Solo and Social Learning in Online Courses
Sloan-C Online Collaboration Principles
Role of Emerging Technologies for Knowledge Mobilization, Dissemination, and Use in Education
Some students spend many hours communicating asynchronously,
having a much richer dialogue than could have been possible through
the best face-to-face facilitation.
eLearn: Case Studies - The Reluctant Online Professor
As it turned out, this was one of the best courses, online or onsite, I have ever taught. Not only did I witness enormous engagement among almost all of the students, but the level of learning was much higher than in previous years.
The feedback from the students on the course was very positive, better than I had received for the onsite course in previous years. One of my favorite written student comments was, "… I don't know how this course could be taught as effectively in the classroom."
Cooperative Learning
Benefits and activities using cooperative learning. The activities assume a face-to-face classroom, but could be adapted for online learning.
Reflections on Fourth Grade Collaborations | always learning
Kim Cofino reflects on doing the 1001 Flat World Tales with 4th graders--what the students learned and what she learned about managing these types of projects.
Wikis in Higher Education (and at UD) - Mathieu Plourde
Profiles of multiple professors using wikis for their courses at the University of Delaware
Social Networking: Learning Theory in Action
Exploring how social networking applications could be used to create a more social constructivist learning environment to support collaboration, creativity, and networking. (The author calls it "social learning theory" and contrasts it with "objectivist" learning, but never uses the phrase "social constructivism." Still, it seems like that's what she's describing.)
Global Education On a Dime: A Low-Cost Way to Connect | Edutopia
Edutopia summary of the Flat Classroom project, emphasizing the possibilities for global collaboration even without a big budget. Nice introduction to these ideas for those who aren't familiar with the project.
ISB 21st Century Literacy wiki
Wiki for the 21st century literacy efforts at the International School Bangkok, where Kim Cofino works. Their 21st century literacy framework focuses around three major areas: learning, communication & creation, and global collaboration.
Taking the 'A' out of Asynchronous
Examples of colleges successfully using synchronous tools for office hours, student collaboration, and administrative work
Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media: Working Wikily: The fine lines between content and curriculum and self-directed learning and instruction ....
Beth Kanter on the process of developing curriculum collaboratively with a "swarm" of contributors on a wiki
Group Work in Distance Learning Courses
Nice list of different types of group assignments that can be used in online learning. Includes tips for facilitators to manage group work.
Working with Small Groups in an Online Classroom
Quick overview of small groups in online learning, plus a collection of strategies for working with groups.
When Things Go Wrong: Handling Problems During In-Class Group Work
Ideas on how to address issues with small groups in courses. This is written for face-to-face learning, not online, but a number of the tips still apply or could be adapted.
Weblogg-ed » Response to Jay Matthews at the Washington Post
Will Richardson responds to a Washington Post article that calls 21st century skills a "doomed pedagogical fad."
With access to the Internet, and with an understanding of how to create and navigate these online, social learning spaces, opportunities for learning widely and deeply reside in the connections that we make with other people who can teach or mentor us and/or collaboarate with us in the learning process. That, I think, is where we find 21st Century skills that are different and important. Sure, those connections require a well developed reading and writing literacy, and critical thinking and creativity and many of the others are skills inherent to the process. But this new potential to learn easily and deeply in environments that are not bounded by physical space or scheduled time constraints requires us as educators to take a hard look at how we are helping our students realize the potentials of those opportunities.
To me, that’s what 21st Century Skills are all about, teaching our kids to navigate the world as they are experiencing it, not the world we experienced.
jaysscratchpad » Solving Muliple Edit Problem Using the Include Command
One issue with using wikis for collaborative group projects is that you can't have multiple people simultaneously editing the same page. If all you need is a bunch of separate parts aggregated onto a single page (without any editing to make them all a cohesive document at the end), the technique outlined here would be a good workaround.
Techspo: Using Interactive Multimedia within Educational Wikis
Slideshare presentation on multimedia in Wikispaces. Starts with an overview of wikis and comparison of different wikis.
Directory of Social Networks for Learning Professionals
Jane Hart has collected this list of examples of social networks for learning professionals, including many groups on Ning and Facebook.
Flickr: Reinventing Project-Based Learning
Pictures of project-based learning with digital tools
This group illustrates what project-based learning can look like, especially when digital tools help students break free from the confines of teacher-driven and classroom-bound instruction.<br>
Effects of Introducing Technology on Teacher Professionalization
How technology-based reform improved collaboration and engaged teachers in activities for professional growth
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students
Information from the Department of Education on how classroom technology encourages collaboration, supports complex tasks, and improves student motivation
Flat Classroom Project
Home page for the international educational collaboration projects with Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay
Collaborative Blogging as a Means to Develop Elementary Expository Writing Skills
Study on collaborative blogging with third graders that resulted in improved attitudes towards writing, improved quality of writing, and a number of unintended benefits