Learning with projects - Ideas for other collaborative activities

Ideas for other collaborative activities

“Collaborative learning isn't anything new. Small group discussions and study sessions are collaborative learning activities that have been used in education and training for decades. So what is collaborative online learning? Is it simply a bunch of buzzwords or is it a valid instructional strategy? “

From “Collaborative Online Learning” by Audrey Choden

Collaborative Activities can take many forms, and can involve individuals or groups.

It should involve four things:

Two or more peers with a shared learning goal
A workspace or learning environment that allows for collaboration
An interactive, facilitated process or structure for the learning experience
One or more electronic or computerized tools to support collaboration activities

Adapted from: “Collaborative Online Learning” by Audrey Choden:
http://www.trainingbydesign.com/Collaborative.htm

Email

In the school context, e-mail collaboration is probably the simplest starting point, either one-on-one, group to group, or class-to-class

“Key pals” is a name used to describe “pen-pals” who correspond through e-mail. There are many sites which help teachers and learners to find key pals. This address will take you to a key pal site:
http://www.teaching.com/keypals/

The simplest form – writing e-mails to other learners - is not really collaborative learning, although it can be an introduction to more collaborative projects. The disadvantage of undirected e-mail correspondence is that content is often very mundane and is not enhanced by the use of technology eg. “Hello Sipho, I like soccer.” To make this type of correspondence more collaborative, it is necessary to have a focus, and so that the both correspondents is is needed to make it succeed.

Collaborative Internet projects are learning activities structured around goals and objectives that require participants to use the Internet. Projects are usually specific in nature and last for a given period of time. They are announced over the Internet, in newsletters, or in other professional publications in "calls for collaboration." Teachers join them by sending an e-mail to the project facilitator. Multiple classes are involved, many times from around the world. Students collaborate on accomplishing the goals and objectives of the project. While working on these ventures, students acquire a wealth of knowledge about the topic as well as gain many additional benefits.

Collaborative Internet Projects Presented by John Simi Loudon County Schools' Technology Academy

Internet

Internet Projects where different classes participate in the same project are more ambitious but very rewarding

There are many examples of collaborative projects on the Internet.

We have already experienced the “Learning Circle” type of collaborative activity in this module. To find out more about “Learning Circles” or to sign up for a “Learning Circle” project go to:

I*earn
http://www.iearn.org/circles/lcguide/p.intro/a.intro.html

LOOKING AT OTHER PROJECTS online

Other collaborative projects can be found at these sites:

Some of them are specific projects, while others are directories of projects you can read about or subscribe to

US department of Education – Teacher Resources
http://www.doversherborn.com/highschool/libmed/teachers.html

Down the Drain
http://k12science.org/curriculum/drainproj/

Where to find collaborative Internet Projects
http://www.northcanton.sparcc.org/%7Eelem/Collaborativeprojects.htm

Springfield School in Cape Town
http://www.sfc.wcape.school.za/comproj1.htm

Global Schoolhouse Network
http://www.gsn.org/

Using Computers in Environmental Education
http://eelink.umich.edu/Computers/ol-projects.html

Kidproj in Kidspace
http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/

The Boiling Point Project