THD204 - TMA04 Part 2 - A Review of the educational Justification for the use of CMC To Support Collaborative Learning
(A summary of the THD204-SH62A-Group Conference)
Introduction
In the traditional educational learning experience knowledge has been imparted from tutor to student with the use of lessons or lectures and books. Within CMC the students' traditional 'behaviourist' learning migrates to a 'cognitive' approach, whereby the individuals become active agents in the learning process. The quality and standard of learning that we experience can be improved by tackling the problems collectively. CMC offers an advanced method of education, offering the sharing of skills, experiences, perspectives, and support otherwise not available using traditional methods. People with disabilities also have equal access. Groupwork can also give confidence and support to those who are not so confident or having trouble with the material. The collaboration can also be used in other circumstances e.g. the work environment. In our conference we have examined the justification for CL investigating CSCL and Distance Learning, IT and Collaborative Learning, and IT and TBT (Technology Based Training).
CSCL and Distance Learning
The area in which CSCL has had the most impact is that of Distance Learning. The advances in technology have allowed CMC to become an important tool aiding collaborative learning, where face-to-face communication is not possible. CMC allows asynchronous communication by students at widely varying geographical locations, it enables students to participate at times convenient to them and also allows a record of the messages to be kept for future reference. CMC gives the student the opportunity to share skills, experiences, perspectives, and support with his/her peers. It also allows students with disabilities equal access without prejudice. We also raised concerns of access and equality issues with regard to cost and unfamiliarity with technology.
IT and Collaborative Learning
Children enjoy using computers and this encourages communication with their peers as children tend to share exciting experiences such as multimedia provides. Groupwork on a computer seems to encourage CL and problem solving as this exercise would seem to prove. It was felt by those with young children that while the children were groupworking together on their computers, they were in almost constant communication and collaboration with the rest of the group. When a child had a problem he/she would turn to other children for advice rather than an adult and learn from each other's experiences. Although it was generally felt that these points justified the use of IT to support CL it was felt that its success was also dependent on the role of the teacher and on the ease of use of software and its appropriateness to the ability of the child.
IT and Technology Based Training (TBT)
We agreed that the benefits of TBT resemble those associated with Distance Learning, and that the training is more a skills-based approach and so individual learning is often more appropriate in these circumstances.
IT has had on the following impacts on training:
- 1) Technology-Based-Training has been found to be cost effective within companies. It significantly reduces costs by reducing the amount of time spent on training i.e. the need for employees to travel to specialist centres.
- 2) The training takes place at the employee's place of work so reducing the stress of travel and being away from family.
- 3) A further benefit is that the same software can be used to train many employees in different locations.
- 4) TBT allows a consistency in training, which in turn should lead to a common standard company wide.
- 5) The results however are still relative to the student's performance as in any education.
Conclusion
The group was in favour of CMC to support Collaborative Learning, with the benefits outweighing the disadvantages. In the light of this exercise and others I have done on other OU courses I would strongly agree that CMC is justified to support CL.