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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Interaction and Collaborative Learning – If, Why and How? - Berit Östlund, EURODL
The main purpose of this explorative study was to develop further understanding of factors influencing peer-learner interactions and collaborative learning activities, in an asynchronous computer-mediated learning environment. The study was conducted with a small group of seven students enrolled in a supplementary course for special education teachers. Questionnaires, portfolios and transcriptions of the students’ postings into WebBoard were used for collecting data. The results indicate that the students appreciated computer-mediated communication but they preferred face-to-face communication, did not collaborate with assignments beyond requirements. There was little evidence of factors characterizing effective collaborative learning activities. Several possible reasons were found and discussed, e.g., the design of assignments and assessments, the teacher’s activity, the group-building process, the students’ life situation outside of their studies, the students’ motives to enrol in the course, their preferred learning style and their skills in how to collaborate effectively in an asynchronous computer-mediated environment.
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