Collaborative Learning and Web 2.0

Why is it important to build community and encourage collaboration in an online learning environment? Simply put in one word, engagement. Web 2.0 tools are participatory in nature. Today’s learners are mostly digital natives that have been born in a world that is shaped by Web 2.0 influence. Utilizing Web 2.0 tools in the learning experience incorporates the digital tools most learners have been using all of their lives. O’Connell (2013) said it best:

“For some time, we have speculated (as have others) that it might be worth trying to engage these students with “their technology,” aiming at improving the quality of the reflection process to such an extent that students would be inspired by these new technological possibilities.”

Utilizing Web 2.0 tools and meeting students with “their technology,” can dramatically increase the learner’s engagement levels in a course, allowing for the student to learn at their peak capability; this is a pedagogical concept known as “Flow Theory.”

According to Wankel & Blessinger (2013), flow theory is the idea that learners will focus with absolute attention to their learning content, tuning out everything, even their own self-consciousness, allowing for students to learn and absorb information at their highest ability. Simply put, if you are enjoying what you are doing, you are more likely to do it with all of your attention and focus. In a study conducted by Rutherford (2014), students that utilized Web 2.0 tools had significantly higher levels of engagement, positively impacting the student’s grades – which in academic assessment terms, translates to higher course/program outcome mastery.

Lastly, collaboration allows students to both learn – and teach each other – through the collaboration process. A collaborative learning approach is one of the best reinforcement activities an educator can utilize. A collaborative learning environment provides opportunities for increased comprehension amongst learners by providing an open platform for the many different interpretations and viewpoints on a problem or situation amongst the group as peers (Rutherford (2014).

In 2022, collaborative learning and Web 2.0 tools are the most advanced they have ever been. We already know about blogs, and content creation platforms such as YouTube or TikTok; or social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Facebook even started out essentially as an educational collaboration platform. We can create groups in Facebook; we can create video content on YouTube or TikTok and curate playlists; we can utilize hashtags, we can make posts to facilitate discussions, and so on.

Other platforms that can be utilized are a bit more synchronous, such as Zoom or Microsoft’s Teams platforms. We can use the Google suite platform to create and house documents that anyone with access and a web browser can update. Making use of these various tools allows learners to collaborate and enhance the learning experience, while also allowing for unparalleled levels of productivity in the digital environment – all from the comfort of home.

In summary, the participatory nature of Web 2.0 tools allows for higher levels of engagement amongst learners when utilized, while also providing a platform for students to learn together and teach each other concepts due to the various viewpoints and interpretations amongst the group of collaborators, directly translating to increased learning and comprehension. There are a plethora of online tools, software, and platforms that facilitate the collaborative learning experience. If you are not engaging students with "their technology", perhaps it's time you give it a go and see first hand how it transforms the learning experience for you and your students. 


References:

O'Connell, T. S., & Dyment, J. E. (2013). Theory into practice: Unlocking the power and the potential of reflective journals. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Rutherford, S. (2014). Collaborative Learning: Theory, Strategies, and Educational Benefits. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

T. S., & Dyment, J. E. (2013). Theory into practice: Unlocking the power and the potential of reflective journals. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Wankel, L A. & Blessinger, P. (2013). Increasing Student Engagement and Retention Using Mobile Applications : Smartphones, Skype and Texting Technologies. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.