Evaluates strategies used in online learning that promotes collaboration. Completed as an assignment for ELT7008-8-3 for Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, AZ.

1. Strategies to Engage
Students in
Collaborative Online
Learning
It is all about the Community

2. Why Collaborate Online
“Collaborative activities can alleviate feelings of
isolation by purposefully connecting learners with
one another through various learning activities
and promoting interdependence” (Palloff & Pratt,
2007, p.159
Collaboration promotes the following skills:
Development of critical thinking skills
Co-creation of knowledge and meaning
Reflection
Transformative learning (Palloff and Pratt, 2005.
p.4)

3. Evidence of Community
Instructors will have evidence of an online community when the following
indicators are seen (Palloff and Pratt, 2007):
1.) Active interaction involving both course content and personal
2.) Collaborative learning evidenced by comments directed primarily
student to student rather than student to instructor
3.) Socially constructed meaning evidenced by agreement or questioning,
with the intent to achieve agreement on issues of meaning
4.) Sharing of resources among students
5.) Expressions of support and encouragement exchanged between
students, as well as willingness to critically evaluate the work of
others (p. 31)

4. Accomplishing Community
Collaboration
“The most meaningful learning for students [occurred]
when they shared personal experiences related to
course content” (Dabbagh and Bannan-Ritland,
2005, p. 86).
Collaboration has a direct correlation to an online
community, which is essential and dependant on
student’s
social presence, learner satisfaction, and active
interaction in
their online courses.

5. Elements of Community
People: The students, faculty, and staff
Shared Purpose: Coming together sharing information,
interests, and resources
Guidelines: Create structure by providing ground rules for
interaction and participation
Technology: The vehicle for delivery and a place where
everyone can meet
Collaborative Learning: Student-to-student interaction that
supports socially constructed meaning and creation of
knowledge
Reflective Practice: Promoting transformative learning

6. Individual Group
*Sense of accomplishment *Collaboration
*Quality of outcome *Teamwork
*Satisfaction with the process *Sense of well-being and support
*Ability to work at own pace *Promotes reflection
*Sense of self-expression *Reduces isolation
Technology & Groups
*Problem solving
*Conflict
management
*Group norms
*Connect and
communicate
Facilitator Technology
*Comfort with technology *Vehicle for communication and task completion
*Competence in online facilitation *Provides communication
*Ability to communicate clearly *Transparent and easy to use
*Comfort with reasonable chaos and conflict Task
*Creates a safe place for the group *Creates sense of purpose
*Nurtures relationships *Source of motivation
*Promotes self-organization and empowerment Source of collaboration

7. Learning is Authentic and
Meaningful
“One of the most important tenets of e-learning is
that it bridges work and learning. While the best
classroom experiences bring work into the
learning environment, the best e-learning
experiences bring learning into the work
environment” (Rosenberg, 2011, p. 179).

8. Challenges in Online
Collaboration
 Mistrust of information and individuals
 Limited Resources to time and information
 Class dynamics change with students dropping class or entering late
 Lack of group communication, representation and participation
 Technical difficulties with hardware, software and LMS
 Course design issues or improper activities
 Leadership or faculty concerns
 Cultural differences and conflict resolution
 Expectations set to high

9. Instructional Strategies and
Activities
Instructional Strategies and Activities Suggested
in Simich-Dudgeon (1999):
 Create awareness to promote shared meaning
and a supportive learning community
 Encourage use of interpersonal involvement
strategies such as personal stories, metaphors,
and irony
 Encourage use of personalized greetings to
promote a sense of community

10. Instructional Strategies and
Activities
Instructional strategies and activities suggested by
Haythornthwaite, Kazmer, Robins and Shoemaker
(2000):
 Promote initial and sustained bonding through
multiple means of communication related to social
and work activities
 Establish a regular schedule for communication to
occur
 Provide public and private synchronous interaction
 Monitor and support continued interaction
 Provide feedback

11. Instructional Strategies and
Activities
Instructional strategies and activities suggested byRovai
(2001)
 Create a community by designing and supporting
student interaction and involvement
 Build community by encouraging socio-emotional
communication as well as educational interactions
 Be sensitive to differences and adapt your teaching to
facilitate interaction
 Consider incorporating a rubric

12. Instructional Strategies and
Activities
Instructional strategies and activities suggested
byBarab, Thomas and Merrill (2001):
Involve interpersonal issues
Promote sharing of personal experiences through
content that is personally meaningful
Design a course that intentionally establishes an
online community
Emphasize course climate as well as course
content
Consider asynchronous communication methods
for promoting reflective thought

13. Simple Activities You Can Add
to Your Online Courses
Synchronous chat via online office hours
Allow students to provide feedback on each other’s work
through Track Changes features
Establish personal sharing via Ice Breaker activities
Use Web 2.0 Tools such as Voice Thread, Wikis, and Blogs
Small-group assignments
Simulations
Homework forums
Asynchronous discussion of readings and assignment
progress
Shared course and discussion facilitation

14. One Last Thought
Palloff and Pratt (2005) state
The more we engage our students in a process
of ongoing evaluation of their own performance,
the more meaningful the online course will be to
them. The more we engage them in working with
one another in both collaborative activity and
collaborative assessment, the more likely they
are to engage in a learning community that will
sustain them beyond the end of the course. The
more meaningful the course, the more likely it is
that they will become empowered and lifelong
learners. (p. 53)

15. References
Barab, S.A., Thomas, M.K., & Merrill, H. (2001). Online learning: From information dissemination to
fostering collaboration. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 12(1), 105-143.
Dabbagh, N. &Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Online learning: Concepts, strategies, and application.
Columbus, OH: Pearson.
Draves, W. A. (Ed). (2007). Advanced teaching online. River Falls, WI: LERN Books.
Maeroff, G. I. (2003). A classroom of one: How online learning is changing our schools and colleges. New
York, NY: Palgrave MacMillian.
Moallem, M. (2007). Accommodating individual differences in the design of online learning environments:
A comparative study.Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(2), 217-245.
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2001). Lessons from the cyberspace classroom: The realities of online teaching.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Palloff, R.M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Palloff, R.M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual
classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Rosenberg, Marc J. (2001). E-Learning Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age. New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill.
Sandars, J. (2006). Twelve tips for effective online discussions in continuing medical education. Medical
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