Collaborative Learning Theory Research Articles

Using Mobile Dual Eye-Tracking to Capture Cycles of Collaboration and Cooperation in Co-located Dyads

The goal of this paper is to bring new insights to the study of social learning processes by designing measures of collaboration using high-frequency sensor data. More specifically, we are interested in understanding the interplay between moments of collaboration and cooperation, which is an understudied area of research. We collected a multimodal dataset during a collaborative learning activity typical of makerspaces: learning how to program a robot. Pairs of participants were introduced to computational thinking concepts using a block-based environment. Mobile eye-trackers, physiological wristbands, and motion sensors captured their behavior and social interactions. In this paper, we analyze the eye-tracking data to capture participants’ tendency to synchronize their visual attention. This paper provides three contributions: (1) we use an emerging methodology (mobile dual eye-tracking) to capture joint visual attention in a co-located setting and replicate findings that show how levels of joint visual attention are positively correlated with collaboration quality; (2) we qualitatively analyzed the co-occurrence of verbal activity and joint visual attention in low and high performing groups to better understand moments of collaboration and cooperation; (3) inspired by the qualitative observations and theories of collaborative learning, we designed a new quantitative measure that captures cycles of collaborative and cooperative work. Compared to simple measures of joint visual attention, we found it to increase correlation coefficients with learning and collaboration scores. We discuss those results and describe how advances in analyzing sensor data can contribute to theories of collaboration. We conclude with implications for capturing students’ interactions in co-located spaces using Multimodal Learning Analytics (MMLA).

Learning through Online Engagement Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: Exploring Students’ Perceptions, Opportunities and Challenges

This study aims at exploring how M Ed English (Master of Education) students perceive online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The study has adopted online collaborative learning theory (OCL) as a theoretical stance for the study and employed a qualitative research design as a research method. Six M Ed students have been purposively selected as research participants, who were learning English in online environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were selected from two TU affiliated campuses located in Rupandehi district. In order to collect the data, a semi-structured interview technique has been used. The study uncovers that M Ed English students perceive online learning as an alternative way of learning during pandemic situation. It further depicts that through online learning, students improve their language skills, collaborative practices, and digital literacy. Besides these, the study demonstrates that inadequate skills of ICT in teachers and students, lack of internet and smart digital gadgets, learning anxiety, lack of peace zone at home are some challenges in online learning. The study contributes to the students’ understanding of learning through online mode.

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ АВТЕНТИЧНИХ МАТЕРІАЛІВ ЯК ЗАСІБ МІЖКУЛЬТУРНОЇ КОМПНТЕНЦІЇ СТУДЕНТІВ

This article is devoted to the problem of formation of students’ cultural competence. The authors consider the study of English through the prism of cultural competence, since the study of language and culture are closely related to each other. The paper also describes a few techniques which encourage the development of intercultural competence proposed in some studies, in particular, the comparative approach. Special attention is paid to possible ways of motivating students with different backgrounds and levels of knowledge to integrate into a cohesive and productive classroom, as well as the importance of theory of collaborative learning is noted. What’s more, some causes which can seriously affect students’ speech are described, e.g. indifference of their interlocutors, no matter, it is real or perceived. On the other hand, as long as students are supposed to speak openly, they are prone to expressing their thoughts more freely, what makes it easier for them to overcome shyness, which contributes to a more free assimilation of the language. Teachers can encourage students to participate in authentic personally meaningful, language learning sessions in case they allow learners to suggest topics for discussions, choose materials, and present these issues in class. Teaching students to share their points of view, lecturers promote a socially and culturally engaged autonomy.When a contemporary social and cultural context are provided, students have the opportunity to control and assess their own learning process and become a part of the language community. In addition, the article presents various options for using authentic materials in the classroom.

Designing flipped learning in initial teacher education: The experiences of two teacher educators

The move to online learning triggered by COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 necessitated a rapid movement to effectively design synchronous digital learning environments. In such environments research suggests that a flipped approach to teaching and learning is most appropriate in learning environments mediated by technologies. This article examines the experiences of two teacher educators in dealing with online learning environments in a time of change and examines the shift to a flipped approach in teaching literacy units that are part of a postgraduate initial teacher education degree at a university in Melbourne, Australia. The article presents a collaborative autoethnography of the experiences of the teacher educators, shared as a set of curated narrative vignettes, and analyses the thinking that supports the implementation of flipped learning. These practice narratives are understood through the lens of collaborative learning theory which emphasises negotiated meanings and knowledge creation within groups. In post-COVID times this article points to future possibilities for a flipped learning approach in hybrid or mixed learning environments and offers a conceptual process model for designing learning in response to change. Implications for practice or policy: Teacher educators may need to reconsider learning design for online and hybrid environments. Universities may need to be more open to student-centred pedagogies such as flipped learning. Leaders and policymakers in higher education should give more attention to student agency and active learning in educational delivery.

A review of the ESL/EFL learners’ gains from online peer feedback on English writing

Peer feedback is essential in writing English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). Traditionally, offline PF was more widely favored but nowadays online peer feedback (OPF) has become frequent in ESL/EFL learners' daily writing. This study is undertaken to probe into the gains of using OPF in ESL/EFL writing on the basis of 37 research articles published in core journals from 2012 till 2022. In order to accurately cover the previous researches, we capitalize on three methods to evaluate and analyze the data, i.e., database search, citation search and manual search. Results show that from the perspective of the ESL/EFL learners' gains, the OPF is basically divided into two categories (cognitive OPF and affective OPF), involving eight aspects in all: face-based strategies, revision-based comments, writing performance, learning environment, reflection/critical thinking/responsibility, writing emotion, motivation, and attitudes; and OPF can be well supported by a set of theories like Process-oriented Writing Theory, Collaborative Learning Theory, Interactionist Theory of L2 Acquisition and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. By comparison, the gains from OPF outperform those from offline PF in many dimensions (e.g., face-based strategies), despite some overlaps (e.g., the shift of the role) that were revealed in several investigations. Based on the past studies, we propose some pedagogical implications on OPF from ESL/EFL writing, including accenting the "student-centered" teaching strategy, providing students with OPF on the basis of incremental knowledge, adopting OPF regularly in ESL/EFL writing activities to shape personalities and outlooks and putting OPF into its full play with recourse to abundant internet-based vehicles. This review is desired to provide a guideline for both the peer feedback practice and the upcoming scholarly researches with respect to EFL/ESL writing.

Performance expectancy of E-learning on higher institutions of education under uncertain conditions: Indonesia context.

Performance expectancy is the expected impact of a technology’s functional advantage even in uncertain conditions. This study suggests that the learning collaboration quality, information quality, and course content support impact the actual use of e-learning and satisfaction perceived by the user, resulting in performance expectancy that meets stakeholder expectations. This study outlines the theoretical model for defining student success in e-learning systems through a theory of online collaborative learning. The research examines the empirical data gathered from 109 postgraduate doctoral students’ participated in the postgraduate universities in Indonesia. The research attempts to focus specifically on how the actual use of e-learning and satisfaction perceived by users mediates the influence of learning collaboration quality, information quality, and course content support on performance expectancy to enhance the sustainability and performance of e-learning in Indonesian universities. The study shows that the learning collaboration quality, information quality, and course content support have no impact on performance expectancy, while each of the constructs indirectly impacts the performance expectancy through the actual use of e-learning. Conversely, the learning collaboration quality and course content support have not indirectly influenced toward performance expectancy by satisfaction perceived by the user as mediator except the information quality.

Promoting STEAM Education in Primary School through Cooperative Teaching: A Design-Based Research Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of students’ information literacy, computer skills, and research competencies for self-regulated learning and problem solving. STEAM education, with interdisciplinary knowledge building and higher-order thinking development as its main purpose, is considered essential for students’ sustainable development in the post-pandemic era. However, STEAM education in China’s K-12 schools is facing several problems, such as insufficient qualified teachers, unsustainable development, and difficulty in achieving meaningful discipline integration. To address these problems, this study proposes an innovative STEAM education model supported by cooperative teaching and theories of project-based learning and collaborative learning. After two iterations of design, evaluation, and revision, the proposed STEAM education model and a set of instructional design principles were validated. The resulting model features a multi-teacher cooperative strategy, detailed and diverse scaffolding, familiar themes for students, the integration of STEAM education into formal curricula, and extended instruction hours. The study results suggest that cooperative teaching can facilitate meaningful discipline integration and can alleviate the STEAM faculty shortage. This study produced five proven instructional design principles for conducting STEAM education supported by cooperative teaching in primary schools.

Transforming Clinical Education During a Global Pandemic: Building New Approaches to Clinical Education.

The sudden and severe impact of COVID-19 on nursing education brought about many challenges and opportunities. The Community of Inquiry model and Online Collaborative Learning theory provided a guiding framework for preparing faculty to develop curriculum and deliver online/virtual synchronous clinical and laboratory experiences for junior and senior nursing students, overcome identified challenges, and evaluate the experiences. The swift change to virtual clinical education required careful reflection about how we teach, evaluate learning, and move forward with precision while establishing new best practices.

Exploring Virtual Teaching Approaches Among Pediatricians During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Virtual Ethnographic Study.

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Canadian postsecondary institutions were forced to rely on online teaching to comply with physical distancing recommendations. This sole reliance on virtual methods to deliver synchronous teaching sessions in medical education was novel. We found little empirical research examining pediatric educators' experiences. Hence, the objective of our study was to describe and gain a deeper understanding of pediatric educators' perspectives, focusing on the research question, "How is synchronous virtual teaching impacting and transforming teaching experiences of pediatricians during a pandemic?" A virtual ethnography was conducted guided by an online collaborative learning theory. This approach used both interviews and online field observations to obtain objective descriptions and subjective understandings of the participants' experiences while teaching virtually. Pediatric educators (clinical and academic faculty) from our institution were recruited using purposeful sampling and invited to participate in individual phone interviews and online teaching observations. Data were recorded and transcribed, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Fifteen frontline pediatric teachers from our large Canadian research-intensive university were recruited. Four main themes, with subthemes, emerged: (1) the love/hate relationship with the virtual shift; (2) self-imposed pressure to increase virtual engagement; (3) looking back, moving forward; (4) accelerated adaptation and enhanced collaboration. Pediatricians adopted new delivery methods quickly and found many efficiencies and opportunities in this shift. Continued use of virtual teaching will lead to increased collaboration, enhanced student engagement strategies, and blending the advantages of virtual and face-to-face learning.

Optimization of English Online Teaching Scheme Based on Cloud Platform Technology

Due to the increasing progress of IT and cloud computing technology, traditional teaching methods and instructional resources can no longer meet the needs of modern education. How to use network technology to optimize classroom teaching and improve the quality and effect of online education is a topic worthy of in-depth discussion. Based on the current situation of English online education, this paper analyzes the theoretical basis and application status of cloud computing and puts forward the optimization strategy of English online education under the network environment, combining with the theories of constructivism and collaborative learning and building an instructional resource sharing management system based on cloud computing. The system can provide a great quantity of high-quality instructional resources for English online education and further promote the optimization of English online education.

The Role of Digital Collaboration in Student Engagement towards Enhancing Student Participation during COVID-19

As Malaysia’s educational landscape continues to evolve, there is a need to rethink the models and practices involved in the teaching and learning process. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, subsequent lockdowns, and movement control restrictions have contributed to the shift in education, especially in teaching and learning. Educational institutions were instructed to close during the lockdowns and this forced educators and students to communicate and engage using digital technologies. Students have no issues when it comes to embracing technology, but their ability to stay engaged and participate during lessons was of concern to educators. According to recent research, collaborative learning has been shown to be enjoyable and engaging for students, especially when it is conducted digitally using innovative learning technologies. When students show an increased level of engagement, it shows that they are actively participating and are more involved during lessons. This quantitative study looks into the relationship between variables pertaining to digital collaboration (personal factors, environmental factors, social media support, digital collaborative tools, interactivity, motivation) and student engagement toward enhanced student participation during COVID-19. The study utilizes Lev Vygotsky’s Collaborative Learning Theory alongside Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The data analysis revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between digital collaborative tools, interactivity, and motivation towards student engagement, which in turn proved that there is a positive significant relationship that can be drawn between student engagement and enhanced student participation during COVID-19.

A Review of Literature on the Effective Pedagogy Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Institutions: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract This paper reviews the literature on the effective pedagogy for online teaching and learning at Higher Education Institutions throughout the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global higher education system has been severely hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden and enormous desire for previously face-to-face academic disciplines to be delivered online has posed a unique challenge. Online teaching and learning necessitate a certain level of technological pedagogical content knowledge for effective pedagogic strategies, which are primarily concerned with planning and arranging for better learning opportunities and creating distinct learning environments through the use of digital technology. The effectiveness of lesson delivery with technology integration is characterized as technological pedagogical content knowledge. It is a significant application in all aspects of learning that are necessary for the teaching and learning process. Consequently, this theoretical paper proposes a conceptual model for comprehending the link between effective pedagogy and technological pedagogical content knowledge, both of which result in students’ academic performance in an online teaching and learning context. This theoretical paper recommends that Higher Education Institutions have fundamental technological infrastructure and equip educators and students with advanced technologies applicable to online teaching and learning platforms, which is consistent with an Online Collaborative Learning theory. Educators must also be able to effectively use digital technology systems to deliver online lessons. According to this model, Higher Education Institutions will benefit through providing students with essential technical skills that today’s employers require and ensuring that universities around the world remain competitive.

CET Resource Database Construction Model Based on Cloud Computing

Chinese students began learning English during compulsory education, have a long history of English learning, and focus on vocabulary, grammar, and other aspects of the language in middle school. Teaching resources include a variety of teaching conditions, such as materials. In a broad sense, they also include educational policies and other contents. They typically include teaching materials, cases, films and television, pictures, courseware, teacher resources, teaching aids, and infrastructure. In this case, cloud computing provides a good technical platform for solving the problems mentioned above in college English teaching (CET). Cloud computing enables the desktop use of Internet resources while reducing personal computer performance. In this paper, we will create a data resource data bank based on the cloud computing concept, making the most of existing resources, avoiding repeated development, and achieving curriculum content sharing. Reduce the cost of developing online courses, shorten the development cycle, and ensure that they are of high quality. This paper investigates the use of cloud computing to build a CET resource data bank. The cloud computing platform enables multiperson collaboration, document creation, editing, and sharing, all of which are characteristics of constructivism and collaborative learning theory.

Technology inclusion for students living with disabilities through collaborative online learning during and beyond a pandemic

Technology-based platforms in higher education institutions (HEIs), including online learning, require innovative approaches to ensure inclusive and transformative educational spaces for students living with disabilities. Achieving social equality, technology access and inclusion may contribute to ensuring a seamless instructional design for students living with disabilities in HEIs amid and beyond COVID-19. COVID-19 has obliged HEIs to adopt alternatives to learning and teaching, making the use of open distance learning (ODL) amid the pandemic more relevant. This theoretical paper considers the significance of ODL by demonstrating how to achieve technology inclusion for students living with disabilities through collaborative online international learning (COIL). Situated within the collaborative learning theory, this paper offers a disability perspective to learning in HEIs, through an analysis of stipulations in the Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training System (2018). The findings indicate that the application of COIL for students living with disabilities may transform their learning experiences and unlock new pathways for their development. The paper recommends that COIL may be used as a response to ensuring access and inclusive education provision for students living with disabilities in HEIs.

The Advent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the Impact of Mobile Learning on Student Learning Performance: The Mediating Role of Student Learning Behavior.

The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic pushed almost all institutions to adopt online and virtual education. The uncertainty of this situation produced various questions that perplexed educationists regarding what implications the pandemic would have on educational institutions, especially regarding how the switch to online education would impact the behavior and performance of students. The vast importance of this matter attracted the attention of researchers and served as the motivation for this research, which aims to resolve this confusion by studying the use of mobile learning (ML) among students for educational purposes during the COVID-19 period. This study also examines how this situation has affected student learning behavior (LB) and performance (SP) in the higher education setting. This research is based on collaborative learning theory, sociocultural learning theory, and ML theory. This quantitative research employed the convenient sampling technique to collect data through structured questionnaires distributed to 396 students of higher education institutions who carry a mobile device. This study used descriptive and inferential statistics to make the data more meaningful. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS software was used for hypothesis testing. The results showed that ML was a significant and positive predictor of SP and LB. Moreover, student LB partially mediated the relationship between ML and SP. The findings suggest that the academic performance of students can be enhanced by building a ML environment that aligns with the LB of students. Nevertheless, content suitable for ML must be developed, and future research should be conducted on this topic.

Promoting collaborative innovation and disciplinary integration in maker education through augmented reality: a design-based research

Maker education in China's K-12 schools is facing several problems such as disconnection between theory and practice, shallow application of the maker spirit, and shortage of educational resources. To address those problems, this study proposed an innovative instructional model for maker education, which was enabled by augmented reality (AR) technology and was informed by the theories of collaborative learning and disciplinary integration. After three iterations of design, evaluation, and revision, the study empirically refined the proposed model of maker education and validated a set of instructional design principles, including relevant task context, general inquiry sequence, diverse scaffolding, flexible collaboration strategies, and extended instruction time. The study results indicated that AR can be used as a adhesive to integrate subject content from various disciplines, and thus can inspire creative thinking and collaborative inquiry for students. The study concluded with six validated instructional design principles for conducting AR-supported maker education in elementary school.

Reflections and Experiences In a Fundamental Digital Literacy Course: A Study During the Covid-19 Pandemic

When, in 2020, Covid-19 forced universities to close their doors ending face-to-face education and welcoming an online hybrid approach academics had to adjust all educational practices to ensure quality and proper education continued successfully. An introductory Academic Information Management course that deals mainly with computer literacy and has a cohort of over 9000 students had to find ways to help bridge the digital gap using online digital technology. The issues with internet connectivity, load shedding, and students not having compatible devices were just the start of the problems. Many students could cheat the online systems because assessments were not set for online learning; facilitators were not adequately prepared for this new shift to online education, and many felt stressed and overwhelmed. This study discusses the strategies implemented and the lessons learned after universities shutdown in 2020 and the new approach in 2021. Digital technology plays a critical role in online education, and the assumption that students are ready to use any technological system for online learning is considered. Learner-centred teaching and learner engagement is one of the goals the module aims to satisfy. Online collaborative learning theories that deal with constructivism, behaviourism, and cognitivism were explored and implemented to improve teaching and learning. The reflections of this study can help academics in a similar environment adjust to online education and adopt the learning strategies that have proved to be successful. Further investigation is needed to explore approaches to engage and innovate large cohorts of students.

Gender Differences in Academic Self-Concept among Standard Seven Pupils Using Learning Strategies in the Use of Information Communication Technology in Bungoma County, Kenya

Despite introduction of Information Communication Technology in schools by Government of Kenya, minimal research has been done on influence of learning strategies in information communication technology use on academic self-concept of pupils. Academic self-concept has a reciprocal relationship with academic achievement. Poor trends in academic achievement are associated with pupils’ low academic self-concept as an outcome of continued use of traditional learning strategies. This may be alleviated by use of information communication technology in the learning process. The purpose of the present study was therefore to investigate gender differences in academic self-concept among pupils using learning strategies in the use of information communication technology. Multimedia Learning Theory, Collaborative Learning Theory and the Self Theory of Personality Development formed the theoretical framework of the study. A causal comparative ex post facto research design was used. The study employed mixed methods research by integrating qualitative and quantitative research. The study was done in Bungoma County. The target population was Standard Seven pupils in public primary schools in Bungoma County. A sample of 375 pupils was involved. Purposive sampling was used to select schools with computer program as treatment group and simple random sampling for schools using traditional learning strategies as comparison group. Independent and dependent variables were learning strategies and academic self-concept (measured in 3 dimensions) respectively. Data was collected through an adapted questionnaire with Academic Self-concept Scale and Learning Strategy Rating Scale for learning strategies. Oral interviews and non-participant overt observations were used to collect qualitative data from pupils and teachers who handled learners in the laptop computer programs. The reliability and validity of the instruments was established through a pilot study in 2 sampled schools which were not included in the main study. Data management and analysis was done using both inferential and descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences program. Pearson product moment correlation and t-test were used for inferential statistics. Results showed that there were no significant gender differences in academic self-concept among pupils using traditional learning strategies and those using learning strategies in the use of ICT (t=1.151, t=1.03,-1.494 df=168.191, 182.979 and 165.341, p> 0.05 and (t= 1.422, -0.178 and 0.386, df=178.3 94,180.903 and 175.616, p> 0.05) for treatment and comparison groups respectively. Recommendations for adoption of learning strategies in information communication technology use in classroom teaching and learning, policy development in education and curriculum development were made. Further research using pre-test and post-test experimental design with control group using samples at other levels of education and on individual subject academic self-concept was recommended.

Remote Teaching in Professor Training: Three Latin American Experiences in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic

The subject matter has been based on three systematizations of experiences in teacher training through remote teaching, during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2021. They were developed in IES in Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. The objective has been to show the experiences implemented to build the teachers’ pedagogical knowledge, from online teaching practices. The theoretical framework has been the theory of collaborative and developmental learning, according to L. S. Vigotski and his followers. The work methodology has been the systematization of experiences, according to Jara and others. The results of the Brazilian experience show how it is possible for students of the degree in pedagogy to acquire didactic knowledge and develop skills, through collaborative work in virtual rooms. The Ecuadorian experience shows the effectiveness of teaching focused on autonomous work, which is based on asynchronous activities. The results of the experience in Peru show how asynchronous accompaniment is an effective means for guidance and sustained feedback by the trainer, with an impact on the process of construction of a scientific text and on the productivity of the doctoral student in Education.

Using a three-layered social-cognitive network analysis framework for understanding online collaborative discussions

Understanding the relationship between social and cognitive engagement has critical implications for collaborative learning theory, pedagogy and analytics. This study proposed a three-layered social-cognitive network analysis framework for examining the relationship between students’ social and cognitive engagement from summative, epistemic and micro-level perspectives within online collaborative discussions. A multi-method approach was used, consisting of social network analysis, quantitative content analysis, statistical analysis, epistemic network analysis and social-cognitive network visualisation. The results showed that from a summative perspective, students’ social participatory roles were critical indicators of their level of cognitive engagement. From an epistemic perspective, socially active students tended to shift towards more group-level cognitive structure, while inactive students showed a decreasing individual-level cognitive structure throughout the discussion duration. From a micro-level perspective, a large proportion of individual students showed continually changing social participatory roles with fluctuating cognitive engagement levels. The findings have implications for collaborative learning theory, pedagogy support and learning analytics.
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Researchers can use the three-layered social-cognitive network analysis framework to examine student engagement.
 Instructors should encourage student agency for facilitating high-quality online collaborative discussion.
 Instructors should consider students’ different engagement levels in online discussions.