What is Collaborative eLearning?

A working definition for collaborative e-learning is:

Constructing knowledge, negotiating meanings and/or solving problems through mutual engagement of two or more learners in a coordinated effort using Internet and electronic communications.

"Constructing knowledge, negotiating meanings and/or solving problems" means learning together in meaningful ways that use and develop higher order thinking skills.

"Mutual engagement" means all are participating in shared work with accountability reciprocity..

"Two or more learners" means these are activities that engage pairs or groups of learners. Others may also be a part of the collaborative e-learning activity including the instructor or others involved in an applied or service-learning projects.

"Coordinated effort" means the project is purposeful and meshes with curricular goals.

"Internet and electronic communications" means learners use synchronous or asynchronous tools such as email, web conferencing, instant messaging, wikis or threaded discussion forums.

Teaching with collaborative methods online means:

Organizing learning activities and creating an environment where collaborative e-learning occurs, and assessing the success of outcomes.

“Organizing learning activities” means instructors plan and scaffold activities that suit the content and have realistic expectations given the skills and time commitment required to successfully complete them.

”Creating an environment” means instructors make the class a place where learners feel safe to participate and take risks.

“Assessing outcomes” means instructors provide fair individual and collective formative and summative assessments.