Collaboration on teamwork projects across borders

Whatley, JE; Bell, F

Abstract

TLQIS funding enabled us to investigate the effect upon our students of collaborating with
students at another European institution to exchange expertise and evaluate their work.
Salford’s TLQIS scheme funded a pilot study to develop a framework for resources for
collaboration, that will be expanded into a larger scale project for which we are applying for
funding, e.g. from the Minerva programme.
Online learning is being used to enable wider participation in higher education. The module
Developing Systems for Teaching and Learning (DSTL) enables students to experience some
of the possible forms of CMC (computer-mediated communication) to facilitate online
learning. As part of the module, they are expected to reflect upon their own and others’
learning styles and preferences, so that they can appreciate situations in which the various
tools might be appropriate (Cowan, 1998). Learning how to learn is an important general aim
of higher education (Nightingale & O'Neil, 1997), that is specifically articulated in this module
as the abilities to reflect on their own learning and that of others, by reflective evaluation of
work produced by other students. It is collaboration by means of mutual evaluation that has
been the subject of this project.
This project builds on the benefits achieved by a previous TLQIS project (Bell, Jones, &
Procter, 1998) in two ways. First, this work is a further development of the DSTL module,
adding value to the content and activities already developed. Secondly, by involving
Frances Bell as the Evaluator, the previous work done on discussion and reflection can
contribute to research and inform development.
The DSTL module mixes online presentation of material with face-to-face sessions and
tutorials, so that students are in regular contact with each other and the tutor. However, as the
students are campus based, they did not always use the CMC tools for evaluating each
other’s work, as was required for the assessment. Instead, not unreasonably, they discussed
their projects face to face. DSTL students were required to engage in online evaluation for
two reasons:
to gain a realistic experience of using the CMC tools that play an important role in Information
and Communications Technology (ICT)-based systems for teaching and learning
to engage with students from other countries, and see what benefits this may bring.
Computer mediated communication (CMC) tools, such as conferencing, email, discussion
forums support the communication needs for the task roles of group projects, examples
include studies of co-operative learning in a virtual university (English & Yazdani, 1998)and
groupwork in mathematics teaching, (Hendson, 1997). However, participation can be an issue
for online students,(Hill & Raven, 2000). A previous TLQIS-funded project has investigated
groupware for supporting students (Bell et al., 1998).

Citation

Whatley, J., & Bell, F. Collaboration on teamwork projects across borders

• Report Type: Project Report
• Deposit Date: Jun 15, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 15, 2009
• Additional Information: Funders : Teaching and Learning Quality Improvement Scheme