Wilsons - Benefits of collaborative e-learning groups and communities page.

The key resources provided by the course tutor formed the basis of this write-up. David McConnel in his paper in a symposium presented on the theoretical and conceptual issues underpinning the design and implementation of the Masters in E-Learning at the University of Sheffield considered some of the benefits of collaborative and cooperative group work in promoting learning.He started by saying that:- “Some researchers report finding it difficult to engage some students in meaningful and productive work in e-learning environments (Jones, 1998, 2000; Tansley and Bryson, 2000), or find that virtual learning environments make no contribution to learning (Veen, et al, 1998). Others have suggested that this medium is impersonal (e.g. Wegerif, 1998). This is not our experience. It is true that textual communication can be misinterpreted and that care, attention and sensitivity has to be given to communicating in this medium. But, as I hope to indicate in this paper (and as we have indicated in the first paper in this symposium) when time and attention is given to a course design that develops and maintains group work and a learning community, the quality of the experience can be very satisfying and the learning outcomes highly acceptable (McConnel, 2000)”.

The benefits of collaborative group work in learning

Johnson and Johnson (1990) in their work into the relative impact on achievement of competitive, individualistic and cooperative learning efforts, looked at 323 studies. Their conclusions indicate that cooperative methods lead to a higher achievement than competitive or individualistic ones when measured by a variety of possible indices. They used four indices of achievement:

1. Mastery and retention of material: Students in cooperative learning environments perform at higher level than those working in competitive or individualistic environments. When achievement in ‘pure’ cooperative groups is compared with achievement in groups using a mixture of cooperative, competitive and individualistic learning methods, then the results show that the ‘pure’ methods consistently produce significantly higher achievements.

2. Quality of reasoning strategies: Individuals working in cooperative groups use focusing strategies more often than those working competitively or individualistically. Learning problems are therefore solved faster. Those involved in cooperative work use elaboration and metacognition strategies(such as showing an awareness, and self-control of learning) more often than those working in competitive and individualistic situations. Higher level reasoning is promoted by cooperative learning. When comparisons are made between students using cooperative, competitive and individualistic learning strategies for tasks requiring higher or lower level reasoning strategies to solve them, students in cooperative groups discovered and used more higher level strategy methods.

3. Progress gains: Process gains, such as new ideas and solutions, are generated through group interactions that are not generated when persons are working on their own.

4. Transference of learning: There is a high degree of group-to-individual transference after working in cooperative groups, i.e. when individuals have worked in a cooperative environment, their learning is transferred to situations where they have to work on their own. Cooperative learning involves dialogue between learners, and a great degree of Interaction generally. This increase the learner’s grasp of conceptual material. In developmental terms, each student who works closely with their peers will be exposed to situations where their own conceptual skills are stretched by their interactions. Their actual developmental level and their potential developmental level are narrowed by the interactions they engage in with their peers. This is called the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). Making this happen in e-learning environments is quite a challenge.