Evaluating Online Collaborative Learning: A Case Study in Increasing Student Participation

This paper outlines the research methodology and findings of a unit developmentproject on an online collaborative learning component, for a first year Bachelor ofEducation course run in 2001, at the University of New England. The original premisefor the project was that the application of activity based processes that required studentsto participate with one another in focussed discussions on a bulletin board, would resultin improved outcomes for student learning. Also, this planned approach to the use ofcollaborative learning activities on bulletin boards was designed to allow the teacher toadopt the role of facilitator rather than the constant monitor which is becoming all tooprevalent. The Activity System Model by Engestrom and Cole (1993, cited in Owen2000) and adapted by Hewitt (2001), formed the basis for the selection of the activity:the Online Jigsaw, the design and the choice of processes. This model also provides thecategories for student evaluation of the activity, which result in the findings articulatedin this paper.