Interaction and Collaboration
Communication between and among learners and instructors, synchronously or asynchronously, refers specifically to those activities in which groups are working interdependently toward a shared result. This differs from group activities that can be completed by students working independently of one another and then combining the results, much as one would when assembling a jigsaw puzzle with parts of the puzzle worked out separately then assembled together. A learning community is defined here as the sense of belonging to a group, rather than each student perceiving himself/herself studying independently.
Self Assessment
Use these questions to think about your course and evealuate your Course Design accordingly.
Communication Strategies• Are there several opportunities for synchronous and/or asynchronous interaction? (as appropriate) • Do your asynchronous (on-demand) communication strategies promote critical reflection or other higher order thinking aligned with learning objectives? • Are you synchronous communication activities designed to benefit from real-time interactions and facilitate “rapid response” communication (i.e., students gain practice discussing course content temporaneously without looking up basic, declarative information)? |
Development of Learning Community• Are communication activities designed to help build a sense of community among learners? • Are student-to-student interactions are required as part of the course? Are students are encouraged to initiate communication with the instructor? • Do collaboration activities (if included) reinforce course content and learning outcomes, while building workplace-useful skills such as teamwork, cooperation, negotiation, and consensus-building? |
Interaction Logistics• Guidelines explaining required levels of participation (i.e., quantity of nteractions) are provided • Expectations regarding the quality of communications (e.g., what constitutes a “good” answer) are clearly defined • A rubric or equivalent grading document is included to explain how participation will be evaluated • The instructor actively participates in communication activities, including providing feedback to students • The instructor uses communication tools to provide course updates, reminders, special announcements, etc. |
