1.html I hope you like them! :-)

STUDENT 1: Thanks! I got 6 questions right out of 8! :-) That must be good! :D

TEACHER: Considering the level of the activity, that’s a great achievement!

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DISCUSSION 2 (S-T / S-S)

STUDENT 1: What do you do to improve your vocabulary? :-)

TEACHER: I’ll let STUDENT 2 answer first. ;-)

STUDENT 2: I listening music, watching films and sometimes I translate the songs…

STUDENT 1: Hm… Thanks for the tips! ;-)

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Immediate Immediate feedbackfeedback

“hot potatoes”“hot potatoes”http://hotpot.uvic.cahttp://hotpot.uvic.ca

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Immediate Immediate feedbackfeedback

“hot potatoes”“hot potatoes”http://hotpot.uvic.cahttp://hotpot.uvic.ca

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Immediate Immediate feedbackfeedback

“hot potatoes”“hot potatoes”http://hotpot.uvic.cahttp://hotpot.uvic.ca

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New PerspectivesNew Perspectives

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Cheers!Cheers!

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Claudio de Paiva Franco Claudio de Paiva Franco cpaivafranco@yahoo.com.brcpaivafranco@yahoo.com.br