Online Collaborative Online Collaborative Activities:Activities:

The Developmental The Developmental DimensionDimension

Stanley J OldfieldStanley J Oldfield

David R MorseDavid R Morse

The UK Open University The UK Open University

OverviewOverview

• What do we mean by collaboration?What do we mean by collaboration?• What are the benefits of collaborative learning?What are the benefits of collaborative learning?• Why are students negative about collaboration? Why are students negative about collaboration? • How should we deliver collaborative learning How should we deliver collaborative learning

experiences?experiences?• What models are available for designing What models are available for designing

collaborative activities?collaborative activities?• What tools are appropriate for supporting What tools are appropriate for supporting

collaborative activities?collaborative activities?• ConclusionsConclusions

What do we mean by What do we mean by collaboration?collaboration?

• There would appear to be no commonly agreed There would appear to be no commonly agreed definition for collaboration in the educational definition for collaboration in the educational literatureliterature

• In fact cooperation and collaboration are often In fact cooperation and collaboration are often used interchangeably and indistinguishablyused interchangeably and indistinguishably

• We would argue for collaboration to be reserved We would argue for collaboration to be reserved for describing activities in which there is a for describing activities in which there is a significant degree of genuine significant degree of genuine interdependence,interdependence, both of activities undertaken and deliverables both of activities undertaken and deliverables producedproduced

• Collaboration is the antithesis of competition and Collaboration is the antithesis of competition and hence not a major component of traditional hence not a major component of traditional higher education!higher education!

What are the benefits of What are the benefits of collaborative learning?collaborative learning?

• Students build their own knowledge Students build their own knowledge through active personal engagementthrough active personal engagement

• Students develop interpersonal and Students develop interpersonal and teamwork skills needed in the workplaceteamwork skills needed in the workplace

• Students develop an understanding of the Students develop an understanding of the multiple perspectives needed for living in multiple perspectives needed for living in a multicultural societya multicultural society

• Students engage in the appropriate Students engage in the appropriate professional discourse for their disciplineprofessional discourse for their discipline

• Students share their skills and experience Students share their skills and experience to solve more complex problems than to solve more complex problems than they could handle as individualsthey could handle as individuals

Why are students negative Why are students negative about collaboration?: about collaboration?:

Individual issuesIndividual issues• Our students tend not to possess or value skills Our students tend not to possess or value skills

in communication, reflection and collaborationin communication, reflection and collaboration• Waite et al (2004) provided an analysis of CS Waite et al (2004) provided an analysis of CS

students’ resistance to collaboration, which students’ resistance to collaboration, which includedincluded::– A preference for working aloneA preference for working alone– ProcrastinationProcrastination– ExperimentationExperimentation– Disregard for processDisregard for process– CombativenessCombativeness– Unwillingness to support othersUnwillingness to support others– Absence of passion / motivationAbsence of passion / motivation

Why are students negative Why are students negative about collaboration?: about collaboration?: Institutional issuesInstitutional issues

• No collaborative culture in traditional No collaborative culture in traditional education: unwillingness to give or receive education: unwillingness to give or receive (constructive ) criticism from peers(constructive ) criticism from peers

• No sense of purpose: Too many collaborative No sense of purpose: Too many collaborative activities delivered simply because of activities delivered simply because of institutional directives – jumping on the institutional directives – jumping on the current bandwagon current bandwagon

• No sense of progression: Too many No sense of progression: Too many collaborative activities delivered at the same, collaborative activities delivered at the same, introductory, level of sophistication introductory, level of sophistication

• No recognition of how much non-class time is No recognition of how much non-class time is involved: Too many collaborative activities involved: Too many collaborative activities delivered simultaneously but independentlydelivered simultaneously but independently

• Inadequate preparation for, and Inadequate preparation for, and progression towards, more complex progression towards, more complex activities. Insufficient emphasis on activities. Insufficient emphasis on reflection reflection aboutabout collaboration collaboration

• Insufficient awareness of the affordances Insufficient awareness of the affordances of, and the appropriate use of, of, and the appropriate use of, collaborative software tools (by faculty as collaborative software tools (by faculty as well as students!)well as students!)

• Perceived inequity of assessment Perceived inequity of assessment proceduresprocedures

How should we deliver How should we deliver collaborative learning collaborative learning

experiences? experiences? • GraduallyGradually• PurposefullyPurposefully• MeaningfullyMeaningfully• RealisticallyRealistically• ReflectivelyReflectively• ReinforcinglyReinforcingly• ProgressivelyProgressively• ConsistentlyConsistently• etcetc

We need a delivery model to help us in this task -We need a delivery model to help us in this task -

What models are available What models are available for designing collaborative for designing collaborative

activities?activities? In developing and delivering our virtual In developing and delivering our virtual

teamworking course at the UK Open teamworking course at the UK Open University we looked at a number of existing University we looked at a number of existing models for learning, both online and offline, models for learning, both online and offline, individual and collaborative, including:individual and collaborative, including:

Salmon’s online learning modelSalmon’s online learning model

Kolb’s experiential learning modelKolb’s experiential learning model

Boehm’s software process modelBoehm’s software process model

Tuckman’s small group development modelTuckman’s small group development model

None of the existing models for learning None of the existing models for learning adequately captures or represents the adequately captures or represents the progressive nature of collaborative experiences progressive nature of collaborative experiences over time, and we felt the need for a new model over time, and we felt the need for a new model which explicitly represented the developmental which explicitly represented the developmental dimensiondimension

We also wanted to emphasise the reflective We also wanted to emphasise the reflective aspect of the process, so that students learn not aspect of the process, so that students learn not only only throughthrough collaboration, but also collaboration, but also aboutabout collaboration collaboration We based our model on Bruner’s Spiral We based our model on Bruner’s Spiral Curriculum which argues for education to be Curriculum which argues for education to be approached as a developmental process with approached as a developmental process with structure, sequence and reinforcement [Oldfield structure, sequence and reinforcement [Oldfield and Morse 2007b]and Morse 2007b]

1: The teamworking cycle1: The teamworking cycle

• Our initial concern was Our initial concern was to visualize the to visualize the iterativeiterative sequence of activities sequence of activities taking place within any taking place within any major collaborative major collaborative experience, including an experience, including an element of reflectionelement of reflection

• We modified Kolb’s We modified Kolb’s model to represent the model to represent the essential elements of essential elements of collaborationcollaboration

Activities in the Activities in the teamworking cycleteamworking cycle

Define:Define: Identify and clarify the problem, discuss the Identify and clarify the problem, discuss the approach to be taken, and decide on the rules of approach to be taken, and decide on the rules of operation for the teamoperation for the team

Distribute:Distribute: Share out the identified roles, Share out the identified roles, responsibilities and tasks amongst the team members, responsibilities and tasks amongst the team members, and specify the required interactions and delivery and specify the required interactions and delivery schedules for the products of the current cycleschedules for the products of the current cycle

Deliver:Deliver: Complete and deliver the individual products Complete and deliver the individual products and combine these into the required team products for and combine these into the required team products for the current cyclethe current cycle

Debrief:Debrief: Reflect, as a team and as individuals, on the Reflect, as a team and as individuals, on the process undergone and the products delivered, in process undergone and the products delivered, in preparation for progressing to the next cycle of activitypreparation for progressing to the next cycle of activity

2: The developmental helix2: The developmental helix

• Our other major concern Our other major concern was to visualize the was to visualize the essentially essentially incremental,incremental, developmental nature of developmental nature of students’ collaborative students’ collaborative experiences over time experiences over time and over a succession of and over a succession of activities / coursesactivities / courses

• For this purpose we used For this purpose we used a helix to represent the a helix to represent the development dimensiondevelopment dimension

3: The helical teamworking 3: The helical teamworking modelmodel

• Combining these two Combining these two concepts - of an concepts - of an iterative cycle and iterative cycle and incremental incremental development - gave us development - gave us a new helical model for a new helical model for (online) collaboration(online) collaboration

• The knowledge, skills The knowledge, skills and behaviours and behaviours acquired in one cycle acquired in one cycle need to be explicitly need to be explicitly applied and developed applied and developed in subsequent cyclesin subsequent cycles

Levels of interactionLevels of interaction

• We also need to We also need to incorporate increasing incorporate increasing levels of interaction levels of interaction into the successive into the successive cycles of activity, in cycles of activity, in terms of the complexity terms of the complexity of the tasks undertaken, of the tasks undertaken, the decisions made, the the decisions made, the tools used, the artefacts tools used, the artefacts delivered… [Oldfield & delivered… [Oldfield & Morse 2008] Morse 2008]

Level 5: Level 5: CollectivenessCollectiveness

Level 4: Level 4: CollaborationCollaboration

Level 3: CooperationLevel 3: Cooperation

Level 2: Level 2: CommunicationCommunication

Level 1: Level 1: ConnectednessConnectedness

What tools are appropriate What tools are appropriate for supporting collaborative for supporting collaborative

activities?activities?• Computer Mediated Interaction (CMI) is Computer Mediated Interaction (CMI) is

probably the most radical innovative aspect of probably the most radical innovative aspect of technology enhanced learningtechnology enhanced learning

• Experience of Experience of onlineonline collaboration is as collaboration is as important for students in a campus-based important for students in a campus-based environment as it is for distance learners environment as it is for distance learners [Oldfield and Morse 2007a][Oldfield and Morse 2007a]

• CMI can be motivational and vocational – CMI can be motivational and vocational – reflecting current usage in both social and reflecting current usage in both social and business contextsbusiness contexts

• CMI can be extensional – providing a platform CMI can be extensional – providing a platform for interaction to take place over longer time for interaction to take place over longer time periods and across wider geographical areasperiods and across wider geographical areas

• CMI can be functional – providing facilities for CMI can be functional – providing facilities for extended discussion, decision-making, extended discussion, decision-making, archiving interactions, sharing information, archiving interactions, sharing information, co-creation of shared artefacts, etc.co-creation of shared artefacts, etc.

• Good tools make interaction easier, and a Good tools make interaction easier, and a single point of access is recommended both single point of access is recommended both for students and tutorsfor students and tutors

• However, too many tools can distract the However, too many tools can distract the team, distort the task, and disrupt the processteam, distort the task, and disrupt the process

• And we need to remember Lipnack and And we need to remember Lipnack and Stamp’s comment that successful online Stamp’s comment that successful online collaboration is only 10% about the collaboration is only 10% about the technology and 90% about people technology and 90% about people

• Our initial experience was using a simple Our initial experience was using a simple conferencing environment (because that was all conferencing environment (because that was all we could assume was available to everyone on we could assume was available to everyone on the course) which students found adequate for the course) which students found adequate for task but very time-consuming task but very time-consuming

• Over time we were able to run trials using a Over time we were able to run trials using a team-based Wiki environment and an associated team-based Wiki environment and an associated team-based Forum and this proved much more team-based Forum and this proved much more effective and efficient for important activities effective and efficient for important activities such as the centralised making and recording of such as the centralised making and recording of team decisions and the centralised creation and team decisions and the centralised creation and presentation of team artefacts presentation of team artefacts

• The asynchronous and persistent nature of the The asynchronous and persistent nature of the Wiki and the Forum had many advantages for Wiki and the Forum had many advantages for students in terms of: ongoing discussion; students in terms of: ongoing discussion; development of team documents; recording development of team documents; recording agreed team rules, roles and responsibilities; agreed team rules, roles and responsibilities; displaying individual contact details and displaying individual contact details and availabilities; etc. However, student teams availabilities; etc. However, student teams found that for purposes of planning, task found that for purposes of planning, task allocation, and coordination of individual allocation, and coordination of individual activities it was beneficial to use a more activities it was beneficial to use a more transient, synchronous, meeting tool to speed transient, synchronous, meeting tool to speed up the decision making process and to achieve up the decision making process and to achieve consensusconsensus

Conclusions: Conclusions: What do institutions need What do institutions need

to do?to do?• Ensure that they provide coherent development of Ensure that they provide coherent development of

online collaborative experiences over a degree online collaborative experiences over a degree programmeprogramme

• Ensure that they provide an online environment flexible Ensure that they provide an online environment flexible enough to incorporate all the relevant tools to support enough to incorporate all the relevant tools to support student collaboration and tutor observationstudent collaboration and tutor observation

• Ensure that all staff are kept up-to-date with the Ensure that all staff are kept up-to-date with the technological and pedagogical implications of technological and pedagogical implications of introducing new communication technologies and tools introducing new communication technologies and tools into the teaching and learning process into the teaching and learning process

• Ensure that they engage in routine evaluative trials of Ensure that they engage in routine evaluative trials of new technologies and tools prior to wholesale adoption, new technologies and tools prior to wholesale adoption, rather than simply following the latest fashion rather than simply following the latest fashion

• Ensure that they recognise and reward faculty for the Ensure that they recognise and reward faculty for the extra workload involved in developing and running extra workload involved in developing and running online collaborative coursesonline collaborative courses

AcknowledgementAcknowledgement

• The work presented in this paper arose The work presented in this paper arose from a period of secondment of Stanley from a period of secondment of Stanley Oldfield to a Teaching Fellowship with Oldfield to a Teaching Fellowship with one of the UK Open University’s HEFCE one of the UK Open University’s HEFCE funded Centres of Excellence in Teaching funded Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, on a project entitled and Learning, on a project entitled ‘Building Effctive Student Teams’‘Building Effctive Student Teams’

ReferencesReferences

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