Communal Learning Online

As discussed in the previous post, “ Collaboration; why is it important in the classroom?” the lack of collaborative learning and social interaction through online classes is a problem for online courses. There are a variety of ways collaboration can be improved in distance education courses. These ways include, but are not limited to, the following: having a group chat for casual interactions, having a “students near me” function for online courses, having assigned small groups per each course to discuss topics with, and a variety of other possible solutions.

Having a group chat for interactions between students will allow for casual discussions. This will provide students with a platform to speak to one another, that is not on a discussion board. Having a group chat mechanism for students will be providing them with an opportunity to speak casually with one another, in order to encourage collaboration between students.

The next possible mechanism that will enhance collaboration between students is a function on online courses to “find students near me.” This will allow students to search for other people in their area, encouraging them to build study groups or connections with students near them.

Lastly, having small assigned groups that you can turn to if you have questions or concerns (rather than always turning to the teacher with questions), will encourage collaboration within the small groups. This can be beneficial because students will automatically have a group to go to with questions, furthermore encouraging collaboration between the group members.

All of these ideas allow for collaboration, and as you can see, there is no right way to encourage collaboration. Though these ideas were featured in this article, there are a variety of other ways to encourage collaboration between students in order to enrich their online education. Ultimately, online education lacks collaboration between students, which therefore stunts their education. Incorporating more collaboration opportunities between students is crucial for the growth of online courses.  

Writer: Aiyana Bankston