Week 4 Overview, Reading and Resources

Overview

Collaborative learning, especially in teams, has the potential to greatly enrich the learning experience. Selecting appropriate collaborative tools to support online learning is one part of enriching online learning. This week we’ll explore the critical aspects of working with online teams effectively. The success of collaborative learning often hinges on understanding group dynamics in online learning environments and employing appropriate strategies that acknowledge the stages of group development and respond to potential conflicts.

We’ve looked at online facilitation from a variety of perspectives. This week we’ll focus on important strategies and techniques to manage online activities. Critical analysis and formation of new concepts and knowledge requires appropriate facilitator interventions. Determining appropriate “instructor presence” is an ongoing challenge as the needs of online learners change as they move through the course. They learn and develop confidence in the course environment, understand the nature of participation expected and required, and, hopefully, take leadership roles in discussions or group activities.

Facilitator interventions include monitoring and responding to the direction of online debates and discussion to support cognitive presence and help learners “make meaning” of the topics and issues. Effective questions are essential in this process and can help to guide discussion and scaffold the learning without overwhelming the contributions of learners. Facilitators also need to develop new time and information management strategies to help them filter the increase in communication and activity in an online environment.

In Week 4 you will notice that there are TWO mini-sessions :

• Team in Trouble (Facilitating Online Teams)
• Facilitation Techniques and Strategies