Inter‐university cooperative learning: an exploratory study

Abstract

This paper presents some preliminary findings from continuing action research involving university students of Education and examines the creation of a community of learners through the use of electronic media for remote collaboration. The main goal of this community was the design and implementation of a Web site about the curricula content of two parallel courses. The research focussed on the evaluation of the impact of technologies on communication processes among local peers and remote peers, and on the role of experts in the learning process. Qualitative analyses were conducted on information gathered from videorecordings of local interactions, personal portfolios, and cognitive maps. Students also completed rating scales on their perceptions of desired and actual function fulfilment (direct instruction, cognitive scaffolding, and affective scaffolding) by local and remote peers and tutors in the accomplishment of goals.

Using Information Technologies for Collaborative Learning in Geography: A case study from Canada

“…We agree with Clavani et al (1997) that there is greater potential for confusion about goals and activities when students are drawing on two courses, two instructors and lack face-to-face communication with counterparts. Despite heightened organisation efforts on our part, some confusion continued for students about objectives and expectations of the assignments.…”

Factors influencing the success of computer mediated communication (CMC) environments in university teaching: a review and case study

“…Levinson (1989) makes the same point in an HE context. Calvani, Sorzio & Varisco (1997) found good communication within two groups of students at different locations, whose members knew each other, but incomprehension and even antagonism between them.…”

Exploring the Relationship Between Distributed Training, Integrated Learning Environments, and Immersive Training Environments

“…Few studies have examined collaborative (group) distance learning and even fewer studies examine team distance training (Frost & Fukami, 1997;Kerka, 1996). Computer internet/web environments have tended to be built for the individual (Calvani, Sorzio, & Varisco, 1997); however, groupware and CMC has allowed for the possibility of the delivery of team distance learning. Results from studies comparing CMC to face-to-face have found mixed results.…”