Better Together: How Technology is Students’ Greatest Ally in Collaborative

Learning

As students, we are conditioned to prefer individual learning, because it is enforced by

traditional pedagogy. Memorization is a common way we learn. We are encouraged to use flash

cards, rewrite definitions, and quickly learn large amounts of information, which we demonstrate

by our performance on exams. Too often, ​this promotes a​ ​ ​instructors promote​ ​strategies foster

learning environment​s​ in which students are passive recipients of knowledge. The goal of higher

education, rather, should be to promote active learning in which students apply their knowledge

and think critically. ​Active learning​ ​This​ can be achieved through the collaboration of students

and instructors, which stimulates thoughtful discussion. The use of technology, such as

interactive, computer-based applications, can effectively promote collaboration, and hence active

learning in the classroom.

Collaborative learning can be ​achieved​ ​attained ​through blended learning models, which

include a combination of online and face-to-face instruction. Some blended learning models,

however, are imperfect facilitators of collaboration. In a traditional flipped classroom, for

example, students access lectures online instead of in class. Pei-Ying Chen and Gwo-Jen Hwang

are educational researchers who identify that traditional flipped classrooms rely more on

self-regulated, personalized learning. ​Conventional flipped classrooms, therefore, ​ This​ could

make learning passive rather than active. On the other hand, the “Instant Response System

(IRS)-facilitated collective issue-quest strategy” reconstructs the flipped classroom model

(Hwang and Chen). It uses technology to “enhance students’ interactivity and collaboration
during the learning process,” as opposed to technology that is used as a substitute for

interpersonal interaction (Hwang and Chen). Learning through solitary online programs is a

technological approach to individual learning that limits discussion. The issue-quest approach,

by contrast, improves students’ verbal engagement in a flipped classroom setting. After watching

content at home, students answer online quiz questions. Then, they engage in player vs. player

competition because “social competition is a positive behavior” and can stimulate learning

(Hwang and Chen). Next, students “formed groups and engaged in peer discussion and group

collaboration to find the correct information and answers” (Hwang and Chen). Students who

learned using the issue-quest flipped classroom were more engaged than those who learned in a

traditional flipped classroom setting. This research is valuable to schools considering an

investment in digital technologies, ​which include​y​; ​these technologies include​ online art and

design programs, digital game design, social media, and other forms of online communication

such as online forums. ​Media that​ ​Because this media ​is engaging and provides opportunities for

collaboration, ​such as the issue-quest flipped classroom,​ it is a valuable investment.

TBAL, or technology based active learning, is another blended learning model used to

promote collaboration in the classroom. Clickers are one example of TBAL. In their research,

Neri Bloomfield School professors​ Yaron and Ruth Ghilay analyze the effectiveness of clickers,

which function to engage students, gauge understanding, and provide feedback to students.

While a few outgoing students may actively participate in a traditional lecture, clickers aim to

increase participation and facilitate “collaboration and teamwork” (Ghilay). Another illustration

of TBAL is Moodle, which is an online teaching aid. Moodle encourages students to share ideas

in online forums and take online quizzes. Instructors must use Moodle as a platform for
collaboration; students should verbalize their ideas in addition to sharing them online. According

to Ghilay, Moodle “functions as a perfect clicker, better than what existed in the previous

generation,” because the website can be updated to respond to the new demands of teachers and

students. TBAL’s success was measured by a study conducted at the Neri Bloomfield School of

Design and Education. The study involved a course using TBAL with fourth-year business

management students in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. At the culmination of the course, students

evaluated TBAL by responding to a survey. The majority of students reported that “learning

through technology is better than passive learning and listening to a lecturer” (Ghilay). They also

said that “the use of technology allows the creation of cooperation among students and

teamwork,” and “the use of technology allows all students to participate and express themselves”

(Ghilay). The findings of TBAL suggest that teaching without technology may be inadequate for

student engagement. Traditional instruction is accepted by students who have not been exposed

to learning with technology, but when students experience multimedia in the classroom, it is the

preferred learning mechanism.

TBAL and the issue-quest flipped classroom are effective because they adhere to the

definition of “connectivism.” Connectivism was studied by Trevor Male and Fayiz Aldhafeeri in

their research at Kuwait University. It defines learning as “a continual process which occurs in

different settings and allows teachers to shift focus from their textbooks and presentation to the

actual student” (Male and Aldhafeeri). Furthermore, it is a transition “from passive acquisition of

someone else’s ideas to active learning experiences that empower people to inquire, critique,

collaborate, problem solve, and create understanding” (Male and Aldhafeeri). Just as the

issue-quest flipped classroom gave students opportunities to share what they learned, programs
like Powerpoint and Prezi facilitate collaborative learning by encouraging students to work as a

team. Because multimedia fuels collaboration, it can prepare students for the workforce, “where

problem solving and creativity are the products of collaboration rather than independent

contributions” (Male and Aldhafeeri).

Minecraft, a creative video game that allows gamers to interact with each other, applies

connectivism by encouraging teamwork. The game’s social component can be applied to the

realm of education, where collaboration has been found to improve learning outcomes. Dodie

Niemeyer ​, author of “Maker Culture and Minecraft: Implications for the Future of Learning”

states that, “social connection is essential because learning is more meaningful when it is part of

a person’s valued social relationships and shared practices, culture, and identity” (Niemeyer).

According to ​Niemeyer​, Minecraft’s role in social connection is encouraging collaboration

between gamers. ​For instance​, This was demonstrated by ​a study in which the behavior of

Minecraft players was observed on YouTube: ​. It ​showed that​ “within each YouTube video

discussion board, viewers and the creator of the video engaged in lengthy dialogue and debate

about the content and creation of the video...As evidenced through the comments on discussion

boards, viewers were seeking to learn more about the game or to learn new ways of doing

things” (Niemeyer). Minecraft exemplifies a “collaborative learning community” in which

gamers are intrinsically motivated to discuss, think critically, and engage (Niemeyer). Moreover,

it embodies a “maker culture” that “focuses on using and learning practical skills and then

applying them creatively to different situations” (Niemeyer). ​This maker culture was observed

by David Pogue of CNN News through his visit to a digital media class that uses Minecraft at

William Annin Middle School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. According to digital media teacher
Steve Isaacs, his purpose for using Minecraft is “to create a choice-based, game studio-inspired

learning space that empowers students to take ownership of their learning while discovering and

pursuing their passions” (Isaacs). In Isaac’s interview with Pogue, the teacher stated that, “we are

taking kids in an environment they love. They love games--now they are making their own

games” (CBS News). For instance, seventh graders are using Minecraft for game design and

digital storytelling. According to one student, “Our main project for the cycle was to make a

game using either Minecraft or Gamestar Mechanic, and the game had to based off a fairytale,

folktale, or fable. The group that I was in made a game based off the fairytale ​The Three Little

Pigs​. In our game, you have to go through certain obstacles to move from the sand house, to the

wood house, to the brick house. We even have a parkour! At the end of the game, the goal is to

get to the final brick hut where you are safe from Creepers and Big Bad Wolves!” (qtb. Isaacs).

According to Pogue, “Steve Isaacs says that Minecraft has done more than teach his students the

basics of computer coding” (CBS News). Rather, through his class, the New Jersey middle

school teacher achieved collaboration among students and fostered creative skills.​ ​ Hence, it

provides a model for learning that can be adopted by teachers who want to use technology in

their lessons.​ ​Minecraft is one example of connected learning; ​Although ​unconventional, ​in

education would depart​s​ from traditional pedagogical practices, . But th ​it​ could better equip

students for the future, since “connected learning seeks to bridge the gap between the skills

needed to be competitive in the workforce and the way schools are teaching that is leading to

disengaged and alienated students who see little purpose in their education. Connected learning

is “a new vision of learning that is social, hands-on, active, networked, and personal”

(Niemeyer). This vision can be realized even by teachers who do not directly involve Minecraft
in their lessons; these instructors may opt to create original material using Minecraft as a

template. Yet, teachers can be confident that using Minecraft as a learning tool will directly

benefit students. In the classroom, the program retains its creative identity while becoming even

more collaborative than when it is used at home, since users can communicate in person rather

than online. Moreover, while Minecraft enthusiasts master the game by viewing instructional

video content and listening to audio, students who use Minecraft ​benefit from the guidance of an

instructor. ​learn new gaming strategies from an instructor. ​This application of Minecraft

demonstrates that collaboration ​n, is paramount, not only between ​both​ fellow students, but ​and

between teachers and students,​ ​fosters creativity and active learning.

While students collaborate to exchange ideas, teachers “provide cohesion between the

information imparted and the experiences students engage with” (Gallou). Eirini Gallou, a

professor at the University College London (UCL), researched the opportunities provided to

students by technology, such as interactive learning. She concluded that these opportunities are

realized when instructors embrace their new roles in educating students; ​their role is to

encourage students to take possession of their learning by providing them with the right

knowledge and resources.​ Because students are “digital natives,” ​and​ using technology allows

them to play more active roles in their education, ​rather than being passive recipients of

knowledge. ​Hence, ​a partnership​ ​must develop​s​ between students and teachers.​ ​Teachers who

embrace technology are not marginalized;​ ​The shift to technology does not marginalize teachers’

role in the classroom;​ rather, their jobs take on an essential new meaning. “The element that

needs to be emphasised is the passion of the tutor when encouraging her students to experiment

with technological means and be creative in the classroom” (Gallou). If a teacher fails to
passionately encourage the use of digital technology, it could be misused; th​e teacher’s role in

utilizing technology is essential because ​ is important because ​“both the power and weakness of

technology lies in the way it is used” (Gallou). Teachers who recognize the value of

collaboration enhance their students’ experience with technology. Through this initial

collaboration, the benefits of technology can be fully realized. According to Gallou,

“technology-based learning activities could act as a unifying platform for dealing with

differences between professors and students, enhancing not only learning, but also

communication and collaboration” (Gallou). Technology sparks a conversation between teachers

and students; teachers need to be willing and equipped to participate in this conversation so that

students can learn.

Digital technology can be more engaging than traditional teaching methods. Therefore,

teachers who fail to adopt multimedia risk being less engaging. In neglecting the existence of

technology, teachers also assume an implicit cost: students will use their smartphones for

non-educational purposes. An article published by Harvard University entitled “Technology and

Student Distraction” reveals that students use technology to access personal content during class.

One survey showed that 80% of students “agreed that using a mobile phone in class decreases

their ability to pay attention,” yet 92% of college students still text in class (Harvard). But the

temptation of using technology for personal reasons can be reduced if a teacher chooses to

embrace the habits of “digital natives” by implementing technology in the classroom.The study

of clickers verifies that they are effective learning tools; in addition, programs like “Poll

Everywhere” and “Learning Catalytics” enable active learning by encouraging participation

(Harvard). Participation could simply be “students turning and talking to each other regarding a
prompt” (Harvard). Educators must be careful to facilitate participation that is engaging. Rather

than allowing responses to be submitted through email or text, which could admittedly “help

students who might be fearful of social interaction with a stranger,” digital technology should

spark face-to-face discussion (Harvard). Even if it makes them uncomfortable, students will

grow from collaborating with others.

Similar conclusions were made by​ ​Research conducted by ​professors Rosser, Looney,

and Schneider of Black Hills State University ​regarding​ ​further supports​ ​the use of​ ​value of

digital technology in the classroom. They found that, ​because today’s students are digital natives,

while technology can be misused by students, it is also a​ ​technology can be an effective way to

teach.​ ​is an effective learning tool that caters to a generation of tech-savvy students.​ ​According

to the professors, “as society has morphed...so have the ways that students learn best” (Rosser,

Looney, and Schneider). For instance, “US-based education research on assessment of the mid to

late 20th century proved that some students were trending with more successful learning

outcomes resulting from interactive discussion and experiential or project-based education in

collaboration with their teachers and community members” (Rosser, Looney, and Schneider).

Therefore, schools that do not utilize technology should revise their budgets and curriculum to

allow for digital technology. Schools that already invest in multimedia should continue their

commitment to tech-centered ideals. Social media is one application of technology. In their

study, the researchers’ focused on the impact of social media on learning. Lessons utilized

different digital-social media tools such as Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The

results showed that sometimes, these technologies enhanced learning and engagement. For

instance, meaningful discussions emulated from a program called ArtStack, a social network for
collecting art. While students were too polite to critique their peer’s artwork on Facebook,

ArtStack was more effective, because “the instructor shifted the focus [away from criticism] and

used ArtStack as a way for students to select images and establish their individual aesthetic

sensibilities. The artistic choices could then become sources of discussion more than of

criticism” (Rosser, Looney, and Schneider). In another assignment, “the instructor spoke of the

enhanced work produced from students using Youtube for source material, as compared to prior

classes that used strictly print sources” (Rosser, Looney, and Schneider). In the study, the

instructor’s level of digital literacy determined the students’ ability to use technology effectively.

Sometimes the instructor altered his assignments in response to students’ feedback, such as in the

shift from Facebook to ArtStack. Other times, technology was not as effective because students

were confused by the depth of the online programs, and ​their confusion ​his ​prevented them from

completing assignments. For instance, “in the English/Remedial Writing class, a student began

his project intending to illustrate various styles of guitar playing. However, in the richness of

what he found, he became side-tracked by options and examples, failed to impose an

organizational structure and meet assigned deadlines, and did not finish” (Rosser, Looney, and

Schneider). Therefore, it is clear that the instructor plays a vital role in facilitating the effective

use of digital technology. As noted by the researchers at Black Hills State University, “the

instructors agreed they needed to be significantly fluent and confident in the operation of the

software in order for the lesson to be delivered to the point of being able to be fairly measured”

(Rosser, Looney, and Schneider).

This observation is supported by experts within the field of educational technology. Julio

Cabero-Almenara, a professor of the Department of Educational Organization and Didactics at

the University of Seville in Spain, and Maria Luisa Arancibia and Annachiara Del Prete,

professors of the Center for Innovation in Education at the University of Technology in Chile,

wrote an article entitled “Technical and Didactic Knowledge of the Moodle LMS in Higher

Education: Beyond Functional Use”. They write that “the use of Moodle in the context of

teaching and learning depends critically on teachers having knowledge of the tools, their being

aware of how they should be used and their being able to organise the entire communication

process. Instructors become a key cog as they are responsible for creating content, planning

didactic activities and adopting different technological tools” (Cabero-Almenara, Arancibia, and

Del Prete). When a teacher learns how to use technology, he can impart this knowledge to

students, making digital media an even more powerful learning tool. Therefore, not only should

we instill the importance of technology in teachers, but we should train them to use multimedia.

Many instructors began teaching long before the advent of computer technology.​ ​Some

may view digital technology as negative because they observe students being distracted by their

smartphones in class. Others may feel inadequate in their abilities to apply digital technology.

Therefore, the distraction of digital technology and a ​A​ lack of media training ​among teachers

could result in decreased confidence to​ ​causes a hesitancy to​ implement technology in schools.

While it is natural for teachers to feel uncomfortable using technology in which they are not well

versed, they must ​overcome this barrier by advocating​ for digital literacy training. Research has

found that, when teachers are trained properly in the use of digital technology, it can be more

engaging than traditional teaching procedures because it encourages collaboration. Therefore, by

implementing technology, teachers not only develop enriched relationships with their students,

but they enable their students to develop relationships with each other. Through collaboration,
students challenge one another to think deeply about the subject material. Clearly, a teacher’s

impact on students’ learning is pivotal. When digital technology is embraced by instructors, it

can then be embraced by students, giving them the collaborative skills needed for future success.

Work Cited

Chen, Pei-Ying and Gwo-Jen Hwang. “An IRS-facilitated Collective Issue-quest Approach to

Enhancing Students’ Learning Achievement, Self-regulation and Collective Efficacy in

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Ghilay, Yaron and Ruth Ghilay. “TBAL: Technology-Based Active Learning in Higher

Education.” ​Journal of Education and Learning,​ vol. 4, no. 4, Jan. 2015, pp. 10–18.

EBSCOhost​,

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Jan. 2015, pp. 15–25. ​EBSCOhost​,

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“Reimagining the Role of Technology in Higher Education.” ​Tech.ed.gov,​ Office of

Educational Technology, 2017, tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/Higher-Ed-NETP.pdf.

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Using Technology in Research-Based Education.” ​Shaping Higher Education with

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Future of Learning.” ​Educational Media International,​ vol. 52, no. 3, Sept. 2015, pp.

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bokcenter.harvard.edu/technology-and-student-distraction.

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Moodle LMS in Higher Education. Beyond Functional Use.” ​Journal of New Approaches

in Educational Research,​ vol. 8, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 25–33. ​EBSCOhost,​

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https://www.cbsnews.com/video/minecraft-a-virtual-blockbuster/​ ​ y pause

Isaacs, Steve. Game Design and Digital Storytelling. Powerpoint notes. 2019, November.

04:25 06:58

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