Communication
and Collaboration
Collaboration has been identified as a
critical skill needed for success in the classroom and the workforce.
Technology advances are making collaboration accessible beyond physical and
geographical boundaries. The articles examined for this assignment reinforce
this notion, but also raise some key questions about facilitating and improving
member participation and the quality of the group product.
In “Adult Learner Participation in an
Online Degree Program,” Wilhelmina C. Savenye and Emily W. Thompson state that,
“before participation can have an impact on student performance, students must
participate” (2007, p 300). While this may seem obvious, there are genuine obstacles that
impede participation. These authors studied asynchronous participation, collaboration conducted without face-to-face
communication, but rather done through discussion boards. They considered students’
previous experience with distance learning, the course itself and the
instructor as key variables. They determined that the level of student
participation increased as the students gained experience with online learning,
but this factor taken in isolation is not sufficient to draw a definitive
conclusion. At times, as with an MBA Accounting course in this particular
program, the course material may not be as suitable for collaboration as the
other courses. Also, in gauging participation, the number of postings to a
discussion did not necessarily reflect high quality or meaningful participation.
Other factors have been identified
that improve collaboration. In “Learn to use and use to learn: Technology in
virtual collaboration experience,” Elena Karpova, Ana-Paula Correia and Evrim
Baran examine international collaboration and recommend key elements that lead
to successful computer-mediated communication between graduate students in the
United States and Denmark. As opposed to the previous study, these students
participated in both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. Students had
varying levels of prior experience with some of the technology. Applications
included WebCT, Acrobat Connect Professional, Skype, Google Docs and email. The
students not only collaborated on a project, some had to learn how to use new
applications. This report noted that using technology is only part of the
process. It was helpful for the students to have some social interaction to
become acquainted before working on their project. Many were pleased to learn
about using new applications and found the collaborative process gratifying.
The human element, however, is still quite critical. Some students noted that
the lack of eye contact or other type of non-verbal cue hindered communication.
The time difference meant that synchronous meetings did not always take place
at the optimal time for all participants. Many found that using a combination
of technologies worked well and is in fact preferred. The authors mention it
can be difficult for the instructor to determine which application is best
suited for different parts of the project. In general, students appreciated the
opportunity to collaborate with people from another culture and to include
fresh point of view.
The example of the Bouncing Room found
in “International, Online Collaboration,” by Lori Beckstead details the
benefits that result from online computer-mediated communication. In this
study, students from Canada and Australia worked together to produce a radio
program. Developing the program however, was only part of the goal. Students
benefitted by participating in an authentic learning experience and
incorporated complex problem solving skills to do so. They provided quick and
meaningful feedback to each other in addition to feedback from the teacher and
the listening audience. The author found this feedback to be a source of
motivation and encouraged participation. The interaction between students and
professors helped “learners develop clearer understanding of desired goal[s],”
(Beckstead, 2006, p 144). It is recommended that groups balance ability levels of
stronger and less experiences members and that this can be accomplished best if
the instructor assigns members rather than permit the students choose.
The information taken from the above
analyses is helpful in planning computer-mediated communication educational
projects. The title “Learn to use and use to learn” applies in designing a
lesson plan. It is necessary to learn how to use technology, and this can
definitely be part of the lesson, but it is also important to make the lesson
relevant. The lesson should include the application which best accommodates collaboration,
team building, problem solving and have academic value.
Computer-mediated communication could
be a valuable tool in language acquisition. Google Docs would be effective in writing
practice. Students who used Google Docs could peer edit and collaborate on
writing in the target language. If done in cooperation with students in a
different country, learning could be a two-way process, where for example
native speakers of English could collaborate with native speakers of Spanish to
create documents in both languages. Skype and blogging would provide a way for social
interaction as in the case of the Danish and American students. If a
relationship were to be developed with a Central or South American country, the
time difference would not present much of a problem. Finding methods for
evaluating the contribution of each group member would in large part be the
responsibility of the teacher but as shown earlier, feedback from multiple
sources is also valuable.
The result of successful computer-mediated
communication reflects the trends necessary for success in the work place.
Students need to develop problem solving skills and need to know how to
navigate the technology in a collaborative, global environment.
References
Beckstead, L. (2006). International,
Online Collaboration. International Journal of
Learning, 13(8), 143-148.
Retrieved December 14, 2007, from Education Research Complete database.
Karpova, E., Correia, A., &
Baran, E. (2009, January). Learn to
use and use to learn: Technology in virtual collaboration experience. Internet & Higher Education, 12(1), 45-52. Retrieved March 27,
2009, doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2008.10.006
Thompson,
E., & Savenye, W. (2007, October). Adult
Learner Participation in an Online Degree Program: A program-level study of
voluntary computer-mediated communication. Distance Education, 28(3), 299-312. Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Academic Search
Complete database.
