We saw in the previous article, within the process area, the relevance of social relationships to achieve learning objectives. We can say that learning is a social process. Collaborative learning facilitates the processes of knowledge construction, since it requires students to benefit from activities and interactions for their own cognitive process. Internet interactions, however, differ in many ways from face-to-face face-to-face interactions. They lack the nuances and paralinguistic resources of nonverbal communication. Additionally, a large part of the communication is carried out asynchronously with substantial time differences. This provides both advantages and disadvantages,therefore, designing an online collaboration must take into account pedagogical factors that facilitate and promote learning.
Johnson and Johnson states that, "Simply placing students and telling them to work together is not enough to achieve a result, you need to work and structure the setting and script for the performances."
The design of group learning scenarios based on a collaborative approach should be supported, following Johnson and Johnson, Sapon-Shevin, Ayres and Duncan on the following principles:
- All students must contribute to the achievement of the group's objectives and therefore they must be shared and distributed. To carry out the tasks and achieve the common objectives, mutual help and support between participants is essential. Responsibility of each person in their work. It is essential to generate a climate in the group based on: trust, clarity in communication, mutual support and constructive conflict resolution. Decision-making is the result of reflection of work and ongoing performance. In all actions a great respect for the different points of view. Constitute heterogeneous groups in abilities, personality and gender of the students
In this article we will review (Figure 1), first, in the section Social constructivism the concepts and theories that defend the social nature of learning; We will outline the foundations defended by the followers of Piaget's school, the proposals of the Sociocultural Theory and the contractive dynamics of collaborative learning of Stahl. Next, in the section Social environments for online collaboration, we will address learning environments based on problems, projects and virtual learning communities. To conclude, in the Interaction Design section, with the description of Salmon's collaborative learning evolution model and with some recommendations to use frequent Internet tools in the design of collaborative interactions.
1. Social constructivism
In a generic way, we use the term social constructivism to refer to epistemological approaches that emphasize the importance of social interaction, as a fundamental mechanism for learning and building knowledge. It is true that under this name, certainly fashionable, there is a wide heterogeneity of approaches that do not always share the same epistemological foundation. Social constructivism focuses its interest in the influence that the social context has on learning, as well as the adaptive function that knowledge has; rather than discovering an ontological reality, it allows us to organize the experience of the world. Roughly:
- Knowledge is actively constructed Social interactions, culture and context intervene in the construction of knowledge The character of knowledge, learning and language is functional and adaptive The purpose of learning is to integrate the experience by giving coherence to the world, on a personal and collective
We study below the most outstanding proposals and contributions to social constructivism
2.1. Piagetiana school
We have on one side the school of social-cognitive constructivism of the neo-Piagetists; they build on the basic ideas of Piaget's cognitive constructivism and highlight the importance of peer interaction for individual cognitive development, rather than the actions themselves. The central idea of this constructivist perspective is that learning is a progressive construction of the object by the subject. Piaget explains the cognitive and individual mechanisms of this process through the concept of balance. The constructivist nature of knowledge is operationalized through a sequence of moments of imbalance and rebalancing:interactions with the outside world generate imbalances that the subject compensates with his activity and search for a new balance. Interactions within a group generate a spiral of causality with phases of individual development that in turn allow phases of more complex social interaction and so on. The motor of learning is cognitive conflict, through this mechanism we modify the previous knowledge structures, accommodating them to incorporate the discoveries made in a new one. The role of the context is limited to the generation of this conflict through communications between colleagues of their different views of reality. In Piaget the social is thus subordinate to the individual,compared to the sociocultural school in which, as we will see, the social factor is the cause of learning and the builder of knowledge
2.2. Sociocultural theory
On the other hand, the followers of Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory. This movement gave rise to the term cultural theory. Its basic idea is that the creation of knowledge and therefore of learning is the result of a socio-historical process, which is highly related to social practice. This process is mediated by cultural symbols and tools, among which language stands out as the most powerful semiotic mediator and primary tool for thought. Learning has a social origin, from action to thought mediated by communication and social contact. It is through the communication process that the external signal system that transmits interpersonal communication is internalized to operate as an intra-psychological tool that allows thought and mental functioning.Learning occurs in two planes: first in the inter-psychological and conditioned to the previous one in the intra-psychological. Cognitive functions arise from experiences that occur through a process of social interaction. To facilitate the effectiveness of the learning process, it introduces a construct that it calls the zone of proximal development and that serves to characterize the learning potential of a person in the presence of another who can help them. This potential can be developed from tasks, exercises and communication, in such a way that the conceptual weakness of the learner is compensated by the knowledge of the person who teaches, be it the teacher or a more advanced student. The zone of proximal development ZDP allows to design the teaching-learning process and improve it when it is not successful,evaluating how to strengthen the ZPD with additional help.
The origin of learning is not the human mind, it is the society within a culture within a historical epoch. Language constitutes the quintessential cultural learning tool. The person learns through reading, writing and the questions he asks others and himself; learn through continuous dialogue with other people.
2.3. Sthal Collaborative Learning
Within virtual scenarios, Stahl's proposal on the elements that a social theory of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) should incorporate will be very useful to us. The proposal incorporates and synthesizes the central concepts of the most influential theories on learning in collaborating groups. Without a doubt, as the author states: "The better we understand how the processes involved in collaborative learning work, the better we can design their support using the computer and the better we can evaluate the effectiveness of learning and support."
Stahl warns us that his proposal does not constitute a complete and accepted theory, but rather represents an effort to show direction in a complex and little explored area of research.
The diagram in figure 2 presents different events in the construction of knowledge. The separation of the cycles of construction of individual and collaborative knowledge is only a device to facilitate its analysis; The nature of the mutual relationship between the two cognitions does not allow one to conceive without the other. In this proposal, on collaborative learning, the group is fundamental as a unit of analysis, and although it involves individual learning, collaborative learning is not reducible to the sum of individual learning. For Stahl. “The collaboration is mainly conceptualized as a shared construction process. The construction of meanings is not assumed as an expression of the mental representation of the participants individually, but of a shared achievement ”.Locate learning not in people's minds, but in the process of negotiating meaning within social activity and situated in a context.
Individual knowledge construction cycle
Learning begins on the basis of a tacit prior understanding. The person will correct her understanding if when checking the implications of that understanding it becomes problematic, there are deficiencies, conflicts or gaps; Through a reinterpretation of meaning structures, you will reach a new tacit understanding that will serve as a new starting point. It will not always be possible to make this interpretation internally, especially when the conflict is caused by the interpretation of another person. In this circumstance, an explicit social process will be necessary to collaboratively create new meaning. The person must express their initial belief publicly and explicitly through words.
Collaborative knowledge construction cycle
The beliefs of the people expressed in words enter you found with the multiple perspectives of other participants establishing a discussion located in a social context. The discussion is articulated with arguments and reasoning about conflicting interpretations, in such a way that the initial statements are being refined and modified. The exchange of arguments can converge through a clarification of interpretations and terminologies towards a shared understanding. The public statement resulting from the discussion, argumentation and clarification constitutes a shared collaborative knowledge. The knowledge thus constructed exists in the context and public communication where it was created, although it can be incorporated into each participant's individual learning process.
Stahl's proposal represents a social epistemology. The person generates his individual beliefs from his own perspectives, although he does it supported by a social knowledge, shared language and based on external representations.
two.
The above perspectives share the social dimension as a point of reference, which has radical consequences in the way of approaching learning processes. This is how the collaborative learning paradigm has emerged, where information and communication technologies have the primary role of amplifying or creating new mediation possibilities. With this philosophy we will be able to develop collaborative learning support environments that make it easier for students to carry out activities together, activities that are integrated with the real world, designed with real objectives. Within this approach, learning is formulated as a social process; distributed among the participants, where it is necessary to take into account the dialogue between them, the artifacts that support the dialogue,collaborative production of these artifacts during the learning process; as well as the participants' own perception of the process. In this approach, both the teacher and the technology have a mediating, cognitive and social facilitation role.
For Driscoll and Vergara, collaborative learning is characterized by the following attributes:
- individual responsibility: each participant is responsible for their work and positive interdependence: it is not possible to achieve the common goal without having the contribution of other colleagues. Collaboration skills: skills such as teamwork, leadership and conflict resolution are presented Promoting interaction: Students interact to socialize, establish interpersonal relationships and develop learning strategies Group process: There is a review and reflection of their operation leading to the necessary modifications to to get better.
On the other hand, Dillenbourg differentiates cooperative learning from collaborative learning. Cooperative learning is: "… a protocol in which the task is divided in advance into subtasks that peers can solve independently"; while for there to be collaborative learning it is necessary that: "… two or more subjects work interactively in search of a joint solution to the problem".
Although both terms are frequently used as synonyms, it differs in terms of the degree of structuring and direction by the tutor. Ken Brufee identifies two types of knowledge: foundational and non-foundational. Foundational knowledge is basic knowledge represented by socially justified and agreed beliefs: grammar, spelling, mathematical procedures, historical facts. This knowledge is better acquired, especially in the initial stages using more structured learning such as cooperative learning. On the other hand, non-foundational knowledge is that obtained through reasoning, asking questions, and research.The suitability of collaborative and collaborative learning designs is viewed by Brufee as linear in such a way that collaborative design would replace cooperative design when the degree of non-foundational knowledge makes it ineffective.
Collaborative learning transfers the responsibility of learning from the teacher, as an expert, to the student; His new role is to aid in a search process in which new knowledge is frequently created. Students learn by engaging in social interaction that requires strengthening their critical thinking, reasoning ability, and negotiation skills
In the next sections we will see different ways of designing environments that allow collaborative learning.
3.1. Problem-based learning
We define problem-based learning as a collaborative, student-centered instructional strategy that empowers students to research, integrate theory and practice, and apply their knowledge and skills to solve a problem. Learning begins by formulating a problem to which students must find a solution or learn more about it. The problems are designed in such a way that their structure is diffuse and imitates the complexity of real life. Students approach problem solving through successive stages:
- Students are presented with a problem and first they have to organize their previous knowledge on the subject and identify if they need more information, generate hypotheses and develop a plan to collect more information. To do this they need to research, gather, share and synthesize the knowledge they acquire. Present conclusions, with assessment and reflections on the process.
The driving force in this learning approach is the problem, however the key to learning is in the tasks carried out: refinement of the problem, development of hypotheses, collection of information and reflection on the process carried out When this process is carried out collaborating within a group the students need to explain themselves. Each student must explain their point of view, which has a beneficial effect on learning. It allows to identify gaps in knowledge, inconsistencies and requires clarification when confronted with other alternative points of view. Explain, forces the person to search for new information, deduce or infer conclusions, structure the available information; in short, deepen the process of elaboration and construction of the knowledge worked on.Scwhartz has shown that students acquire more abstract problem-solving skills when they approach collaboratively than when they do homework individually. Mental representations elaborated during collaborative problem solving often require integrating or relating different points of view and therefore need to be more abstract than when only a single perspective is present. The foundation of collaborative learning resides therefore in the construction of explanations and is a consequence of the need to collaborate and communicate with other people in order to carry out the tasks. The elaboration of explanations improves learning, by facilitating, to those who elaborate them, the identification of lost information,internal inconsistencies and unclear aspects; both in the process of preparing explanations, as a result of confronting the views of the people who receive them
Effective problem-based learning must be designed with the following aspects in mind:
- Focused on the students. Students have the responsibility for their own learning. Holding them accountable generates motivation They have to face the problem with their prior knowledge and determine what they need to know to solve it. Poor definition of the problem. Identifying the problem is part of the skills to be developed. Real situations. When the context and activities are similar to those that occur in real life, later transfer is favored. Variety of knowledge. It is important that it is necessary to integrate different knowledge and sources of information; In this way, a more elaborate understanding of the problem and its solution is achieved. To solve the problem it must be necessary for the students to collaborate.Collaboration is essential for the effectiveness of this learning and therefore it must be formulated with questions whose answer is only possible when information is shared, organized and applied collaboratively. Reflection and metacognition. Reflection should be carried out not only on the results and learning carried out, but also on the learning process itself. This practice supports the transfer of learning and its future application.
Finally, we provide a short script for designing the sequence of activities in a problem-based learning process:
Tools or virtual collaborative application
Students will be familiar with the virtual environment in which the tasks will be carried out. The tutor will indicate which tools to use to support the process.
Presentation of the problem
Through the corresponding virtual tool we describe:
- The problem and associated questions The learning process and the tasks to be carried out
Chores
- Student contributions with their first perceptions of the problem
- Content: They formulate their first perceptions of the problem Hypothesis: They make the first guesses Method: They identify, choose what data should be collected and prepare the action plan Data: Collect the data and share it with their peers
- Students explore the problem and their first insights
- Content: Explain and justify their first perceptions Hypothesis: Expand and specify their conjectures Method: They agree to revise their action plan when necessary Data: Collect new data and share it with colleagues
- Students review their perceptions of the problem
- Content: Identify new issues related to the problem Hypothesis: Check conjectures Method: Adjust their action plans Data: Collect or share additional information
- Preparation and publication by students of a critical reflection
Students present a document with their critical reflection. In which they synthesize the work and the discussion carried out
3.2. Project-based learning
Project-based learning is at the center of socio-constructivist philosophy. Synteta defines this learning as:
- Stimulating learning experiences, in which students develop their knowledge and skills through their involvement in complex and concrete projects Direct students to different sources of information and knowledge with which to solve their problems Learn with clear and identified goals, but without the results and knowledge acquisition processes are predefined or expected. Experiences through which students manage and manage different material resources and time.
Project-based learning begins with the description of a final product. Being essential to develop a plan where students identify what ?, with whom ?, for what ?, how ?, when ?, risk factors, expected results, etc. To achieve the final product, specific knowledge and skills are required, as well as solving a set of problems. The temporary restrictions, characteristic of the projects, require students to manage and make decisions about the quality and use of resources. On the other hand, if we try to make the projects real and related to their interests and abilities, we will achieve greater intrinsic motivation.
The tutor is no longer the provider of information but the facilitator. Students collect information, analyze, research and report their results. The tutor detects and takes advantage of critical and special learning moments, sometimes articulated unexpectedly about specific events of each project.
This learning approach is therefore based on a production model.
- Define the project: First, the students must define the artifact or final product. Investigate what knowledge is necessary, design your product and create a plan for project management. Carry out the project: Solve the problems that arise in its development until achieving the final product. Present the product. Show your use or product attributes; and reflect on the process and achievements.
The entire process should be as real as possible, using the ideas of the students and their approach to carry out the necessary tasks. The final product is the driving force of project-based learning, but its effectiveness lies in the knowledge and skills acquired during the product development process.
With this learning design, the student's capacity for self-control and regulation of their own learning process is fostered. Exercise and develop your metacognition; since when managing resources, times and results, the student integrates and makes decisions about the content, scope and learning process.
3.3. Virtual learning communities
Howard Rheingold, in his book, The Virtual Community, defines virtual communities as “… social aggregations that emerge from the network when enough people engage in public discussions for a long enough time, with enough human feeling, to form networks of personal relationships in cyberspace «. The virtual communities had their origin within the commercial, leisure and cultural spheres, to be used by teachers as a complement and extension to give continuity and follow-up to formal education. Many of the initial virtual learning communities operated from commercial portals., to progressively become part of the training strategy within a new teaching framework with new patterns of interaction and roles of teachers and students.
.A learning community is a group of committed people, who have the same training, and share similar vocabulary and perspectives., Each person with different experience and access to various resources; within the community there is a co-participation in such a way that each individual in the group can benefit from the others. For Etienne Wenge r "from the beginning of history, human beings have formed communities that accumulate their collective learning in social practices." Freire proposes a pedagogy in which students become active participants in a learning community that exists in a social context and that they take responsibility for their own learning.
The concept of virtual community of learning and practice gains strength in current contexts with the facilities provided by ICT and which allow open, flexible and participatory learning.
The fundamental objective of these communities is collaboration for the joint creation of knowledge. It provides an opportunity to contribute different points of view about common problems and therefore facilitate the development and improvement of professional practices. Responsibility is shared by all the members who share the learning process with the aim of building adequate knowledge in their thematic domain.
Castells points out that virtual communities on the Internet generate sociability, but that they have another logic and type of relationship. In general, it facilitates the generation of a large number of weak relationships and strengthens and gives continuity to relationships of physical origin.
Clark identifies three principles in the learning community cycle:
- Learning communities grow, not build. Their growth is favored when their membership has any value. Learning communities need leaders. Their role is to define the environment, maintain its security, give it meaning, identity and maintain its growth. Personal narrative is vital for online learning communities, it gives proximity and provides identity. Exchanging information is essential for students to stay, although this is not easy. People do not believe that this can have value, when in fact their contribution is the foundation of community value.
We cannot ignore the difficulties that online learning communities must face. Marcy Bauman states that "students often do not have the knowledge necessary to survive in an online class, and that students may not have the persistence, application, and other important skills required to learn from the online platform." Therefore it recommends as necessary actions:
- Frequent communication with the class Stimulate as much interaction as possible Create a space for non-classroom interaction Understand the limitations and possibilities of the technology used in the interaction Frequently ask questions and interact with students in a forum designed for class interaction
For Cabero it is necessary that the following aspects occur so that the communities function with quality and generate significant learning:
- Accessibility. The virtual learning community is a place of exchange of information so that all members have the capacity to receive, request and send information. Not limiting this capacity to technological ease but also to the principle of collaboration among all members as active actors in the community.Culture of participation and collaboration.Minimum technological skills of its members to operate effectively with the virtual tools available Clearly defined objectives and purposes, Known and shared by community members Quality content and value for members Clear operating rules Positive behavior system, which serves as a reference and example of good behavioral practices.
On the other hand, a virtual learning community should have the following technological services for its proper functioning:
- Space dedicated to the edition of documentation, magazines, projects, etc… with facilities for classification and search. Links and hyperlinks related to topics and issues of interest to the community that facilitate research for teachers and students. Active discussion forums on work contents Distribution lists to keep members informed about events, news or topics of interest A calendar with which to communicate dates and times for virtual meetings, seminars, start of forums, delivery of work etc.
In other words, the community must have a virtual portal that is an information repository, a learning classroom, an informal meeting place, a means of internal communication and a presentation and link with the outside world.
3. Design of interactions
In the previous section we saw the different forms of organization to carry out collaborative activities. In general, the creation of virtual learning groups requires designing and planning the different phases of group development. Managing in each of them the needs and emotions of the participants. Salmon's model is a useful frame of reference for understanding the evolutionary dynamics of virtual groups. In each phase, there are characteristic problems and obstacles that need to be managed, providing solutions and responses that facilitate the maturation process of the group towards its autonomy and effectiveness. We will analyze, next, the proposals that Salmon collects in his model to later review the use of some more frequent tools in learning virtual groups.
4.1. Five-stage evolution model
In the design and creation of a virtual learning group it is essential to keep in mind its evolutionary process. A group is not a simple aggregation of people; from a systemic perspective, the personality, knowledge and skills of its components, as well as the relationships established between them, will generate emergent properties. Salmon's model gives us guidelines to understand and manage the evolutionary process, and thus ensure that each group matures satisfactorily and gets the most of its learning potential. Salmon establishes five different stages:
Stage one. Access and motivation
At this stage it is necessary to successfully overcome important obstacles, both technical and psychological in nature. First of all, the participants must be able to access the virtual environment and achieve a minimum degree of ease in using the network. It is therefore necessary to provide information, guides and technical support in all processes related to the installation and use of the software and hardware involved. We must bear in mind that one of the main causes of abandonment of online activities is the inability to overcome the technical problems that arise during this first stage. On the other hand, we have psychological obstacles related to fear of speaking with strangers, lack of habit or difficulty not knowing how to express oneself in writing, disorientation due to lack of gestural communication, etc.… The work of a facilitator is essential to achieve the necessary climate and motivation. You must ensure that all participants feel welcome, encourage participation and reinforce each initiative. It is also essential that you explain the characteristics of the process and request the commitment of the participants so that they provide the necessary effort and energy.
Second stage. Socialization
It is time to get to know each other, establish identities and relationships between the participants. This process also involves a technical and a psychological facet. Experimenting with the portal tools: communication, file access, forums, chats, etc…, so it is common for questions to arise and some practice is convenient. But the fundamental purpose is to facilitate a shared vision and a clear understanding of the group's mission and objectives. The facilitator's interventions are key, moderating the communications between the participants and facilitating bridges between them. You must ensure that all people participate, maintaining adequate equidistance and controlling ramblings, power struggles and setting minimum rules of conduct and courtesy. As obstacles to overcome at this stage we find behaviors,both of excessive prominence as passive. Frustration can also arise, even abandonment as a result of utopian expectations. In general, an induction process that serves as orientation, socialization, and guide at the beginning of the stage will be good practice.
Third stage. Give and receive information
Participants begin to share and exchange information relevant to their own needs and those of their peers. The ease of the process can generate an overabundance of information and a feeling of disorder and saturation. It is important that the facilitator develop strategies to manage this potential overload and provide direction when goals are lost sight of.
Among the obstacles to overcome in this stage we find desertions, impatience for lack of achievements, low participation or motivation, it is even possible that misunderstandings and friction arise between the participants. The facilitator must be aware of these behaviors and apply the appropriate communication styles to redirect them. Stimulating interest in tasks and active participation, helping in individual difficulties and cutting violent or non-constructive behavior.
Fourth stage. Knowledge Construction
At this stage the group begins the collaborative construction of knowledge. The exchange of information is now joined by the exchange of ideas. A productive dialogue is established, contrasting different perspectives and interacting in the construction of shared knowledge. The contributions of one serve as the basis for its elaboration and development by others. The facilitator carefully observes and follows the process, leaving the group to work autonomously. It acts when it deems it appropriate, its role in general being to facilitate, follow and feed back processes with interpersonal synergies. Create synthesis, praise achievements and propose new topics. Among the obstacles of this stage we have: attempts by some participants to make their ideas prevail,intolerance or favoritism towards the ideas proposed or towards the people who propose them, latent unresolved conflicts and little spirit to share knowledge or experiences with others.
Fifth stage. Development
Participants take responsibility for their own learning and need little support.
The group faces new challenges and the possibility of expanding its activities, expanding its members or connecting with other virtual groups.
At this stage it will be the facilitator's mission to collect the different contributions, organize them, present them to the group for validation and archive them for future consultation by the participants. It will also facilitate, when necessary, the dissolution of the group or its continuity; providing in this case the advice that may be requested.
4.2. Tools for collaboration
The range of tools available on the Internet is vast. Software creators from all over the world edit applications continuously with all kinds of functionalities and under all kinds of licenses (copyright, open software, GNU, etc). Web 2.0., Sometimes referred to as the Social Web, offers itself a mare magnum overflowing with new acronyms. Therefore, it is not the intention of these pages to list or describe these applications, limiting exposure to simple tools, more widely used and with proven collaborative value. Within each tool we will ignore its technical aspects, on the other hand of the purpose that it directs us, to focus on its pedagogical use, highlighting critical aspects that must be taken into account when the tool is used, by a group of people, to support a learning process. In sum,provide some tips to guide and design instructional activities and collaborative interactions between students using these tools.
Email is possibly the first means of communication between a remote teacher and student who needed to communicate quickly. It provides a basic level of fast and inexpensive electronic communication. This advantage has made it very popular as a means of exchanging information, especially when other services cannot be accessed for economic reasons.
It is used by many teaching organizations on a regular basis. Through email, students submit assignments, teachers return corrections, inform, give support and advice.
Carswell et al., Indicate the following benefits of its use in teaching:
- Speed in the delivery and correction of the exercises Robustness of the questions and doubts system, and perception of greater reliability Greater interaction with the tutor and other students Increased learning experiences, for example exchanging problems with other classmates, beyond the tutoring itself
We describe below recommendations in the educational context:
- Email is a quick and informal tool, however it is necessary to pay attention to grammar and expression. It is a source of misunderstandings, so it is advisable to review them before sending; changing a word or its absence can change the meaning of communication. An effective use of emails as an educational resource requires a warm, personal and friendly tone. Cold, impersonal, strictly task-focused communications alienate the student and distance him or her from the virtual community. Writing the student's name. When the text is long, it should be repeated a few times, thus helping to create a more personal environment.To reinforce social interaction, it is a good idea to use emoticons. Attach short audio or video files,When feasible, it reinforces the sense of community and strengthens social relations. Attention and sensitivity in the use of the language, for some students, may not be their mother tongue. Try not to overwhelm the group with unnecessary emails. Limit "reply to everyone" to when it is strictly necessary, and avoid it when you only want to express agreement or agreement. Make sure that the subject line reflects the subject of the email well. Information may be lost when you reply to a topic and discuss a different topic in the body of the message. It also helps to include relevant text of the email you reply to, not the entire one, to focus your responseLimit "reply to everyone" to when it is strictly necessary, and avoid it when you only want to express agreement or agreement. Make sure that the subject line reflects the subject of the email well. Information may be lost when you reply to a topic and discuss a different topic in the body of the message. It also helps to include relevant text of the email you reply to, not the entire one, to focus your responseLimit "reply to everyone" to when it is strictly necessary, and avoid it when you only want to express agreement or agreement. Make sure that the subject line reflects the subject of the email well. Information may be lost when you reply to a topic and discuss a different topic in the body of the message. It also helps to include relevant text of the email you reply to, not the entire one, to focus your response
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Collaboration in forums is one of the most popular forms of participation in online learning. There are different names to refer to this technology: message board, bulletin board, forum and discussions. Although they all have many features in common. Discussion in forums is asynchronous and therefore does not require that all participants be connected simultaneously, allowing students from different geographical areas to participate when it is most convenient for them. They allow to debate a group of people on a topic or question, share knowledge and compare concepts with those of other colleagues. Forums facilitate interaction and discussion between students and help them build communities of learning and practice.It provides a platform that encourages the sharing of ideas, a medium where students can critically evaluate their ideas, those of others, combine elements of each other and create new ideas. Photographs or other types of documents can be attached. They generally have a certain tone of informality, so students feel that they can say different things than they would in a face-to-face session. However, being based on written communication skills, some students will limit or avoid participation if they do not feel able to express themselves correctly.so students feel they can say different things than they would in a face-to-face session. However, being based on written communication skills, some students will limit or avoid participation if they do not feel able to express themselves correctly.so students feel they can say different things than they would in a face-to-face session. However, being based on written communication skills, some students will limit or avoid participation if they do not feel able to express themselves correctly.
Among the most common functionalities is the link that allows you to view the written messages with their responses. Stores messages and has a search service to locate old messages.
From a social point of view it is important to have a facilitator to manage the process and guide it towards the proposed learning objectives. Specifically, a facilitator must manage:
- The workload: weighing the time students need for effective participation with their contribution to learning objectives. Overloading or duplication with other tasks is not useful for building a learning community. Assessment of student work: It is essential to establish indications of the level of quality and participation expected of students and their progression throughout the course. Leading the discussion: The discussion of providing a positive experience, so the topic should be chosen well and questions that motivate and interest should be asked. When appropriate, you should summarize the main points, keep the debate focused, and finally close it.
Blogs
A blog -Web Log or blog- is a tool with which to publish articles that is regularly updated. It allows the debate and argumentation on different topics in a flexible way without space-time restrictions. The publication is carried out in reverse chronological order, that is, the first articles that appear are the newest and the last the oldest. The main characteristics of blogs are:
- The article is the basic unit of the blog. The presentation of the articles follows a sequential order from most modern to oldest. The articles contain text, images, video, sound, documents, presentations, etc. Long content is not easy to read on the blog, so it is advisable to limit its length. Blog visitors, if they wish, can contribute and write their comments in each article. Although it should be emphasized that the main purpose of the blog is not to discuss, for this function we have forums that allow us to organize the discussion more efficiently.The articles, when appropriate, can be tagged and classified by categories.Their management is very simple so that the participants only have to focus in the exposition and writing of his ideas.Its best result in situations in which communication is one to many It is mainly oriented to non-collaborative tasks.
Let's see some of its most frequent pedagogical uses. From the teacher:
- Inform about instructions, news, events, changes in dates, etc.… Distribute and give access to notes, papers, etc. Editing of didactic texts, taking care that their length is moderate. Save the experiences of a course, facilitating its possible subsequent reuse.
Students will also take advantage by editing their own blog, which will allow them to:
- Keep a diary with the work done Show your points of view and conclusions on the topics worked on Reflect on your progress. Your subsequent reading will give you a useful perspective for developing metacognitive skills.
Wikis
A wiki is an application that allows a group to personar create, edit, link and organize content, together, on a website. It is one of the fundamental tools of the social Web, since it is specifically designed to promote collaboration. Using a wiki, any teacher or student can edit the pages that compose it, modify, complete or correct information. Collective documents can be created, such as articles, books, research reports,… The functionalities of wikis are very useful for learning. Provides a history of a document with the corrections made. Its great capacity as a collaboration tool is shown in the works with many points to elaborate dealing with (glossaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, writing / draft notes,branches and topics of a field of knowledge, research by different institutions and countries, etc.) and written by different people.
The name "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian language and means fast. Its creator Ward Cunningham gave it this name inspired by the denomination of fast bus service at Honolulu International Airport.
The most surprising and well-known wiki is Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia of the Internet and which today is undoubtedly the world's largest encyclopedia, both digital and paper. It is published in 229 languages of which the English language stands out with more than 2,320,000 articles
Wikis are especially useful in jobs that require:
- Construction of knowledge over time. Through different versions and groups. Continuous improvement in problem solving, especially in those with difficult formulation. They are of great contribution as a support tool for communities of practice, where the objective is to improve the practices applied to solve common problems. Combine, synthesize and value the terms and definitions in the different disciplines. Question fundamental principles and causes Critical reading constructive commentary on the work of others Learn the nuances and complexities of the concepts of a discipline, by analyzing the contributions made by more expert people. Learn to avoid early judgments and value without stereotypes.
And more specifically within the field of learning, it has great pedagogical value for:
- Facilitate collaborative work Generate informational and educational resources together Write documents together Make corrections collaboratively Create educational materials together, such as diagrams, maps, or exercises Make information pages on a specific topic or content.
Some recommendations for a Wiki to work:
- The original document must be opened with clear objectives. With a specific theme and scope to avoid dispersion, a collaborative environment based on trust must be created. Each participant should feel comfortable making modifications to the work of others and accepting in turn that their work be modified… Work on a topic known to the participants. In this way we guarantee the usefulness of the contributions. Estimate the appropriate size of the document. Organize it into sections with not excessively extensive pages. Number and skills of the people who participate.
Chat
Students generally respond positively to social interactions with other people, both teachers and students. One way to provide social interactions is through a Chat tool. Based on a text communication, just like the forum, but in this case synchronously. The text is used in an informal and relaxed way, and follows a structure similar to spoken conversation, with the use of abbreviations, unruly and sometimes chaotic vocabulary. However, it is an excellent tool to communicate with colleagues when you do not have the opportunity to talk face to face. It facilitates the opportunity to converse, comment and reflect outside the formalism of teaching moments.
It is convenient, in any case, to bear in mind some properties that differentiate it from face-to-face conversation. So for example, we have:
- Clear separation of production with presentation. The production of the phrase cannot be perceived by the partner, since it is sent to the receiver once it has been completely prepared. Sequence of messages. Although when there is a certain simultaneity, it is not always easy to determine the exact position in the conversation of the message sent by the partner. Occasionally, changes occur in the contiguity of the messages within the talk, as well as the lack of simultaneous and reciprocal feedback. Aspect that plays a role of great relevance in oral conversation in the consolidation of mutual understanding.
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