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Collaborative learning is aan instructional practicethat predatesdigital transformation. However,the arrival of information and communication technologies (ICT)has given a new dimension to what is now a digital approach. So how do you encouragecollaborative learning? Here are 3 good practices to build into yourtraining programmesto developnew skills.

Structurer l’administration de son LMS_un enjeu partage entre formation, informatique et metiers copie

What is collaborative learning?

Collaborative learning, whether delivered remotely or face to face, combines two things:

  • the learner’s participation;
  • encouraging interaction within the group.

The trainer’s role is to facilitate collaboration, while the group is the learning process in itself. Through interaction and mutual support, learners share what they know. The benefits of collaboration let learners pass knowledge on to the group, and let the group work with the learner in turn. To work, collaborative learning needs:

interaction within the collaborative spaces;

learners at a similar cognitive level;

people able to work on a project together.

Collaborative learning or cooperative learning?

The point is to create collaboration, so that the learner takes part in building the chosen learning format.

So how do youtell cooperative and collaborative learning apartwhen both rely on the structure of the group and on learner participation?

The idea of the group appears in both methods, but it does not mean the same thing. In collaborative learning, thegroup takes in all the learners, whereas in cooperative learning it amounts to a set of individual activities added together.

Collaborative brainstorming for creativity

Collaborative brainstorming means working as a team to spark exchanges between peers. It aims to generate new ideas and to test existing projects against one another, all under the supervision of tutors or trainers. Brainstorming is an excellent working tool forbuilding collective intelligencethrough shared knowledge. In social learning, collaborative brainstorming slots in easily:

  • into blended training with virtual classrooms and face-to-face sessions;
  • into virtual courses such as MOOCs;
  • into classroom learning;
  • into elearning courses;
  • into a seminar;
  • into a webinar;
  • into digital learning services;
  • into distance courses, and so on.

The aim is to let learners grow through their peers’ arguments.

Collaborative writing for group dynamics

This kind of work brings learners together around a shared project: writing. The group dynamic makes it easier for people to get involved while meeting their expectations.

This collaborative tool, built on the flipped-classroom model, is ideal for training learners through shared knowledge while strengthening group cohesion in the form of a community. Collaborative writing can take place:

  • on a blog attached to a learning platform;
  • in collaborative spaces such as forums;
  • on a collaborative platform blending the knowledge of the teaching team and of the learner, and so on.

The goal:sharpening people’s skillsthrough peer learning.

Video conferencing for instant collaboration

In elearning courses, running a video conference is an excellent way to build a collaborative space that ties teamwork to information technology. It allows instant discussion of a topic even when the teaching happens at a distance. This format lends itself perfectly:

  • to conferences and live sessions;
  • to online seminars;
  • to digital learning courses;
  • to distance learning;
  • to a virtual classroom;
  • to a MOOC;
  • to a blended-learning programme, and so on.

The process is simple and open to everyone: go into a virtual classroom and share the generated link with all the learners.

In elearning courses, running a video conference is an excellent way to build a collaborative space that ties teamwork to information technology. It allows instant discussion of a topic even when the teaching happens at a distance. This format lends itself perfectly

Want to build collaborative learning into your project? From the digital transformation of your training to the instructional and technical design of your programmes,Aptilinksupports you across the whole learning journey.