Online teaching and learning provides an efficient mechanism for engaging learners through collaborative learning. Educators/resource persons may find several ways to get learners on the same platform as compared to face-to-face settings since interaction between members in close proximity to one another may not be possible. It provides an opportunity to share their ideas/experiences beyond the walls and foster creative exchange among experts. Sophisticated software and technologies have simplified this process further by facilitating the social construction of knowledge in the groups. Modern online communities and discussion boards have shown that members can help each other by offering guidance, answering questions, and providing feedback. Over the past few years, information exchanged in the online communities has addressed customers’/users’ concerns that are under-addressed due to misinformation, myths, confusions or neglect.
Therefore, eLearning courses do not have to be one-way where learners work in isolation. Learners should be given freedom so that they are able to share their knowledge, resources and experience with fellow learners and work collaboratively. Educators can easily build social interactions into eLearning courses/training programs to create people-to-people interactions. Learners can have online discussions about the content, thus working and learning productively and bringing the best results. Collaborative learning helps learners find support, exchange information, and learn from the experience of others in teams.
Some benefits of collaborative learning are:
- Sharing ideas, information and knowledge
- Receiving/giving feedbacks
- Sharing wider perspective on the topics
- Getting help from experts among the group members
- Construction of new concepts
- Improved understanding of the subject matter
- Provide ideal environment for less involved people or those who are hesitant
- Learning collaborative support and responsibility
- Foster social and academic interaction among students
- Learning new roles and skills such as leadership, decision-making, and conflict-management skills
- Enhanced communication among members
- Motivation to move on in the course
- Increased overall achievement and improved self-esteem
Collaborative learning helps learners to move on when the course seems difficult and in providing them with an ongoing network of support. Thus, collaborative learning encourages positive interaction among the learners and should be an integral part of any online training/course.