Study at Higher Education in particular has always involved elements of collaborative and peer learning as students prepare for work in professions, enterprises, and in research. There are few graduate destinations which do not require the capacity to work with others, and the HECSU Graduate Market Trends study for 2010 found that working effectively in teams was the top personal attribute demanded by employers.
Many pedagogical theories also promote collaboration as valuable for the learning and development of everyone involved, including those who are 'peer teaching' others from a position of greater skill or knowledge. Technology can be used to support collaborative learning in a number of ways:
- shared document development (for example via google docs, or simple email)
- developing shared outcomes using digital media e.g. web pages, videos, presentations
- shared (social) bookmarking
- use of other Web 2.0 services to support commenting and peer review
- collaborative online/virtual environments
- use of communications technologies for discussion
Critical to collaborative learning is the capacity to have productive discussions about academic and creative ideas. Two projects in the JISC Curriculum Delivery programme addressed the issue of using technology to support high level discussion around shared artefacts, in the context of design education (Atelier-D and ISCC).
The interventions made in case study modules provided clear opportunities for learners to engage in productive conversations without undue distractions from complex technology, but with the ability to bring digital materials and physical materials into a conversation and to review and reflect on a session afterwards. (ISCC)
Case studies
Staff development resources
Technologies that have been used to support collaborative learning include:
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