The Para-Universe of Collaborative Group Work in Today-s University Classrooms: Strategies to Help Ensure Success

Group work, projects and discussions are important components of teacher education courses whether they are face-toface, blended or exclusively online formats. This paper examines the varieties of tasks and challenges with this learning format in a face to face class teacher education class providing specific examples of both failure and success from both the student and instructor perspective. The discussion begins with a brief history of collaborative and cooperative learning, moves to an exploration of the promised benefits and then takes a look at some of the challenges which can arise specifically from the use of new technologies. The discussion concludes with guidelines and specific suggestions.

Authors:

• Karen Armstrong

Keywords:

• collaborative learning
• cooperative computersupported collaborative learning (CSCL)
• e-learning
• group dynamics

References:

[1] O. P. Dillenbourg, M. Baker, A. Blaye, A. & C. O'Malley. The evolution
of research on collaborative learning. In E. Spada & P. Reiman (Eds)
Learning in Humans and Machine: Towards an interdisciplinary
learning science.1986, (Pp. 189-211). Oxford: Elsevier.
[2] M. Beckman. Collaborative Learning: Preparation for the Workplace and Democracy. College Teaching, 1990, 38, 4, p. 128-133.
[3] K. Bruffee. Collaborative learning: higher education, interdependence,
and the authority of knowledge. Second Edition. Baltimore: The Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1999.
[4] M. Collay, D. Dunlap, W. Enloe, G.W. Gagnon, Jr. Learning circles:
creating conditions for professional development.Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press, 1998.
[5] S.B. Fiechtner, S. B. and E.A. Davis. Why Some Groups Fail: A Survey
of Students' Experiences with Learning Groups. In A. Goodsell, M. Maher, V. Tinto, and Associates (Eds.), Collaborative Learning: A
Sourcebook for Higher Education. University Park: National Center on
Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, Pennsylvania State
University, 1992.
[6] A.S. Goodsell, M.R. Maher, V. Tinto, B.L.Smith, & J. MacGregor, J.
Collaborative Learning: A Sourcebook for Higher Education. University
Park, PA: National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, 1992.
[7] A.M. O-Donnell, C.E . Hmelo-Silver, G. Erkins. Eds. Collaborative
learning, reasoning and technology. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum, 2006.
[8] Najmi, A., Blackwell, D. & Warren, S.J. Examining Self-regulated Learning in Post secondary Learners through Problem based Learning
(PBL) and Game play. In Proceedings of Society for Information
Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2011 (pp.
575-582). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from
http://www.editlib.org/p/36332
[9] R.A. Schmuck, P.A. Schmuck. Group processes in the classroom. Seventh Edition. Boston, Mass: McGraw Hill, 1997.
[10] R. Slavin. Cooperative learning. New York: Longman, 1983.
[11] Svensson, A. (2011). Challenges for Collaboration in E-learning:
Towards an E-learning Pedagogical Practice. In Proceedings of Society
for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2011 (pp. 777-785). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/36371
[12] D.Johnson and R. Johnson. Learning together and alone, cooperation,
competition, and individualization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall,
1975.
[13] D. W. Johnson, R.T. Johnson. Learning together and alone: cooperative,
competitive and individualistic learning. Third Edition. Boston: Allyn
and Bacon, 1991.
[14] D. Johnson and R. Johnson. Cooperative Learning. [Online] 15 October
2001. Available at: <http://www.clcrc.com/pages/cl.html>.
[15] D. Johnson and R. Johnson. An Overview of Cooperative Learning.
[Online] 15 October 2001. Available at:
<http://www.clcrc.com/pages/overviewpaper.html>.
[16] R. Johnson and D. Johnson. Cooperative learning: two heads learn
better than one. In Available at:
http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC18/Johnson.htm
[17] R. Strang. Group work in education. New York: Harper Brothers, 1958.
[18] D. Ringquist. Conversation in Caen, France, 8 PM July 27, 2011.
[19] Dictionary meaning of gestalt at: http://www.merriamwebster.
com/dictionary/gestalt
[20] dictionary meaning of gestalt at:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gestalt
[21] E.G. Cohen. Designing groupwork: strategies for the heterogeneous
classroom, Second Edition. Columbia University, New York: Teachers College Press, 1994.
[22] E.G. Cohen, C.M Brody and M. Sapon-Shevin. Eds. Teaching
Cooperative learning: the challenge for teacher education. Albany, NY:
State University of New York Press, 2004.
[23] S. Kurtts, K. Hibbard, & B. Levin. Collaborative Online Problem Solving with Preservice General Education and Special Education
Teachers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(3), 397-
414. Norfolk, VA: AACE, 2005.
[24] M. Liu, D. Kalk, L.Kinney, & G. Orr. How Web 2.0 Technologies Are
Used in Higher Education: An Updated Review of Literature. In J. Sanchez & K. Zhang (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on ELearning
in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2010 (pp. 2604-2615). Chesapeake, VA: AACE, 2010.
[25] K. Lee, B. Bos, & K. Turnbull. Online Teacher Education Course
Redesign: From Stand-Alone Activities to Content Area Design Teams.
In M. Koehler & P. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for
Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference
2011 (pp. 443-448). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
[26] N. Davis, N. Dabner, J. Mackey, L. Walker, A.M.Hunt, D. Breeze, D.
Morrow, C. Astall, & J. Cowan. (2011). Converging Offerings of Teacher Education in Times of Austerity: Transforming Spaces, Places
and Roles. In M. Koehler & P. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for
Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference
2011 (pp. 224-229). Chesapeake, VA: AACE
[27] D.M.Baylen, R. Santiago, & M. Nakayama. Collaborating in Virtual
Spaces: GoogleDocs, Group Work, and Online Learning. In M. Koehler
& P. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology
& Teacher Education International Conference 2011 (pp. 133-138).
Chesapeake, VA: AACE
[28] M. Baghai & J. Quigley with Aijala, A; Challah, S. & Vorster, G. As
one: individual collective power. London: Penguin, 2011.
[29] N. Mary. (2011). Collaborative learning: a reality in universities. Blog
post at: http://blog.education-africa.com/archives/750
[30] J. Papineau-Wright. Unpublished Persepolis reflection paper, 2010.