Formation Of Collaborative Groups Research Articles

Collaborative conservation in the United States: A review of motivations, goals, and outcomes

For centuries, communities around the globe have worked together to manage resources—a process often referred to as community-based conservation. More recently in the US, diverse stakeholders have partnered to address complex environmental issues that span land ownership or administrative boundaries, calling these efforts collaborative conservation. Reviews of community-based and collaborative conservation have historically focused on developing countries. To synthesize published information on U.S.-focused groups, we conducted a literature review with the following objectives: 1) characterize geographic distribution, types of participants, and sources of funding for these groups; 2) assess issues motivating group formation, goals, activities to achieve those goals, and outcomes; 3) identify whether these goals, activities, and outcomes were biophysical, social, and/or economic. To accomplish these objectives, we searched for relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reports in online databases from 1800's-2017. Our review resulted in 245 documents describing 296 collaborative conservation groups across all 50 states (primarily the Western U.S.) and the District of Columbia. The top three issues motivating collaborative group formation included impacts of land and resource degradation on livelihoods, water quality and management, and managing land and resources across ownership boundaries. We found that there was little published information on the outcomes of group activities (16% of groups). For the limited number of groups for which the literature reported outcomes, there was no relationship between positive outcomes and group characteristics. Our findings suggest that renewed efforts to evaluate the impact of collaboration on conservation are warranted and could support learning and improved action.

Dynamic Group Formation With Intelligent Tutor Collaborative Learning: A Novel Approach for Next Generation Collaboration

Group Formation (GF) strongly influences the collaborative learning process in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). Various factors affect GF that include personal characteristics, social, cultural, psychological, and cognitive diversity. Although different group formation methods aim to solve the group compatibility problem, an optimal solution for dynamic group formation is still not addressed. In addition, the research lacks to supplement collaborative group formation with a collaborative platform. In this study, the next level of collaboration in CSCL and Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) platforms is achieved. First, initial groups are formed based on students learning styles, and knowledge level, i.e. for knowledge level, an activity-based dynamic group formation technique is proposed. In this activity, swapping of students takes place on each permutation based on their knowledge level. Second, the formed heterogeneous balanced groups are used to augment the collaborative learning system. For this purpose, a hybrid framework of Intelligent Tutor Collaborative Learning (ITSCL) is used that provides a unique and real-time collaborative learning platform. Third, an experiment is conducted to evaluate the significance of the proposed study. Inferential and descriptive statistics of Paired T-Tests are applied for comprehensive analysis of recorded observations. The statistical results show that the proposed ITSCL framework positively impacts student learning and results in higher learning gains.

Método para la formación de grupos colaborativos mediante disponibilidad léxica

La presente investigación propone un método de formación automática de grupos colaborativos que utiliza las pruebas de disponibilidad léxica para la selección de los miembros. El método es fundamentado mediante la comparación de lexicones y enfoques de análisis de disponibilidad léxica utilizando una muestra de 394 estudiantes. La evaluación del método propuesto se realizó a través de un estudio de caso con 18 estudiantes en una actividad colaborativa. Los resultados encontrados muestran que, en las actividades de mayor complejidad, los grupos conformados a través del método propuesto tardan un menor tiempo en responder y generan respuestas más sintéticas y, por lo tanto, de mejor calidad. De lo expuesto se puede concluir que es factible, mediante el método propuesto, conformar grupos colaborativos sobre la base de la cuantificación de los niveles de interacción y comunicación reflejados en las características de la disponibilidad léxica de sus integrantes.

A “Mixed” Strategy for Collaborative Group Formation and Its Learning Outcomes

This study uses homogeneity in personal learning styles and heterogeneity in subject knowledge for collaborative learning group decomposition indicating that groups are “mixed” in nature. Homogeneity within groups was formed using K-means clustering and greedy search, whereas heterogeneity imbibed using agenda-driven search. For checking learning effectiveness, a simple schema of collaborative learning was proposed and prototype learning system developed using Android Emulator. Multiple regression analysis was applied on their learning results to derive regression coefficients for determining learning efficiency. The derived set of regression coefficients suggests more the time taken to form groups, better the student learning quality.

Tangible Technology-Enhanced Learning for Improvement of Student Collaboration

Collaboration among students in the course of learning plays an important role in developing communication skills. In particular, it helps for team building and brainstorming on solutions of complex problems. While an effective group organization is critical for the success of such collaborative learning, many instructors would make arbitrary decisions about student grouping. This is mainly due to the lack of in-depth studies analyzing group setup in face-to face settings and providing recommendations and practical guidelines for group assignment and management. To address this problem, we conducted a series of experiments exploring the dynamic formation of collaborative groups among foreign language students at different proficiency levels. On the basis of the obtained results and the identified limitations of the current methods, we propose a novel technology-enhanced approach to optimized group setup and effective management. This approach provides a scaffold for integrating Tangible Technology Enhanced Learning and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning into an instructional system with advanced interaction capabilities for augmented learning and enhanced instructor support for dynamic group management.

A New Approach to Collaborative Group Formation

This paper implements a tool, referred to as the Automated Group Decomposition Program (AGDP), which divides a class of students into groups, using the k-means algorithm, for the purpose of collaborative learning, and then heterogenizes the groups based on a factor called the degree of heterogeneity (DOH). The tool takes as input two sets of scores and the students‟ roll numbers and outputs the required groups. The first score set scored students on communication skills, fluency in using computers and group work attitude. This score set was used to generate the homogeneous groups. The second score set scored students on their knowledge of the subject and was used to generate the heterogeneous groups. The tool can be used to generate homogeneous clusters, heterogeneous clusters and a mixture of both. This tool can not only be used by teachers but also by instructors with minimal computer experience wishing to form groups to maximize learning.

Birdshot uveitis: current and emerging treatment options

Birdshot chorioretinopathy is a relatively uncommon subtype of idiopathic posterior uveitis with distinct clinical characteristics and a strong genetic association with the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-A29 allele. The diagnosis remains clinical and is based on the presence of typical clinical features, including multiple, distinctive, hypopigmented choroidal lesions throughout the fundus. The long-term visual prognosis of this disorder, however, remains guarded – central visual acuity can be preserved until late in the disease and it is not uncommon for patients to receive inadequate immunosuppressive treatment, leading to a poor long-term outcome in which peripheral retinal damage eventually leads to visual deterioration. Birdshot chorioretinopathy has proven a particularly attractive area of study within the field of uveitis, as it is a relatively easily defined disease with an associated human leukocyte antigen haplotype. Despite this, however, the immune mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis remain unclear, and some patients continue to lose retinal function despite therapy with corticosteroids and conventional immunosuppressive agents. Laboratory research continues to investigate the underlying mechanisms of disease, and clinical research is now being driven to improve the phenotyping and monitoring of this condition as, in the era of so-called personalized medicine, it is becoming increasingly important to identify patients at risk of visual loss early so that they can be treated more aggressively with targeted therapies such as the newer biological agents. This approach requires the formation of collaborative groups, as the relative rarity of the condition makes it difficult for one center to accumulate enough patients for worthwhile studies. Nevertheless, results obtained with newer therapies, such as biological agents directed against particular cytokines or cell-surface receptors, demonstrate ever improving control of the inflammation in refractory cases, providing hope that the outlook for visual function in this condition can only improve.

A COLABORAÇÃO EM UM GRUPO DE ALUNAS DA PEDAGOGIA QUE ENSINARÃO MATEMÁTICA

O texto se refere a uma pesquisa que buscou investigar de que forma as práticas colaborativas adotadas como estratégias formativas, em um grupo de estudos com alunas da Pedagogia, contribuíram para uma (re)significação quanto à matemática e seu ensino para essas alunas. Analisamos as diferentes estratégias formativas que foram adotadas no grupo e que foram consideradas como promotoras de aprendizagem docente, bem como, investigamos o processo de aprendizagem, no duplo sentido: das licenciandas como futuras professoras que ensinarão matemática na Educação Básica e da pesquisadora, como formadora. Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida em um grupo de trabalho constituído no interior da Universidade São Francisco, campus de Bragança Paulista-SP (GEEM – Grupo de Estudos em Educação Matemática), composto por licenciandas em Pedagogia e pela pesquisadora, que também assumiu o papel de formadora. Os dados foram produzidos a partir da audiogravação dos encontros do grupo, produção de escritas das participantes, entrevistas e diário de campo da pesquisadora. Analisamos as diferentes estratégias formativas que proporcionaram a esse grupo momentos de reflexão e aprendizagem sobre a matemática e seu ensino. Destacamos a leitura de narrativas escritas por professores/autores como uma estratégia que se mostrou muito significativa para as participantes. Os resultados oferecem indicações para a formação de professores que ensinam (ensinarão) matemática nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental, a partir da constituição de grupos colaborativos, das leituras compartilhadas e da postura problematizadora do formador. Palavras-chave: Grupos colaborativos; Formação inicial de professores; Estratégias formativas; Educação matemática.