During the two weeks of topic 3 I have reflected a lot upon the term collaborative learning- all kinds of collaboration, really. Have most of the collaboration I have been a part of really been cooperative rather than collaborative? It really is very easy to fall into the trap of dividing the workload so that everyone in the group has their own part to work on, rather than really collaborate. Then things get done, maybe without the frustration that often comes with collaborative learning, but also without all of the benefits that comes with collaborative learning. It is easy to agree upon the positive aspects of collaboration- we can share ideas and maybe expand our own horizons. This can in many cases give greater results than working alone. Are the frustrations and worries greater than the wonders and positive aspects?

Capdeferro and Romero defined on the basis of their research some of
the frustrations that the students are dealing with when collaborating in an
online course. These were lack of instructor`s support, misunderstandings, assessment
imbalance, conflict and problems in reaching consensus, excess of time spent
and workload, individual contributions imbalance, negotiation problems,
communication difficulties, unshared goals and commitment imbalance. Reading
about this research, I recognize all of the points above, both from being a
learner and a teacher. I also find it very useful to read about this- as these
are all points to reflect upon and to be aware of. After having addressed some
of the frustrations, it is useful to read research on how to go about as well.

Based on their research Brindley, Walti and Blaschke have lined out 10
strategies for teachers and facilitators when planning and implementing
collaborative learning. The strategies are there to improve the quality of
group collaboration and to increase the likelihood of student participation.
These are:
– Facilitate learner readiness for group work and
provide scaffolding to build skills.
– Establish a healthy balance between
structure (clarity of task) and learner autonomy (flexibility of task).
– Nurture the establishment of learner
relationships and sense of community.
– Monitor group activities actively
and closely.
– Make the group task relevant for the
learner.
– Choose tasks that are best performed
by a group.
– Provide sufficient time.

I will try to bring these strategies in to my
own learning and teaching, both in the ONL-course, and also in my future
journey as a learner and a teacher.

Brindley, J., Blasche, L. M. & Walti, C. (2009). Creating effective
collaborative learning groups in an online environment. The International
Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3).

Capdeferro, N. & Romero, M. (2012). Are online learners frustrated
with collaborative learning experiences? The International review of research
in open and distance learning, 13(2), 26-44.