An approach to teaching that focuses on the learners and their development rather than on the transmission of content; it addresses the balance of power in teaching and learning, moves toward learners actively constructing their own knowledge, and puts the responsibility for learning on the learners.
Published in Chapter:
Creating Collaboration in Global Online Learning: Case Studies
Patricia Cranton (University of New Brunswick, Canada) and Patricia Thompson (Penn State University, USA)
Copyright: © 2014|Pages: 12
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-6046-5.ch007
Abstract
In this chapter, the authors address the question of how educators can creative collaborative learning in online courses, especially in those courses that occur in a global context. They use constructivism as a theoretical framework, and they review the literature related to collaborative learning, learner-centered teaching, groups in online learning, cultural competence in online teaching, and research on online learning. The authors present two case studies, one in which collaborative learning occurred, and one in which the collaborative component was less developed, even though the content of the courses were the same and the same educator facilitated the courses. The authors conclude the chapter by suggesting areas of further research on collaboration in online learning.
