SoLLs.INTEC.09

Collaborative Skills and Learning Processes in a Virtual Context

Anuratha Kanniah anuratha412@gmail.com.sg

Pramela Krish pkrish10@yahoo.com

 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Introduction

• Collaborative learning interdependence of learners as they share ideas and reach a conclusion (Roberts, 2004; Anuratha, 2009)

• CSCL group based learning +computer (Daphne, 1996)

- Computer tool to put forward thought

- Learning is invisible in virtual context

Purpose of the Study

• To find out learners’ preferred collaborative skills and subskills in a virtual learning context.

• To study how the internal and external processes in an online learning mode predispose collaborative learning.

Research Questions

1) What are the preferred collaborative learning skills and subskills among the participants in the weblog?

2) How the internal and external processes predispose a collaborative discussion in a weblog?

Relevant Theories and Perspectives to

Study CSCL

Sociocultural

Constructivist

Internal & ExternalProcesses in

CSCL

Collaborative Learning &

CSCL

CollaborativeLearning

Learners work togetherto solve problems

Fosters teamwork – Interdependence of learners to handle complicated tasks.

Creates space for negotiation (Dilenbourgh,1999)- Learners produce ambiguous statement>misunderstandings>explain, justify

Helps to develop higher level thinking

CSCL

Asynchronous-e-mail-CD-ROM-Weblog

Synchronous-Chat rooms-Audio / video conferencing

•Learning takes place anytime, anywhere• free to post entries

• anonymous

Internal & ExternalProcesses

Internal Process

• thinking takes place in the individual (Piaget ,1954)eg. Construct arguments, explanation, initiating doubts

External Process

• Use of social environment to discover learning (Vygotsky, 1978)

eg. seek external

help

Sociocultural(Vygotsky)

Surrounding plays an important role

Surrounding plays and important role

Surrounding knowledgeis important in learning

Learning has only significant value in the context of joint activity

Ability to understand something complex with the help of others

Constructivist(Piaget. et.al)

How learners createmeaning out of individualmind

Knowledge is constructedby individuals Knowledge is constructed

based on previous knowledge

Mind is important tointerpret outside world

Individual mind is capableto form abstract thought andsolve problems

Research Design

Qualitative

To explore a topic where it requires researcher to listen to the participants to construct a picture based on their ideas (Creswell, 1994)

Allows researcher to seek a real world setting to understand the actual process that takes place in a situation. Patton (2001)

Sample

• 20 students from SKBI 6053, Critical Reading Approaches course (compulsory Masters program course)

• Working adults and fresh graduates

• Mixed gender population

Research Procedure

Stage 1: Data Collection

Stage 2: Data Reduction

Stage 3: Coding

Stage 4: Compression of data

Stage 5: Data Interpretation

Documentation

Easy referencing - P20 (TSH)

Simplifying the data

Tables

Use of established theories to analyse the data

Findings: Research Question 1

• Dominant Skills and Subskills in the Collaborative Learning Skill Taxonomy

Collaborative Learning Skills

Creative Conflict (59.28%)

Argue (100%)

Conversation (21.68%)

Acknowledge (52%)

Maintenance (16%)

Task (32%)

Inform (94.6%)

Active Learning (18.5%)

Request

(4.35%)

Motivate (0.96%)

- extensive evidence - constructing questions mind as an important tool to interpret information - lack of motivational aspect learners are more concern to produce constructive comments than explicitly encourage other participants.

Familiar with the topic and have sufficient background

knowledge+

Positive interdependence of learners to accept or reject

others point of view=

Joint product

- participants acknowledge others instills emotional connection and encourages continued investment and involvement

Findings: Research Question 2

Internal and External Processes in the Weblog Discussion

External Process Internal Process

Progress through Task

Dealing with Competition &

Conflict

Supportive Behavior

Constructing the

Questions

Setting up Hypothesis

Using Evidence

Monitoring Own

Thinking

Collective Mediation

Importance of Individual mind

Importance ofenvironmental competence as ameans of learning

+ =Collective mediation (a shared mediation of internal and external processes)

Collective Mediation

P1(D

YP)

P22(HVC

)

P34(MRW)

P35(HVC

)

P36(D

YP)

P37(HVC

)

P13(DWN

)

P15(HVC)

P4(MM

R)

P11(MM

R)

P3(HVC)

P1(BOH)

P31(BOH)

P32(DOD)

P31(HVC)

P34(MRW)

P36(DYP)

P37(HVC)

A Model Showing How Learning Takes Place in a CSCL Environment

Collective Mediation

• Arrows connection between the individual participants in the subgroup

• Circles Importance of individual mind to generate discussion

• Vygotsky Social nature provides necessary condition for learning

• Piaget Individuals play important role in learning

Significance of the Study• Course coordinator-Easy to construct course modules based on the findings-Should consider CSCL to enhance learner-centered environment• Academic weblog designers-Create an effective interface design-Should consider theoretical tenets (cognitive & social skills) to foster collaborative learning in virtual mode sentence openers•Students-students can understand the important of openness in learning-gives an idea that online discussion is convenient and “safe” to exchange ideas

Thank you........