Organise content
Prepare activities
Provide support
Arrange assessment
Peer-to-peer collaboration
Using the potential of peer-to-peer activities and communication to enhance learning
Samples
SOFweb - Collaborative projects
Website which aims to connect learners and teachers around the world.
| Source | Global Classroom project website |
|---|---|
| URL | http://www.education.vic.gov.au/teacher/Global/default.htm |
| Use | Teachers and students in Victoria to link to other learners worldwide |
| Delivery | |
| Customisation | Not applicable |
| Availability | Web access |
Peer to peer group activity
Teacher initiated task requiring learners to work together.
| Source | Laborartory Management Toolbox, lead agent TAFE NSW - Manufacturing and Engineering Division |
|---|---|
| URL | http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/toolbox/series5/509.htm |
| Use | PML60199 Advanced Diploma of Laboratory Operations |
| Delivery | Can be delivered using a CD or loaded into a Learning Management System such as WebCT or Blackboard. |
| Customisation | The material in this Toolbox has been developed to allow for customisation. |
| Availability | Details of how to purchase this Toolbox are available on the Flexible Learning Toolbox site |
Sun Virtual Workplace
Collaboration and work projects conducted between workers in remote locations
| Source | Sun Virtual Work Space |
|---|---|
| URL | http://research.sun.com/projects/mc/mpk20.html |
| Use | Collaboration and work projects conducted between workers in remote locations |
| Delivery | Online to Sun Employees |
| Customisation | Only by Sun |
| Availability | Only to Sun Employees. Video demonstration above to provide example of creative use of virtual worlds for collaboration and remote project work. |
Why include peer-to-peer collaboration?
The opportunities to learn from and with others is often central to teaching and learning programs. One of the advantages of online learning is that it provides many opportunities for learners to work and communicate together.
Features
- structured private discussion areas
- one to one email collaboration
- small group facilitation in text or voice chats.
Peer-to-peer collaboration can occur over a variety of tools, most of which are independent of server software and can be run easily on the learners machine. Peer-to-peer activities can be conducted using a range of strategies:
- Peer-to-peer software
There are a variety of software tools that enable workgroup collaboration. The creation of shared spaces, such as those made available by Groove (www.groove.net), enables groups to collaborate over space and time. These P2P network don’t not require a central server to locate all related files and other assets (sound files, videos etc). When a peer (on their computer) requests a resource, the network supplies the resource from another peer (on a different computer) that happens to have it. - Learning management systems
Most Learning management systems enable trainers to develop group spaces within broader learner groups to enable subsets of learners to share resources, alert each other to who is online, communicate through discussion forums, voice boards, on board wikis and to respond to group activities, sharing and problem solving. - Wikis
A wiki is a collaborative online space where learners can gather to build content together. Wikis can be available for general public consumption or locked for group member’s access only. Wikis encourage participation and a strong sense of common purpose thereby developing valuable communication and teamwork skills. Using wikis supports asynchronous communication allowing learners to contribute at a time, and from a place that suits them. Wikis can be used to support the dissemination of information, to enable the exchange of ideas, and to facilitate group interaction. Further, wikis can be used to create a set of documents that reflect the shared knowledge of the learning group. Class wikis include text, pictures, links to other resources and multimedia . - Instant messaging (IM)
IM is a form of online communication that allows real-time (or close to real-time) interaction through personal computers or mobile computing devices. Users can exchange messages privately, similar to e-mail, or join group conversations. While typed text remains the primary convention for IM, the technology has allows users to send images, audio and video files, and other attachments to their contacts. Instant messaging can also be undertaken on mobile phones through SMS messages. - Voice over Internet Protocol, also called VoIP (pronounced voyp)
VoIP is the routing of voice conversations over the internet or through any other IP-based network. VoiP applications are telephone services that allows users to voice and text chat, share files, share hyperlinks, and conference call as well as see each other on video through a web cam. - Virtual worlds are online environments where multiple users can interact together or with characters or interactive environments. Virtual worlds are immersive 3D environments where users have a great deal of freedom in terms of where they go and who the can interact with. Users participate in the world through the control of an avatar or online persona. An Avatar allows a user to choose how much of their real self they wish to portray in the virtual world, potentially allowing them to act as completely different people.
- Social networking encompasses a number of tools that can used to develop content and communication in an interrelated relationship. These tools are generally freely available to trainers and web users and include blogs, wikis, podcasting, social bookmarking, virtual conferencing as well as social network sites.
Integrating peer-to-peer collaboration
Although some peer-to-peer interaction may occur spontaneously you may wish to design delivery to include opportunities and activities that require collaboration between learners. Many of the online communication tools provide opportunities for learners to work together.
Peer-to-peer collaboration, regardless of the tool used, lends itself to a variety of group activities in an online setting, including:
- Co-authoring
Learners use a web-based tool to collaboratively generate and edit content. The use of a central location or online tool means that everyone is contributing to the same space. - Collaborative problem solving and collaborative research
Learners work together to develop solutions to problems or strategies for approaching tasks. Social software tools assist Learners to communicate with one another easily and regularly, either in a text form or verbally, to collaborate. - Knowledge sharing
Learners develop shared meanings and understandings by communicating and collaborating on projects, research or through conversations. Collaboration and group projects enable the exploration of differences in opinion and to build consensus amongst learners. - Mentoring
Professionals, experts or more experienced learners can enter the collaboration space sporadically to act as guides or to provide a broader vocational perspective for learners - Online peer review
Learners can submit their work or ideas via the Collaboration space; the work is then assessed by other Learners of a similar level of knowledge in the field and the learners comment and provides improvement suggestions. Learners may follow a structure process of peer review that contributes to assessment. - Resource making
Learners can use their social network to develop learning resources to support future learners in their subject area. Learners gather or create learning resources, media or web links and use social software tools for sharing the resources amongst a group or wider community. Learners can access other online networks for exploring resource collections assembled by others outside their learner group.
Design steps
- Design collaborative activities and sequence the steps that need to occur.
- Select the online communication tools that will best facilitate these interactions. You may choose to pair students using email communication. Or if you are using a discussion forum you will usually be able to create private spaces for selected members. Alternatively online chat rooms can be set up for small groups.
- Provide clear instructions on what is required of the learner groups, how they should contact each other and how often they should interact.
- Be explicit to learners about whether their peer-to-peer work will be monitored and assessed.
Assessment
Many activities and assessment tasks will require learners to work together for a common goal. If their collaborative work is going to be assessed learners should be clearly informed of the expectations and assessment criteria.
Consider the use of Peer Review to contribute to assessment outcomes. Carefully develop a framework for peer review or explore the Spark Tool (see in the Resources link below).
Generic skills
Team work, problem solving and communication are skills that will be required in most workplaces. Increasingly individuals will be asked to exercise these skills in virtual teams using online technologies. The activities they complete collaboratively in online learning will assist in developing these skills.
Technical notes
You will need skills in setting up online spaces in which learners can meet.
Skills
You will need skills in:
- promoting the benefits of collaborative work
- designing authentic and engaging collaborative tasks
- managing and encouraging the learners in their collaborative efforts
- intervening when collaborative work is not progressing satisfactorily.
See also
- Blogs
- Instant messaging
- Learner management systems
- Social networking
- Virtual worlds
- VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
- Wikis
From the Framework
More resources from the Australian Flexible Learning Framework
- Networks, Connections and Community: Learning with Social Software
The research investigates the use of social software in teaching and learning and in capability building and contributes to our understanding of the ways in which the development of social software broadens opportunities for organisations to deliver flexible learning both to internal and external clients.
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/pid/377 - Connections: Social and mobile tools for enhancing learning
A learner who is connected to other learners, experts and information services can tap into a widened pool of resources that can vastly enhance their capabilities and understanding. The use of social software (web 2.0) and digital mobile tools are two of the latest trends in new teaching and learning practice that enable this connectedness and have demonstrably positive effects on learning.
http://kt.flexiblelearning.net.au/wpcontent/uploads/2006/11/low.pdf - Resource kit for creative Community engagement
Helpful online guidance, ideas and tools for developing and facilitating e learning in communities and regions.
http://creativecommunity.flexiblelearning.net.au/ - Community Engagement Projects
Resources generated to support Community Engagement Projects.
http://elearnala.wikispaces.com/ and blog at http://elearnala.edublogs.org/ - Lurkers online: are students learning from their peers or simply being overlooked in today's virtual classrooms?
Research and strategies for trainers to help reluctant learners interact with their peers.
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/resources/lurkerstoposters.pdf - Fisher, S. 2003, Flexible Learning Leaders 2002 Final Report, AFLF, Melbourne.
Steve Fischer investigated the use of P2P software in training as part of his Flexible Learning Leader project.
http://flexiblelearning.net.au/leaders/fl_leaders/fll02/finalreport/final_fisher.pdf
Tools and resources
- Download a list of ideas for Discussion activities (Word 33KB)
- Moderating Educational Computer Conferencing http://www.emoderators.com/papers/mason.html
This paper outlines some of the varied roles that an online facilitator needs to adopt to manage online discussions effectively. - Spark
SPARK is an 'open source' web-based self and peer assessment kit solving major problems in current paper-based approaches. It enables confidentiality to students rating their own and their peers' contributions. A range of criteria related to team tasks and maintenance promotes fair acknowledgment of individuals' contributions.
http://www.educ.dab.uts.edu.au/darrall/sparksite/ - Ning
Ning is an online service where you can create, customize, and share your own Social Network for free.
http://www.ning.com/ - Wetpaint
Wetpaint allows users to create and contribute to websites written for and by those who share a passion or interest. To do this, Wetpaint combines aspects of wikis, blogs, forums and social networks so learners can easily participate.
http://www.wetpaint.com/
