Starting point for digital learning in collaborative courses
Reflect with all co-teachers:
- Which learning environments work best for all universities involved?
- How can I minimise data privacy risks?
- Are the environments suitable to achieve the learning outcomes?
- How can diverse students be onboarded into the chosen platforms and tools mix?
- What will the course policy be on AI usage in assignments and assessment? How will the students be communicated?
Prefer services supported/provided/security checked by one of the universities involved.
- Remember to check how does the service work with guest users, i.e. users from other universities.
Avoid "free services" or at least don’t make their usage compulsory
- Free services can create data privacy risks if student data is provided and handled by third parties for various purposes that have not been checked and approved by any of the partner universities.
If lecture recordings are necessary, plan your sessions to avoid that
student data will be stored needlessly (interaction in breakout
rooms, don’t save chat, etc).
Encourage students to engage with new technology – Technical skills are transversal
Unite! Metacampus
Unite! also has its own Moodle-based learning management system that offers easy login to all users with credentials in any of the nine partner universities. For this reason, Unite! Metacampus is an excellent platform for running Collaborative Courses.
Would you like to learn how to use Metacampus? Enrol to the How to use Metacampus self-study course
Do you want to request a course workspace or a new feature on Metacampus?
Is Metacampus the right platform for your course?
Background
Online and hybrid? Learning is enabled by a set of learning environments including not only tools and platforms but also their contents , all orchestrated by the educators . Digital education encompasses a range of technologies and teaching approaches, with a specific focus on online learning, distance education, and blended learning (Røe et al., 2021) as well as collaborative courses . The selection of these components is crucial for the success of the learning of learners participating in the events. In this chapter, we share a map of selected digital learning environments and discuss their pros and cons in different learning contexts. We also share testimonials from students and educators on how they see the environment support various learning activities. Educators and educational leaders can thus be better informed and prepared when designing their courses’ programs and other learning facilities. Students benefit from this map, they can use it to give their educators tips on improving courses, and also learn how to learn with the help of various learning environments.
Digital tools are increasingly popular among students and teachers as they enable quicker learning and make students responsible for their learning . The Pandemic period made the tools familiar to students and teachers and online teaching and learning was a kind of compulsory way . Nowadays, students prefer a hybrid mode of TLAs . Students benefit more from their higher education when a higher level of educational technology is integrated into their learning experience (Neves & Hewitt, 2020). They appreciate digital activating tools used in class. They feel beneficiary of them. On the other hand, too many activities may be boring for students, even distractive. The digital tools should be presented to teachers along with instructions.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden transition to online teaching for university instructors, impacting over 1.5 billion students globally (UNESCO, 2021). While there was an initial eagerness to adapt, over a year into the pandemic, many educators have expressed frustration. For example, a UK survey showed that higher education teachers saw their teaching had become mainly focused on technical tasks, leading to a more transmission-oriented pedagogical role (Watermeyer et al., 2020). However, the pandemic has democratized online learning platforms and tools - especially in education a lot of tools have emerged since . For teachers, it is easy to get lost because there are a lot of choices. Using digital tools is important to motivate and diversify pedagogical activities ( Røe et al., 2021) . Digital learning technologies are poised to revolutionise higher education. The European Commission's 2021-2027 Digital Education Action Plan (European Commission, 2021) emphasises the need for more personalised, flexible, and student-centred teaching through digital education. However, this shift places considerable demands on university educators, who have traditionally faced challenges in adapting to technology (Børte et al., 2020). Implementing digital technologies at their best can be extremely demanding for university teachers. To help do so, we present 16 of the most popular online tools for education to help you choose and use digital to facilitate students' learning.
Since the 2020 pandemic, tools for online learning have developed at a pretty fast pace as most of the world had to adjust to the unusual circumstances where teaching and learning were inaccessible in classes. Every school and university had to elaborate their way and vision for managing teaching and learning environments (Neves & Hewitt, 2020). As a result, a lot of great tools were created and launched. Now, the main question is how we continue using these tools and methods, developed due to the pandemic, to our best advantage in educational practices and not discard all these achievements coming back to class . We are sure that tools for digital education are promising and can enrich TLAs with additional activating components . Online tools can increase the accessibility of learning and provide opportunities for participants, in such activities as collaborative courses, to experience information sharing.
Online education provides many benefits to young learners. It facilitates the implementation of collaborative courses. Nowadays, classroom-only learning is no longer accepted by younger generations. Nevertheless, there are also many negative implications of online education e.g. (answers from the survey: lots of different tools and platforms used by teachers - it can be confusing). That is why we want to prepare a map of digital learning environments and simple start instructions on how to use them.
Pros and cons of online teaching and modern learning methods
In a survey completed by students of various universities of the Unite! network, questions were formulated regarding the biggest problems students encountered during e-learning/remote classes/using modern methods and regarding the best examples and practices they witnessed during this type of class.
When it comes to the biggest problems , students draw attention to many issues. The first is the use of many different tools , which means that students are not able to get to know all of them properly. The following statement proves this: Lots of different tools and platforms used by teachers - it can be confusing. Reluctance of instructors to use this form of teaching. This often made the classes boring and I found it difficult to concentrate on them. Another issue they raised is problems related to internet connection , both on the teacher's side and on the students' side. Students wrote that there was a problem with: c onnection to the internet in a train, and human interaction (it's hard to make friends over online chat).
Another group of problems that students drew attention to is video problems. First of all, they complained about sometimes too long recordings during which they could not ask questions. In their opinion, video as a form of communication with students is very welcome, but they should be short , not long videos. This is evidenced by the following statements: Lack of attention during long videos and that it’s not possible to ask questions easily. It's hard to try to stay engaged. Students also complained about the frequent inability to record parts of classes to review the material before exams: Teachers weren't willing to record themselves.
Students also pointed out that some elements of classes should not be performed using remote learning tools, and not everything can be learned in this way. They indicate as a problem the use of remote tools to learn practical skills, which in their opinion should not happen: During the pandemic period, we had laboratories in a remote form, but it didn't allow us to practice. E.g. how to construct a system to synthesis or what can go wrong during the experiment . However, they pointed out that the tools developed during the pandemic should continue to be used and developed and not doing so is a big mistake: All of the improvements that were made during the pandemic were gotten rid of when the pandemic ended.
Among the best practices used by the instructors, attention was paid to the use of video in various forms during classes, both YouTube videos and videos produced directly by universities using their IT infrastructure. Attention was paid to ensure that such videos were compressed as much as possible and were made available to students also outside classes: Videos provided by the University. Videos with changing speed options for the lecture and live feedback/question sessions. Short, 5-20 minute videos about lecture topics instead of regular lectures. The same amount of information in a well-packaged, easy to learn and understand format, and it even takes less time and is easy to rewatch . As can be seen from the quote above, attention was paid to the possibility of using tools to ask questions and provide feedback . Another statement noted that short quizzes can complement this type of video recording: Instead of long recorded lectures, using shorter videos discussing and explaining the relevant topics combined with short quizzes about the content.
Another group of practices that students praised was the use of tools to carry out common tasks and interaction during the work of small groups of students during classes. It is a good alternative to classes conducted in the form of a traditional lecture: I liked it when we had small group interactions sometimes instead of a lesson. And I liked it when we went over the last lesson in the next lesson to remember it better. Students also drew attention to the possibility of using a tool such as Discord during classes: In the remote English classes, the teacher led the classes via Discord with discussions on various topics. In addition, he introduced games such as punches and Among Us. In this way, we learned English and, at the same time, the classes were interesting.
To sum up, the survey shows that there is wide variation among students in terms of the tools they would like to use while learning
Digital learning environments and simple start instructions
This section offers a brief overview of the learning tools most frequently mentioned by the surveyed students. It covers the tools' key features, applications, and the pros and cons, along with student feedback. However, due to copyright and advertising concerns, some tools have been excluded. As noted earlier,
we recommend reaching out to your online teaching services or unit to verify which tools you are legally permitted to use.
Moodle (see also Unite! Metacampus)
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Description: Moodle is a learning platform designed to provide educators, administrators and learners with a single robust, secure and integrated system to create personalized learning environments Main functions: Course overview dashboard. Course calendar. File storage and sharing. Course forums. Grades and feedback. Personalised learning paths |
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Testimonials / quotes from interviews: “Heavily used by many professors. Some used it to its full potential, some just as a place to share files. Can be really beneficial.”, “Good backbone as a learning management platform.”, “It is good for uploading tasks and remote exams but it lacks mobile compatibility.”, “Mostly not working. I don't like it, especially when I have to use it.” |
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Size of the group: small and large groups (free version) |
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Advantages: open source, free, supported by a global community |
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Disadvantages: you need some technical skills, not user friendly |
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Application in Collaborative Courses: Discussion Forums, Group Assignments, Wiki Activities, Database Activity, Workshop Module, Collaborative Quizzez, Glossary Building, Peer Evaluation, Feedback and Surveys |
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Link: https://moodle.org/ |
Recap list
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Learning thrives in digital environments orchestrated by educators, where the choice of tools and content is vital for success, fostering creativity and collaboration among learners.
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Digital tools, popularized during the pandemic, empower students, accelerate learning, and offer the freedom to learn anytime and anywhere, although excessive activities can be tedious.
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Students now prefer hybrid learning, valuing digital methods in class for enhanced creativity and collaboration, while also enjoying the flexibility to learn from various locations and at their own pace.
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The pandemic democratized online learning tools, offering educators numerous choices, particularly in education, which can promote creative and collaborative teaching methods.
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Leveraging online learning tools effectively remains a challenge as in-person classes return, with the potential to enrich education by fostering creativity, collaboration, and the freedom to learn on flexible schedules.
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Students appreciate online education's benefits, such as flexibility to learn from any location and the potential for creative, collaborative learning, while acknowledging challenges like tool variety, connectivity issues, and lengthy videos, emphasizing practical learning and continued tool development.
Glossary
Accessibilities of Learning: The extent to which educational resources and opportunities are available to diverse groups of learners.
Democratization: The process of making educational resources and opportunities accessible to a wider population, often through digital means.
Digital Tools: Software applications or online resources that aid in the delivery of educational content and facilitate learning activities.
Educators: Individuals responsible for facilitating and guiding the learning process, typically teachers or instructors.
Feedback: Information provided to students about their performance or progress in order to improve their learning outcomes.
Hybrid Learning: An educational approach that combines both in-person and online instruction, allowing students to engage with course content and peers through a blend of physical classrooms and virtual environments.
Instructions: Guidelines or rules for using digital learning tools and platforms effectively.
Internet Connection: The ability to access the internet, which is essential for online learning.
Virtual Laboratories: Controlled online environments where students conduct experiments and practical activities to enhance their understanding of scientific concepts.
Creative and Collaborative Learning Environments: The spaces or contexts in which learning occurs, encompassing tools, platforms, content, and instructional methods to facilitate creativity and collaboration..
Online Learning: A mode of education where students access educational materials and interact with instructors through the internet, typically using digital tools and platforms.
Online Teaching: The practice of delivering instruction and facilitating learning experiences through online platforms and technologies.
Pandemic: An outbreak of a disease that occurs on a global scale, often leading to widespread disruptions, as seen with COVID-19.
Pedagogical Activities: Teaching and learning activities designed to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills.
Pedagogical Practices: Strategies and methods employed by educators to engage students in effective learning.
Practical Skills: Abilities and competencies that involve hands-on, real-world application of knowledge, often learned through practical experiences.
Survey: A data collection method that involves posing questions to individuals or groups to gather information or opinions.
Video Communication: The use of video technology to facilitate communication, including recorded lectures, live sessions, and feedback.
Quizzes: Short assessments or tests designed to evaluate students' understanding of course material.
Small Group Interactions: Collaborative learning experiences involving a limited number of students, often used to foster discussion and teamwork.
References
Børte, K., Nesje, K., and Lillejord, S. (2020). Barriers to Student Active Learning in Higher Education. Teach. Higher Educ., 1–19 . https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1839746
European Commission (2021). Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027): Resetting Education and Training for the Digital Age [Online]. Available: https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/digital-education-actionplan_en (Accessed 10.10, 2023).
Neves, J., & Hewitt, R. (2020). Student Academic Experience Survey. Advance HE . Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.hepi.ac.uk
Røe, Y., Wojniusz, S., and Bjerke, A. (2021). The Digital Transformation of Higher Education Teaching: Four Pedagogical Prescriptions to Move Active Learning Pedagogy Forward. Front. Educ. , 6 (784701), 1-6. https://doi.org/ 10.3389/feduc.2021.784701
UNESCO (2021). COVID-19 Education Response. Available at: https://en.unesco.org/
Watermeyer, R., Crick, T., Knight, C., and Goodall, J. (2020). COVID-19 and Digital Disruption in UK Universities: Afflictions and Affordances of Emergency Online Migration.
High Educ. (Dordr
), 1–19. Https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00561-y