Design of Blended Collaborative Learning in the Vocational Education and Training(VET) System: An Under-investigated Domain in China

Abstract

Blended collaborative learning in the VET system is an under-investigated domain in China. This paper attempts to initially depict the status quo of collaborative learning of VET, understanding teachers' and students' perceptions and attitudes, and revealing existing problems of design and implementation of collaborative learning in the VET system. Through case analysis and questionnaires, this study identifies that VET students prefer collaborative learning to individual learning. The teachers are in definite need of support of design methods and tools of collaborative learning activities. Besides, free-riding, poor communication, and shallow collaboration are common problems in the collaborative learning practice of VET. Moreover, because of the diversity of the learning environment in the VET system, further exploration would be carried out in the field of blended collaborative learning, both in theoretical research and instructional practice. According to initial findings in this study, some suggestions on blended collaborative learning design and future research work are discussed at last.