Learning in communities – networked collaborative learning
Online learning offers a range of exciting opportunities for students and educators, but it can also introduce significant challenges. One of the most prominent challenges is facilitating effective collaboration. As an instructor, it’s often difficult to ensure that students go beyond simply distributing tasks among themselves and instead engage in true collaborative learning. Traditional group work often results in individuals working in isolation and then attempting to stitch their pieces together at the end. This fragmented approach doesn’t leverage the true power of collaborative learning, which is built upon communication, shared goals, and mutual learning.
Fostering a learning community that thrives on collaboration requires intentional design. We need to create opportunities for students to learn not just with each other but from each other. This goal can be achieved by structuring team building and focusing on creating safe, supportive environments where students feel comfortable taking risks and contributing equally. Creating a sense of psychological safety and trust within the group is crucial for collaborative success. As we’ve discussed, team structures must be balanced, and each member should feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for the collective outcome.
One useful tool for this is the group contract. A group contract serves as a mutual agreement about how team members will interact, share responsibilities, and handle conflict. It ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding expectations and roles. Incorporating such contracts, along with regular assessments of the collaborative process, can be an effective way to ensure that students engage fully in their group learning experience. Tools like self-assessments, peer evaluations, and rubrics for collaborative work can offer valuable insights into how well students are collaborating, and these can serve as a reflection point for improving teamwork.
An important aspect of collaborative learning is the integration of both formal and informal learning practices. While formal learning often takes place in the classroom or structured online sessions, informal learning might happen outside of these environments—through peer discussions, group chats, or shared resources. This blending of formal and informal approaches allows students to engage with the material in more flexible and dynamic ways.
In conclusion, building a learning community that thrives on collaboration requires careful planning, continuous reflection, and a commitment to shared responsibility. Through strategies such as group contracts, effective assessments, and an intentional blend of formal and informal learning, educators can foster an environment where students not only achieve academic success but also build lasting skills for future collaborative endeavors.
References
• “Learning Together: Organizing Schools for Teacher and Student Learning” by Elham Kazemi & Jessica Calabrese.
• “Formal vs Informal Learning: What Are They?” Cambridge Assessment.
• “Managing Group Projects and Writing a Group Contract,” Sheridan College.
• “Evaluating Group Work and Online Collaboration,” Inside Higher Ed.
• “Lifelong Learning Ecologies in Online Higher Education,” BERA Journals.
• “Group Contracts and Collaborative Learning” by Harvard Bok Center.
