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ARTICLE - 3 MINUTE READ

The Role of Collaborative Learning in Online Education

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Mane Solomonyan

Content writer

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Online education has become a fundamental component of our lives. Many colleges and universities started to integrate online education after the global pandemic in 2020. More specifically, globally, 49% of students have participated in various forms of online learning, as of 2023. 

 

In addition, with the growing popularity of online education, educators often encounter the task of changing their teaching approach to make sure that it suits the requirements of inclusive online learning methods. These methods include but are not limited to group work and collaborative activities. The latter are proven to be effective in traditional classrooms as well.

 

With this in mind, it is important to discuss the importance of collaborative learning in online education. There are several points that we suggest touching upon. Let’s look at some benefits, challenges, and strategies for integrating collaborative learning into online education. 

 

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The Importance of Collaborative Learning in Online Education

 

Collaborative learning holds a significant importance when it comes to online education and online learning in general. In online classrooms, collaborative learning helps students engage in various fascinating activities and promotes interaction among students from different backgrounds. This, in turn, fosters sensitivity towards cultural diversity.

 

Collaborative learning not only enhances the learning experience for students but also promotes teamwork and communication skills. These skills, indeed, are essential in our digital era. In addition, along with theoretical familiarity, with the help of collaborative activities students can now practice their knowledge while breaking barriers caused by physical distance. Overall, collaborative learning continues to play a vital role in online education due to importing academic growth and personal development.

 

Benefits of Collaborative Learning in Online Education

 

Collaborative learning in online learning has various benefits. The latter enhances student’s understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills by encouraging active interaction with peers. It fosters online teamwork and group projects, preparing students for future challenges in this digital era. Let’s discuss some of the benefits in a more detailed manner. 

 

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Improves Problem-Solving Skills

 

Through interaction with peers, students engage in online collaborative activities that boost problem-solving and reasoning skills. Importantly, this approach encourages students to learn more and leads to enhancing learning outcomes. 

 

What is more, collaborative learning in online education also involves group projects: groups work together to complete a task or solve a problem. This cooperative approach assists students when it comes to acquiring critical thinking and analytical thinking.

 

Promotes Social Interactions 

 

Collaborative learning requires students to interact with each other. In the case of online education, students should join the courses and group discussions with their cameras open. It will help individuals to learn the art of sharing and listening to each other, even at a distance. Due to such interactions, students acquire essential social skills, including empathy, active listening, and empathy. These social interactions assist students with building personal and professional connections. 

 

Promotes Diversity

 

Online collaborative learning usually unites individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, ages, and beliefs. While trying to solve a real-life problem, students encounter various options from their peers with different backgrounds who have varying perspectives. Team members may present ideas and viewpoints shaped by their unique cultural traits and experiences. Thus, collaborative learning in online education can significantly contribute to open-mindedness and inclusivity.

 

Enhances Critical Thinking Skills

 

Collaborative learning in online education has the potential to enhance student’s critical thinking. In other words, students engage in activities that require analysis and discussions regarding a specific topic. By having developed critical thinking, students can also enhance their conflict resolution and content creation skills. 

 

Challenges in Collaborative Learning in Online Education

 

Assigning tasks to groups or teams does not guarantee effective collaborative learning. While having crucial benefits, integrating collaborative learning in online education also requires the ability to overcome some hardships. There are three main categories of such challenges which we offer to explore together. 

 

The Setting

 

In our days, online classrooms consist of professionals who have a certain social identity within their professional community. Professionals with different cultural and professional backgrounds working in the same group can sometimes have conflicts. This, in turn, can endanger the productivity of the group. Thus, it is recommended to have four to six individuals in one group.

 

Learning Activities

 

The success of collaborative learning in online education highly depends on the types of activities and their structure. This learning method promotes learner-centered learning rather than a teacher-centered learning approach. In this way, students are encouraged to share and express their ideas while projecting them to real-life issues. If their ideas are not tied to specific real-world problems then they might lose interest and stop learning and collaborating with peers. Thus, it is important to integrate interesting learning activities to make the future of collaborative learning more fascinating.

 

Strategies for Implementing Collaborative Learning in Online Education

 

When referring to effectively implementing collaborative learning in online education, it is significant to plan strategies. The latter will help you conduct efficient collaborative learning classes. Here are some of the key points that will help you lead a collaborative learning session.

 

  • Start with an objective: have a clear goal and determine the most important tasks.
  • Share expectations: with the introduction of the overarching goal, discuss your expectations as an educator with your students.
  • Monitor groups: create groups of four to fix students and make sure to guide them with their tasks or projects.

 

These steps will surely help you and your students implement collaborative learning smoothly and effortlessly.

 

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Tools and Platforms for Facilitating Collaborative Learning

 

With the advancement of technology, the Internet assists educators by providing essential tools and platforms for collaborative learning. The list includes but is not limited to Chrome extensions, applications, and social media platforms. Let’s look at some of them:

 

  • Saima: this Chrome extension is the world’s first adaptive video controller that will make your collaborative learning experience much more effective and pleasing.
  • Project Management Tools: management tools such as Trello and Jira can significantly contribute to the productivity of the whole group.
  • Social Media: Facebook Groups, Discord, and Slack can positively influence the creation of online communities.
  • Collaborative Games: Kahoot! and Quizlet encourage interactive and engaging collaborative learning experiences

 

Make sure to integrate these tools and platforms adequately, and you will notice positive changes in your students’ productivity. 

 

Conclusion

 

When it comes to effective online education, collaborative learning has the potential to change the learning experience for the whole group. With the help of group projects and discussions, students have the opportunity to enhance essential skills for the digital era. These skills include effective communication, teamwork, and flexibility.

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