Communities in Technology-Enhanced Environments for Learning

Virtual University ◽

Web Based ◽

The contemporary society addresses complex, interrelated, and interactive global situations to be faced by its citizens. Instead of pursuing solitary actions, this post-modern turn requires its actors to develop capacities to resituate their activities in collective unities and to successfully communicate their actions within these multiple local and global communities. Also in education, the concept of community continues to possess a positive image and the optimistic premises of how communication technologies may enable communities to grow have been widely discussed. For example, in higher education, educational practices (e.g. Virtual University) are more often fixed around Web-based collaborative learning environments, based on the broad frame of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) approach. It is put forward in this chapter that in higher education, technology-enhanced learning communities, if seen as an extension of the idea of Web-based collaborative learning environments, could be welcomed as timely and innovative educational practices - as relevant paths to successful collaborative learning.

Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-408-8.ch001 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 1-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Tim S. Roberts

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Collaborative Learning ◽

Course Design ◽

Traditional Methods ◽

Web Based ◽

University Courses ◽

The Common ◽

Common Problems ◽

Computers In Education

The rapidly increasing use of computers in education, and in particular the migration of many university courses to web-based delivery, has caused a resurgence of interest among educators in non-traditional methods of course design and delivery. This chapter provides an introduction to the field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). First, some of the major benefits are listed. Then, some of the common problems are described, and solutions are either given or pointed to in the literature. Finally, pointers are given to some of the more recent research in this area.

Measuring and Profiling Self-Regulated Learning in the Online Environment

Fostering Self-Regulated Learning through ICT ◽

10.4018/978-1-61692-901-5.ch002 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 27-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lucy Barnard-Brak ◽

William Y. Lan ◽

Valerie Osland Paton

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Academic Achievement ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Future Research ◽

Cognitive Perspective ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

While the presence of technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs) will only increase in higher education, this book chapter examines current literature concerning the measurement of online SRL behaviors and the application of this online SRL measurement with regard to profiling SRL behaviors in TELEs. The methodologies and issues associated with the measurement of SRL behaviors in TELEs is discussed in view of extant research. The organization of SRL behaviors into five, distinct profiles is then discussed in view of a social cognitive perspective concerning the development of SRL (e.g. Zimmerman & Schunk, 2001). The book chapter concludes with recommendations for future research concerning the presence of SRL profiles and their relationship to other metacognitive factors and academic achievement.

Designing Technology Enhanced Learning Environments

Instructional and Cognitive Impacts of Web-Based Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-878289-59-9.ch016 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 241-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

J. Micael Spector

Keyword(s):

Instructional Design ◽

Learning Environments ◽

New Technologies ◽

Short Review ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Instructional Planning ◽

Web Based ◽

The Rich ◽

There are now many educational research and technology projects reporting a variety of outcomes and lessons learned with regard to how to effectively integrate technology into learning and instruction. What can we learn from these projects and experiences? Is there a clear and coherent instructional design framework for technology-enhanced learning environments? What are the most promising approaches to instructional design? Are there particular tools that can assist? What kinds of evaluations will insure that the process of designing such environments will become progressively more effective? These are the questions explored in this chapter. The discussion includes a short review of the possibilities afforded by new technologies, with special emphasis on collaborative tele-learning and Web-based simulations. After illustrating the rich and diverse kinds of interactions now possible in Web-based settings, we shall argue that instructional design is more critical than ever before. It is not the case that technology has simplified instructional planning. Quite the contrary; new technologies have made the design of effective learning environments even more challenging than before. While our concept of learning remains relatively intact, the settings in which instruction can and does occur and the kinds of resources which can be brought to support learning in those various settings has changed dramatically. As a consequence, the subject of this chapter is relatively unexplored territory, and the findings and conclusions suggested herein should be regarded as tentative and preliminary.

Computer Supported Collaborative Learning

The design of computer-supported collaborative learning environments in higher education

Encounters/Encuentros/Rencontres on Education ◽

10.15572/enco2005.02 ◽

2005 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Begoña Gros ◽

Vania Guerra ◽

Javier Sánchez Diaz de Rivera

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Challenges for the Teacher's Role in Promoting Productive Knowledge Construction in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Contexts

Online Learning Communities and Teacher Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-780-5.ch015 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 263-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maarit Arvaja ◽

Raija Hämäläinen ◽

Helena Rasku-Puttonen

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Knowledge Construction ◽

Web Based ◽

Learning Contexts ◽

Technological Tools ◽

Pedagogical Choices ◽

Teachers Professional Development

This chapter discusses challenges related to teachers’ pedagogical activities in facilitating productive discussions among students in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) contexts. In the light of two different cases from secondary-level and higher education contexts, the authors examine how teachers’ pedagogical choices influenced the quality of students’ activity, namely Web-based discussion. The results of our studies indicated that rich moments of collaboration were rare and distributed unequally among the students. The obvious weakness from the perspective of teachers’ pedagogical activities was that in neither of the studies was the students’ interaction in the discussion forum supported in any way. A future challenge is, therefore, to develop both pedagogical and technological tools to support the monitoring and enhancement of students’ learning process during online learning. Furthermore, we discuss how teachers’ professional development (TPD) is challenged by new technological tools in formal learning environments.

Tangible Technology-Enhanced Learning for Improvement of Student Collaboration

Journal of Educational Technology Systems ◽

10.1177/0047239517736875 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 284-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Reneta P. Barneva ◽

Federico Gelsomini ◽

Kamen Kanev ◽

Paolo Bottoni

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Team Building ◽

Instructional System ◽

Practical Guidelines ◽

Instructor Support ◽

Advanced Interaction ◽

Effective Group ◽

Collaboration among students in the course of learning plays an important role in developing communication skills. In particular, it helps for team building and brainstorming on solutions of complex problems. While an effective group organization is critical for the success of such collaborative learning, many instructors would make arbitrary decisions about student grouping. This is mainly due to the lack of in-depth studies analyzing group setup in face-to face settings and providing recommendations and practical guidelines for group assignment and management. To address this problem, we conducted a series of experiments exploring the dynamic formation of collaborative groups among foreign language students at different proficiency levels. On the basis of the obtained results and the identified limitations of the current methods, we propose a novel technology-enhanced approach to optimized group setup and effective management. This approach provides a scaffold for integrating Tangible Technology Enhanced Learning and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning into an instructional system with advanced interaction capabilities for augmented learning and enhanced instructor support for dynamic group management.

The role of professional objects in technology-enhanced learning environments in higher education

Interactive Learning Environments ◽

10.1080/10494821003790863 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 119-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ilya Zitter ◽

Elly de Bruijn ◽

Robert-Jan Simons ◽

Olle ten Cate

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Learning Communities in Virtual Environments

Encyclopedia of Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-555-9.ch181 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1217-1222

Author(s):

Johanna Pöysä ◽

Joost Lowyck

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Collaborative Learning ◽

Learning Communities ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Educational Practice ◽

Virtual University ◽

Current Trends ◽

Technological Tools ◽

Learning Instruction

Recent research on collaborative learning and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) holds an integrated and holistic perspective on learning, instruction and educational technology. Within this approach, learning activities and technological tools are seen as a merged unit, tailored to a particular context and for a particular group of participants (Crook, 2000). In line, current trends in higher education (e.g., Virtual University) set demands on developing novel educational practices that support collaborative learning in virtual environments (Häkkinen & Järvelä, in press). In this chapter, it is argued that in higher education virtual learning communities could be welcomed as a timely and innovative educational practice, with all nested complexity of relationships between individuals and collective needs, various motivations and personalized objectives (Lowyck & Pöysä, 2001; Lowyck, Pöysä, & Van Merriënboer, 2003).