Online collaborative learning systems have emerged as one of the most valuable aspects of e-learning systems. E-learning products that lack features for online collaboration among participants are deemed to be incomplete or sub-standard. Collaboration modules within an e-learning system consist of assets for group communication and work “spaces” and facilities. Activities within the collaborative framework of an e-learning system advances collaborative social interaction and the social construction of knowledge. Participants in an e-learning environment get involved in many activities which if not well coordinated could hamper collaboration instead of enhancing it. Therefore, the need to create measurable tools (models) that can coordinate these collaborative activities and provide up-to-date information or status of individual participant and group participants in collaborative activities within an e-learning environment has become inevitable. This work seeks to presents the design of activities management system model for online collaborative learning systems. The model contains some mathematical models for determining the level of involvements of a participant or groups in online classes (class attendance), discussions, project and polls. Their levels of participation are assigned weights and their aggregate value interpreted to give up-to-date status of their involvement in collaborative activities. The model is developed using WAMP tools.
Online collaborative learning in a project‐based learning environment in Taiwan: a case study on undergraduate students’ perspectives
