PROMOTING ONLINE COLLABORATION

摘要

It is possible to develop online collaborative activities that engage students in interacting with each other, learning from each other and that develop substantive content knowledge and skills. The use of computer mediated communications may diminish some of the issues associated with collaborative learning, making it more convenient for students to 'meet' and discuss and share work and ideas. However, working with others is still more time consuming than working independently and requires significant organisation. We believe that our experience shows it is possible to develop effective collaborative activities that are carried out and supported on the web. To be successful it is important that activities are perceived as valuable and that interactions are structured and supported so that they are truly collaborative rather than a collection of individuals combining independent work.