Amidst
well-stated guiding principles in a collaborative work, it is difficult for
some learners to work with others. The strategy to mitigate this problem is to
build a strong sense of community in which learners will find trust, safety and
have a sense of belonging (Palloff & Pratt, 2005). Members should bear each
other’s burden and give support when required. Where a learner is not ready to
move along with others, a one-on-one interaction outside the group work should
be initiated to build the learner’s confidence. If this does not yield any
satisfactory result, the instructor should be notified. The onus of the
instructor is to engage the learner and find out the concerns, build a high
level of trust (Laureate, 2008f), state how the learner’s missing role might
jeopardize the group achievement, acknowledge the importance of individual
contribution in a collaborative work, and finally the impact on the learner
assessment. However, where a learner still finds it difficult to make an
acceptable contribution to the group work, the assessment should be of a lower
grade.
ReferencesLaureate Education, Inc. (2008e). Assessment of collaborative learning. Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2008f). Learning communities. Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
I like your idea of working with a group member that is having problems outside the group to build confidence.
ReplyDeleteI can’t agree more with Palloff, and Pratt when they state that there are some students that find extremely difficult to work with others. The best strategy is to gradually make them feel part of a learning community where they could find trust and sense of belonging. Working one-on- one with the student or pair the reluctant student with just one partner in order for the student to build confidence and feel comfortable with the educational online program is the best way to approach the issue at first. What I don’t agree with you is to give that student a lower grade. One thing that educational experts strive for is to accept and embrace diversity. Diversity not only refers to different cultures, but also it refers to diverse learning styles. Should educators punish students for not being able to work in collaboration? Working independently might be the only way this student has ever achieved success in school. Also, Aderonke to be quite honest most online colleges fail to disclose to students the amount of collaborative work that will be required in all classes. I think that they do that because they are afraid that they will lose a future student. Most enrollment advisors tell students over the phone of the great programs the offer and the great professional opportunities they will have after graduation, but no one talks specifically about the learning program format. One time, I almost enrolled in a college without asking the amount and methods of interaction between students and instructors. The advisor told me, “You just have to attend classes online twice a week?” When I asked for the time and the days, she told me that online lectures could only be accessed in the morning and on Mondays and Wednesday. I was shocked to learn that a college enrollment advisor could fail to disclose the type of virtual interaction needed for the graduate program. She just wanted me to fill out the college application regardless of my work situation. I told her at the very beginning of our conversation that I was a single working mother working full time as a teacher. That did not give her a hint of my busy schedule. She just kept repeating, “ You can login from any computer around the world and learn at your own time and pace.”
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the issue of “lower grade”, I think if part of the prerequisite for the course is collaborative learning and considering this situation that people have tried to help the learner, the learner should pay a price. On the condition that the learner was well-informed prior to being part of the system, and finds it difficult to blend, there must be fair and impartial judgment.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you stated that "members should bear each other’s burden and give support when required." I truly hadn't looked at if from that perspective and it's very refreshing strategy and I think it adds to the sense of safety and trust among the community members. I also like how you suggested that one-to-one guidance should be provided to increase the reluctant learner's confidence. Great post.
ReplyDelete