Project Title:
Using Computer Supported Collaborative Learning to Enhance Student Learning of Controversial Subject Matter
Project Director and Other Associated Faculty and Staff:
Aaron Kelson, Instructor of Economics and Geography, Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, Contact: a.kelson@mr.mnscu.edu, Tel.: (218)749-7785
Jill Peterson, Provost, Mesabi Range C&TC, Contact: j.peterson@mr.mnscu.edu, Tel.: (218)749-7754
Project Design:
A serious challenge for online learners is a sense of isolation. Isolation is considered to be a leading cause of online learner attrition. To counter that, collaborative learning projects are recommended and have been successfully used in many disciplines. Also, in teaching controversial subject matter, there is a need to introduce students to diversity of relevant opinions. In this project, students were asked to describe the position they support related to a controversy and then post their position statement using an online discussion tool and obtain replies (expressing support or opposition) from their fellow students and from online “experts” (or persons involved in the field related to the controversy).
Project Evaluation and Outcomes:
During Fall, 2005, an online course titled Geography 1557: Conservation and Natural Resources was offered (which enrolled 16 students with 10 completing the course) that included the Collaborative Learning component. Students were required to participate in 3 different levels of collaboration – 1st taking a position without collaboration (e.g. write a position paper), 2nd involved collaboration among the students the students, and 3rd included collaboration among students and invited experts who participated in an online discussion with the students. Evaluation: The student learning was evaluated by testing, grading position papers, and asking students attitudinal questions about the controversy. 5 faculty members assisted in evaluating the responses. On average, test results for students after participating in expert collaboration were 23% higher than those with no collaboration and 18% higher than the class-only collaboration. Attitudinal responses among students after expert collaboration were 19% higher than those with no-collaboration and .4% higher over class-only collaboration. Finally, student’s position papers after expert collaboration improved 21% over no collaboration and 36% over class-only collaboration. Therefore, this course supported the fact that a well-designed online collaborative learning experience can have positive impact on student learning. In this case, learning was defined as improving one’s ability to make decisions about controversial public issues in a professional, objective and empathetic manner.
Lessons Learned, Dissemination and Sustainability
The study’s conclusions are limited to this study alone and we cannot draw statistical inferences without control groups. However based on these findings, it appears that student’s strategic and empathetic abilities are improved by collaborative learning. The online format allows expert participants to help students learn in a very cost-effective way. And, because participation can be asynchronous, experts whose schedules would often preclude them from participating, are not so constrained. Because of this project, collaborative learning experiences will be used in future online courses whenever possible. This recommendation was made by the Project Director at several faculty development sessions including an on-campus CTL event on 2/28/95 and a Northeast Higher Education District event on 4/15/05. The project director made a presentation at CTL’s 2005 Realizing Student Potential conference.
