Collaborative Learning Environment Research Articles

팀 빌딩 비주얼 싱킹을 활용한 현대 소설 수업이 고등학교 남학생의 국어 수업에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is as follows. First, what perceptions do learners have about Korean language (modern novel) classes? Second, what are the responses of learners who have used team building visual thinking in all modern novel classes? Third, what is the effect of modern novel classes using team building visual thinking on learners' interest, confidence, attitude, and anxiety? The purpose of this study was to empirically verify the ef-fect on Korean language classes through the experience of modern novel classes using team building visual sink-ing for students in five classes in the second year of Y High School in Seoul. Methods The class was conducted for second-year students at Y High School in Seoul, data was collected through worksheets and questionnaires to analyze the results. The questionnaires were divided into a pre-test and a post-test after review by experts (one Korean language professor and two doctors of education), and a survey was conducted to examine the students' reactions to modern novel classes using team building visual thinking. The survey results were analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS 28.0, and open-ended questions and worksheets were analyzed. Results Team building visual thinking classes provided an opportunity for learners, who deeply understood the work, to express their thoughts and impressions visually and then communicate and share their opinions with oth-er learners. This enhanced learners' understanding of the novel while improving their creative thinking, expression skills, and teamwork skills. In addition, team building visual thinking was effective in increasing their learning mo-tivation, thereby making the classes more active. Conclusions Team building visual thinking classes helped build a collaborative learning environment through ac-tivities that team members do together, from idea visualization to idea sharing and feedback. This served as an opportunity to lay the foundation for teaching and learning that can actively respond to changes in education: digi-tal transformation. In particular, this study is significant in that it is a new attempt to utilize team building visual thinking in modern novel classes according to the 2022 Revised National Curriculum.

Your body tells how you engage in collaboration: Machine‐detected body movements as indicators of engagement in collaborative math knowledge building

AbstractCollaborative learning, driven by knowledge co‐construction and meaning negotiation, is a pivotal aspect of educational contexts. While gesture's importance in conveying shared meaning is recognized, its role in collaborative group settings remains understudied. This gap hinders accurate and equitable assessment and instruction, particularly for linguistically diverse students. Advancements in multimodal learning analytics, leveraging sensor technologies, offer innovative solutions for capturing and analysing body movements. This study employs these novel approaches to demonstrate how learners' machine‐detected body movements during the learning process relate to their verbal and nonverbal contributions to the co‐construction of embodied math knowledge. These findings substantiate the feasibility of utilizing learners' machine‐detected body movements as a valid indicator for inferring their engagement with the collaborative knowledge construction process. In addition, we empirically validate that these inferred different levels of learner engagement indeed impact the desired learning outcomes of the intervention. This study contributes to our scientific understanding of multimodal approaches to knowledge expression and assessment in learning, teaching, and collaboration.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Previous research emphasizes the importance of gestures as essential tools for constructing common ground and reflecting shared meaning‐making in learning and teaching contexts. The prior studies in multimodal learning analytics (MMLA) suggest that certain forms of body movements and postures can be differentiated based on the automatic detection of upper body joint locations. Empirical observations indicate that co‐thought gestures typically involve smaller hand or arms movement that are closer to the gesturer's body than co‐speech gestures used in interpersonal communication. What this paper adds This paper fills the research gap by examining the use of gestures in collaborative learning, offering insights into how individuals contribute verbally and nonverbally to collaborative knowledge construction. This paper introduces the concept of using machine‐detected body movements as a viable proxy for inferring learners' engagement in collaborative knowledge‐building activities. Leverages sensor technologies for automatic detection of body movements, the innovative approach in this work seeks to overcome the time‐intensive and laborious process of manually coding gestures. Implications for practice and/or policy By recognizing the potential significance of learners' body movements in indicating engagement levels with collaborative knowledge‐building activities, instructors can set up computer‐supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments to enable capturing these movements. Given the crucial role of gestures in learning, teaching, and collaboration, educators can create more equitable formative assessment practices for linguistically diverse students by developing strategies that align with multimodal forms of knowledge expression. Research can expand beyond mathematics to explore the transferability of these findings to other subjects, helping educators create comprehensive pedagogical approaches that leverage multimodal interactions across disciplines.

Examining students' acceptance of the large‐scale HyFlex course: An empirical study

AbstractThe HyFlex course has been widely adopted in higher education settings. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies examining students' acceptance of large‐scale HyFlex courses, as well as factors influencing their acceptance. To fill this research gap, the present study investigated students' acceptance of a large‐scale HyFlex course and the variations in their acceptance according to different participation modes (ie, on‐site, synchronously online and mixed attendance), based on a total of 160 valid samples from a large‐scale HyFlex course at a normal university in central China during the fall semester of 2022. The results indicated that students' overall HyFlex course acceptance was generally high, and the students who alternately engaged in on‐site and synchronously online learning had the highest level of acceptance. Furthermore, this study employed structural equation modelling to validate a model integrating the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology with connected classroom climate (CCC). The findings showed that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and CCC directly influenced students' acceptance, with performance expectancy having the strongest direct effect. However, social influence only had an indirect effect on students' acceptance, while CCC had both direct and indirect effects. This study carries substantial theoretical and practical implications, enhancing our understanding of students' acceptance of the HyFlex learning approach.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic The adoption of the HyFlex course, especially in the context of large‐scale courses, is prevalent in higher education settings. Existing studies have predominately focused on assessing the impact of HyFlex course on student engagement and learning outcomes, the development and implementation of HyFlex course structures, and educators' perspectives and experiences with HyFlex courses. Although some research has delved into students' satisfaction with HyFlex courses, particularly in small class settings, our understanding of students' acceptance of large‐scale HyFlex course remains limited. There has been a noticeable gap in investigations exploring distinctions among students who opt for varying HyFlex course delivery modes, such as on‐site, synchronously online and mixed attendance formats. What this paper adds This study reveals that students generally displayed a high level of acceptance towards the large‐scale HyFlex course. Notably, students who participated in alternating on‐site and synchronously online learning exhibited a significantly higher level of acceptance towards the HyFlex course compared to their counterparts. A novel approach was employed in this study by integrating the UTAUT model with the concept of connected classroom climate (CCC) to comprehensively explore the key influencing factors and their interrelationships regarding students' acceptance of a large‐scale HyFlex course. The study found that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), facilitating conditions (FC) and CCC were all significant factors that positively influenced students' acceptance of the HyFlex course. Particularly, PE emerged as the factor with the strongest direct impact on HyFlex course acceptance (ACP). Interestingly, social influence (SI) did not exhibit a significant direct effect on students' ACP. However, it had a significant and positive indirect effect on students' ACP through the mediation of PE. Furthermore, CCC was shown to have both direct and indirect effects on students' acceptance of the HyFlex course, with the indirect effect of CCC on ACP accounted for nearly half of the total effect. Implications for practice and/or policy Instructors should prioritize emphasizing the advantages and benefits of HyFlex courses to enhance students' motivation and willingness to participate actively in these courses. This may involve showcasing how HyFlex course offer flexibility, convenience and varied learning opportunities. When implementing HyFlex courses, instructors should work to mitigate students' perceived EE. This could be achieved through streamlining course navigation, ensuring user‐friendly technology tools and providing clear guidelines for participation. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to enhance perceived learning support to facilitate students' engagement and acceptance of HyFlex courses. Instructors in HyFlex course settings should place a strong emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative learning environment. This involves fostering interactions among students, encouraging peer‐to‐peer support and providing resources and guidance to help students navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by HyFlex course formats. Building a sense of community and connectedness among students can significantly impact their acceptance and success in such courses.

Strengthening healthcare delivery in Rwanda: Implementation science training for reproductive health researchers

BackgroundAddressing the gap between research and practice is crucial for enhancing reproductive healthcare outcomes. In Rwanda and other low- and middle-income countries, bolstering health researchers’ implementation science (IS) capacity is essential. We present a pre-post-intervention study assessing the influence of an intensive IS training program on Rwandan reproductive health researchers’ perceived IS knowledge and self-efficacy in applying IS in their own research. MethodsTo introduce IS principles, we held a one-day training for a diverse cohort of 25 sexual and reproductive health researchers in Rwanda. The training encompassed modules on IS concepts, methodologies, and practical applications. Pre- and post-training assessments gauged changes in participants’ perceived IS knowledge and self-efficacy in applying IS in their own work. ResultsThe study revealed a significant improvement in self-efficacy related to performing IS related tasks. Researchers reported heightened confidence in designing and implementing evidence-based interventions. In terms of perceived knowledge, participants retained what they learned at 4 months. The training fostered a collaborative learning environment, encouraging participants to exchange ideas and experiences. ConclusionTargeted training in IS appears to enhance reproductive health researchers’ capacity to translate research into practice, potentially leading to improved healthcare outcomes in Rwanda. Moving forward, we advocate for the Ministry of Health to establish structures for IS research agenda-setting, particularly for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Ideally, universities, health systems, and research institutions will incorporate IS capacity strengthening into their routine activities. Ongoing training is crucial to reinforce and expand IS knowledge. Our findings are expected to inform future interventions and guide policy development.

Strengthening collaborative learning in secondary school: Development and evaluation of a lesson-integrated training approach for transactive communication

BackgroundTransactive communication in collaborative learning environments occurs when students refer to their learning partners' ideas, build on them, and transform them into more elaborate ideas. This learning activity is essential for students to be able to benefit from collaboration, but they need scaffolding to produce transactive statements. From the teachers’ perspective, this intervention should take little effort. AimsWe developed and evaluated a lesson-integrated training in transactive communication for secondary school students, including instructions, exercises, and feedback on transactive communication, materials and tasks on curriculum-related content, and working with various cooperative learning methods. SampleIn a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design, 594 ninth-grade students in 23 classes received training in transactive communication or presentation skills. A complete set of data exists for a parallelized sample of 82 students in each condition. MethodsAt both points of measurement, students worked in dyads, and their communication was audiotaped, transcribed, and their transactive statements and non-transactive, content-related externalizations were coded. Furthermore, students completed knowledge tests about the topic of partner work and reported on their experiences with collaboration and motivation for group work (trait). ResultsAnalyses revealed positive effects of the training in transactivity on transactive statements and experiences with collaboration. Students with the training in transactive communication also produced more externalizations. However, no differences were found for students’ knowledge acquisition and motivation for group work. ConclusionThe training in transactive communication was effective for the collaborative working process, but transfer effects need to be further investigated.

Service quality assessment in a Greek teacher training program: a cultural perspective

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between prospective teachers’ cultural profiles and service quality expectations in a pedagogical training program in Greece. Design/methodology/approach Using the EppekQual scale and an alternative Hofstede’s cultural scale, 113 prospective teachers in a Greek training program were surveyed. The study uses descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression, validating measurements through confirmatory factor analysis. Findings Prospective teachers exhibit a low-power orientation and a preference for feminine values. Rejecting hierarchy correlates with quality expectations, especially in the curriculum dimension, emphasizing student-centric education. A positive correlation with acceptance/avoidance of uncertainty is observed, notably in learning outcomes and administrative services. The cultural aversion to ambiguity shapes individuals’ prioritization of all quality dimensions. A realistic long-term perspective correlates positively with expectations in learning outcomes, aligning with Greek culture’s emphasis on security. Contrary to expectations, a predilection for feminine values positively impacts service quality expectations, particularly in curriculum, learning outcomes and academic staff dimensions. The hypothesis related to individualism/collectivism is not substantiated, indicating a negative association with the curriculum dimension. Practical implications Tailoring program designs to embrace student-centric and collaborative learning environments is recommended. Acknowledging cultural aversions to uncertainty, program flexibility and clarity are essential. Integrating career planning and mentorship aligns with realistic long-term perspectives. The need for a balanced approach to personal and intellectual development is also suggested. Originality/value This study uncovers specific cultural dimensions that shape quality expectations within a Greek teacher training context.

OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR THE INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL EDUCATION INTO SCHOOL EDUCATION IN WEST BENGAL

This paper investigates the integration of Digital Education in school education in West Bengal, assessing its opportunities, challenges, and future directions. The study is significant for modernizing and diversifying education in West Bengal, aiming to enhance learning outcomes and bridge socio-economic disparities.Introduction: The integration of Digital Education in education is pivotal in the digital age. In West Bengal, initiatives like "Digital West Bengal" highlight the importance of technology in education, promoting student engagement and collaborative learning environments. The study aims to bridge knowledge gaps about Digital Education in West Bengal schools through a descriptive survey method, collecting data from teachers across West Bengal on their utilization, perceptions, and suggestions regarding Digital Education.Objectives: The objectives of this study are to analyze effective strategies for integrating Digital Education, identify opportunities for enhancing teaching and learning, assess challenges hindering successful integration, and propose future directions for maximizing Digital Education benefits in West Bengal school education.Methodology: A descriptive survey method was employed, using a self-constructed questionnaire distributed to a diverse sample of teachers in West Bengal. The questionnaire, designed on a 5-point Likert scale, aimed to gauge perceptions and opinions on Digital Education integration of digital education among teachers. The study involved stratified sampling across urban and rural, public, and private schools at the higher secondary level.Findings: The research found significant disparities in Digital Education integration between urban and rural public schools, with urban schools having a higher level of integration. However, the study found no significant difference between urban and rural private schools. Challenges in Digital Education integration were similar across all schools, emphasizing the need for unified strategies. Opportunities for Digital Education integration did not significantly differ between urban and rural schools, indicating an equitable landscape for Digital Education integration across different school environments in West Bengal.Conclusion: The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to bridge the digital divide in rural areas and ensure equitable access to technology-enhanced learning. The findings suggest a need for comprehensive strategies encompassing infrastructure, teacher training, curriculum development, and policy frameworks to support sustainable Digital Education integration efforts.

Inclusive Pedagogy: Systematic Review on Exploring Stakeholder Engagement in Multigrade Classroom Teaching

Multigrade education, characterized by the instruction of students from different grade levels in the same classroom, has garnered significant attention in educational research due to its prevalence in diverse global contexts. This comprehensive literature review offers a nuanced exploration of multigrade education, synthesizing empirical research, theoretical frameworks, and practical insights to provide a holistic understanding of its complexities and implications. The review begins by delineating the global landscape of multigrade classrooms, examining their prevalence, significance, and diverse manifestations across various regions and socio-economic contexts. It delves into the positive aspects of multigrade education, such as fostering collaborative learning environments, maximizing resource utilization, and addressing educational inequalities, while also addressing the negative effects of inadequate support, including teacher burnout and limited access to resources. Central to the literature review is the examination of stakeholder engagement in multigrade education, with a focus on the roles of educators, policymakers, parents, and communities in supporting effective teaching and learning practices. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the review analyzes strategies to maximize stakeholder support, including investments in professional development for teachers, equitable allocation of resources, community involvement, and policy advocacy. Furthermore, it explores culturally-appropriate interventions and collaborative teaching practices to address the unique challenges faced by multigrade educators and students across diverse cultural landscapes and socio-economic environments. By offering actionable recommendations grounded in empirical evidence and best practices, the literature review aims to inform policy, practice, and future research directions in multigrade education, ultimately advocating for inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive and succeed, irrespective of their grade level or school size.

Theme editorial: What should be the role of tourism education social structures to create and support collaborative learning environments and the tourism sector?

Theme editorial: What should be the role of tourism education social structures to create and support collaborative learning environments and the tourism sector?

Exploring the linkages between social media use, self-esteem, and academic performance among nursing students in Saudi Arabia: A descriptive correlational study.

The prevalence of social media influence in education makes it necessary to investigate how it might affect nursing students' academic achievement and sense of self. To our knowledge, the associations between academic performance, self-esteem, and social media usage among nursing students from Saudi Arabia remain understudied. This study aimed to examine the relationships between academic performance, self-esteem, and the utilization of social media platforms by Saudi Arabian nursing students. This descriptive correlational study employed a convenience sample of 220 nursing students (response rate 95.2%). An online survey with questions about demographics, students' academic performance, social media usage, and self-esteem was used for data collection from 1 March to May 2023. Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-tests, Analysis of Variance, and hierarchical regression were used for data analysis. Social media use had an average score of 3.60 ± 0.66, self-esteem was 2.13 ± 0.27, and academic performance was 3.95 ± 0.58. The students' academic performance related positively to the utilization of social media platforms (r = 0.210, p <0.01). There were statistically positive correlations between academic purpose and social motives domains of utilizing social media and academic performance (r = 0.304, p <0.01; r = 0.208, p <0.01) respectively. The amount of time students spent on social media was not related to their self-esteem (r = 0.047, p >0.05). The students' self-esteem was unrelated to their academic achievement (r = 0.059, p >0.05). Utilizing social media channels can assist nursing students in improving their academic achievement. Therefore, nursing educators and decision-makers in nursing education have the opportunity to establish collaborative learning environments by integrating social media. This approach aims to improve communication, enhance the learning experience, and ultimately improve the academic achievements of nursing students.

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIPS IN IMPLEMENTING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

&lt;p&gt;The study systematically reviews the literature to understand the key success factors for school leadership in fostering PLCs and the most effective leadership style for this endeavor. Through a detailed analysis, it identifies key success factors such as visionary leadership, shared values, effective communication, collaborative decision-making, and strategic problem-solving. The study also emphasized the transformative, facilitative, distributed, democratic, and situational leadership styles conducive to PLC success.. These elements are essential for creating a collaborative learning environment that promotes professional growth, innovation, and improved student outcomes. The study acknowledges limitations including the scope of literature and challenges in directly correlating leadership styles with PLC success. Future research directions include exploring the long-term impact of leadership on PLCs, cross-contextual comparisons, empirical validations of theoretical frameworks, and the role of digital technologies in PLC enhancement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Computer-Based Technology on Writing Performance: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review delves into the transformative effects of computer-based technology on writing performance, with a specific focus on studies conducted between 2017 and 2023. The review scrutinizes the impact of a diverse array of technologies, ranging from popular platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram to specialized tools such as Grammarly, Digital Storytelling, and Kahoot. By synthesizing findings from these studies, the review elucidates the multifaceted ways in which technology influences students' writing proficiency. Key findings underscore the nuanced impacts of these technologies, revealing their significant roles in fostering motivation, enhancing language skills, promoting engagement, and facilitating collaborative learning environments. Notably, Grammarly emerges as a prominent tool widely utilized to address grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, thereby aiding in the refinement of writing quality. Meanwhile, platforms like Instagram are recognized for nurturing creativity, Twitter for facilitating personalized learning experiences, and Kahoot for fostering active engagement through interactive quizzes and games. By illuminating the diverse dimensions of technology's transformative role in writing performance, this review offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers alike. It underscores the importance of leveraging technology as a strategic tool to enhance students' writing skills and foster a dynamic and enriching learning experience. Moreover, it highlights the need for continued exploration and adaptation of innovative technological solutions to meet the evolving needs of modern education.

Does constructivism learning approach lead to developing creative thinking skills? The mediating role of online collaborative learning environments

Does constructivism learning approach lead to developing creative thinking skills? The mediating role of online collaborative learning environments

Is a Seat at the Table Enough? Engaging Teachers and Students in Dataset Specification for ML in Education

Despite the promises of ML in education, its adoption in the classroom has surfaced numerous issues regarding fairness, accountability, and transparency, as well as concerns about data privacy and student consent. A root cause of these issues is the lack of understanding of the complex dynamics of education, including teacher-student interactions, collaborative learning, and classroom environments. To overcome these challenges and fully utilize the potential of ML in education, software practitioners need to work closely with educators and students to fully understand the context of the data (the backbone of ML applications) and collaboratively define the ML data specifications. To gain a deeper understanding of such a collaborative process, we conduct ten co-design sessions with ML software practitioners, educators, and students. In the sessions, teachers and students work with ML engineers, UX designers, and legal practitioners to define dataset characteristics for a given ML application. We find that stakeholders contextualize data based on their domain and procedural knowledge, proactively design data requirements to mitigate downstream harms and data reliability concerns, and exhibit role-based collaborative strategies and contribution patterns. Further, we find that beyond a seat at the table, meaningful stakeholder participation in ML requires structured supports: defined processes for continuous iteration and co-evaluation, shared contextual data quality standards, and information scaffolds for both technical and non-technical stakeholders to traverse expertise boundaries.

Dialogues across time and space in a video-based collaborative learning environment

AbstractIn this study, we investigate how pre-service teachers’ group dialogues emerged and intersected across time and space as students collaboratively constructed a video-based mind map to prepare for oral exams in a pedagogy course. The study was conducted as part of a design-based research project investigating the ways that video-based mind maps can support learning as both a collaborative activity and a classroom resource. We applied interaction analysis methods to recordings taken during the production of the mind map as well as the videos made by students within the mind map itself to analyze synchronous and asynchronous dialogues among group members as they viewed, recorded, and uploaded videos. The findings offer an in-depth understanding of how collaboration occurs in different space-time configurations within and across groups as mediated by video resources. We discuss how these findings contribute to computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) research on the ways collaboration can emerge across different levels of activity as well as the pedagogical implications for introducing video-based dialogues into the classroom.

Cultivating a higher level of student agency in collective discussion: teacher strategies to navigate student scientific uncertainty to develop a trajectory of sensemaking

ABSTRACT In a traditional lecturing environment, students possess limited agency in accepting or rejecting information provided by teachers. A higher level of student agency involves opportunities and actively identifying uncertainties and collaborating with peers to deepen understanding within the classroom community. Teachers play a crucial role in guiding students through sensemaking by addressing uncertainties and assisting in solution development. Student uncertainty is recognized as a pedagogical resource, engaging them in sensemaking and enhancing agency levels. This study analyzed 28 whole-class discussions led by seven science teachers, identifying three phases: problematization, coherence negotiation, and new understanding enactment. The teachers employed eight strategies leveraging student scientific uncertainty as pedagogical resources within three sequential methods: eliciting awareness of uncertainty (e.g., creating hybrid, ambiguous, and problem-solving spaces), seeking a coherent understanding (e.g., connecting students' lived experiences to empirical data for coherence, juxtaposing different interpretations to build consensus, and weaving together student ideas for coherence), and demonstrating new understanding (e.g., transference, translation). By embracing uncertainty, students become agents of sensemaking, contributing to a collaborative learning environment.

Predictors of Parental Home Involvement in Low-Income Families in Tanzania

Understanding factors influencing parents' involvement in education activities is essential in tailoring strategies to encourage and maximize their participation. This study assessed predictors of parental home involvement in low-income families in four regions of Northern Tanzania. The questionnaires assessed 1176 parents of grade two children from 55 primary schools invited to teacher-parent meetings. The hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that parents' perception of general school invitation, specific teacher invitation, specific child invitation, parents' knowledge and skills, parents' level of education, and marriage conditions were the strongest predictors of parental home involvement. However, parents' past school experience (valence) did not predict their present involvement at home. This study underscores the pivotal role of teachers and schools in instigating and fostering parental involvement at home. Teachers can create a collaborative learning environment beyond the classroom by implementing activities designed to arouse parents' interest and stimulate their desire to participate actively in their children's learning. The study recommends the interconnectedness of the educational ecosystem, where the efforts of schools and teachers serve as catalysts for meaningful parental involvement at home.

Mentoring Models to Support Transition to Practice Programs: One Size Does Not Fit All.

One-on-one mentoring is not a fit for all transition to practice programs because of the need to recruit large numbers of mentors several times a year and the cost associated with supporting many mentor/mentee relationships. A group mentoring model is sustainable because it can foster a collaborative learning environment and emphasize knowledge sharing, skill acquisition, and emotional support within the group dynamic. Models can be replicated and applied in any setting. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(4):161-164.].

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Online Collaborative Learning in Germany

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the cross-cultural perspectives on online collaborative learning in Germany.&#x0D; Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.&#x0D; Findings: In Germany, online collaborative learning prioritizes structured environments and asynchronous communication to accommodate diverse schedules. Emphasis is placed on clear communication, punctuality, and achieving consensus through respectful dialogue. Educators stress the development of intercultural competence alongside disciplinary knowledge for effective cross-cultural engagement.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, social identity theory &amp; communities of practice theory may be used to anchor future studies on the cross-cultural perspectives on online collaborative learning in Germany. Establish professional development programs that offer continuous training and support for educators to enhance their cultural competence and pedagogical skills in facilitating online collaborative learning. Advocate for the integration of cross-cultural competency standards into teacher education programs and accreditation requirements to ensure that educators are adequately prepared to address the needs of culturally diverse student populations in online collaborative learning environments.

Online learning and community engagement: Strategies for promoting inclusivity and collaboration in education

In recent years, the proliferation of online learning platforms has transformed the landscape of education, offering unprecedented opportunities for access and flexibility. However, as online learning continues to evolve, ensuring inclusivity and fostering collaboration within virtual communities remains a critical challenge. This review explores strategies aimed at promoting inclusivity and collaboration in online education settings. Firstly, it delves into the significance of creating a supportive online learning environment conducive to diversity. This involves implementing inclusive practices such as accessible course materials, accommodating diverse learning styles, and fostering a culture of respect and empathy among participants. Additionally, leveraging technology to facilitate real-time communication and interaction among learners from diverse backgrounds enhances inclusivity by breaking down geographical and cultural barriers. Secondly, the review examines the pivotal role of community engagement in fostering collaboration and mutual support among online learners. Establishing virtual communities where participants can engage in meaningful discussions, share resources, and collaborate on projects cultivates a sense of belonging and collective ownership of the learning process. Moreover, integrating collaborative learning activities such as group projects and peer reviews promotes active engagement and facilitates the exchange of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, the review highlights the importance of instructor involvement in fostering inclusive and collaborative online learning environments. Educators play a crucial role in designing inclusive curriculum, facilitating meaningful discussions, and providing constructive feedback that acknowledges diverse perspectives. Moreover, equipping instructors with training and resources to effectively manage online communities fosters a supportive learning environment conducive to collaboration and inclusivity. Promoting inclusivity and collaboration in online learning requires a multifaceted approach encompassing inclusive design, community engagement, and instructor support. By implementing these strategies, educators can create enriching online learning experiences that empower learners from diverse backgrounds to thrive and succeed.