CORAL C ollaborative On-line Research And Learning

Coral Objective:  A pedagogy promoting active learning in the classroom.  Places responsibility in the hands of the learner.

Overview The collaborative project is an applied research project comprised of psychology students enrolled in two different courses at WCU and CUP. Students at WCU are enrolled in a Senior Seminar, Dynamics of Small Group Behavior. Students at CUP are enrolled in a Psychology of Women course. Project guides (TA’s) are former students of CORAL course.

Characteristics of CORAL © Teams based at two different sites © Collaborative Writing © Develops sense of community © Teamwork © Shared goals © Focused outcomes © Course delivery is consistently changing © Interaction & feedback © Faculty & Peer guidance © Active creation of knowledge and meaning

CORAL Pedagogy Promotes Active Learning l Is structured by the professors, but led by the students. l Offers different teaching and learning styles. Fosters active learning & independent thinking. Time management – of self – others - the team!

CORAL Pedagogy Transforms competition to collaboration  Learning to collaborate with team members at distant & home sites.  Expressions of support and encouragement exchanged among team members.  Students transform from competition and contention [Individual Gain] to collaborative problem-solving based on reflection & interpretation of experiences [Mutual Gain].  Provides exposure to technology – the relationship of person to machine.

Team Evaluation Criteria  Collaborative Tangram Paper  Progress Reports  Research proposal  Team development  Video Conferences  Web Board postings  Collaborative Research Proposal  Collaborative Analysis of Group Processes - PowerPoint Presentation, Video Conference & Written Paper

Team Evaluation Criteria Process Scales: Collaborative Communication Scale(CCS) Collaborative Satisfaction Scale (CSS) Instructor Satisfaction Scale (ISS) Weekly Team Rating Scale (WTRS) Content Scales: APA Format Research Methodology Social Psychology Group Psychology Self-Perception Learning Outcomes

Collaborative Technology Tools  Survey of Internet experience Survey of Internet experience  Web Board (web-based discussion boards)  Coral Reef (real-time chat room)  Video Conferencing (ISDN / ATM)  File Manager  Coral Website  Desktop Video Conferencing: Laptops with Net meeting capabilities  On-line Calendars 

Web (Discussion) Boards Are the primary means of communication. Allow asynchronous communication. Encourage exchanging team ideas as well as socializing. Messages are threaded. Messages are archived every 2 weeks.

CORAL Reef A on-line chat room Used by teams for synchronous communication Used on a weekly basis Teams schedule chats

Video Conferencing Used for discussion and decision-making in organizing their research & collaborative analysis proposal. Assists students in defining ‘team-member roles’. i.e. who is responsible for various parts of the research proposal. Used for synchronous PowerPoint presentations. Encourage greater cohesion among sites.

File Manager Accessible anywhere on the Internet On-line file managers are used to: Edit papers Exchange articles Stores drafts of papers Drafts of PowerPoint presentations The file cabinet for each team. Share teams communication patterns

Web Cams & Laptops Allow students access to CORAL tools, the discussion boards, file-managers, chat rooms, and websites. Desktop video-conferencing via NetMeeting. Purpose – to contact team members when decisions need to be made outside of their scheduled class.

On-Line Calendars Organize due dates Are used to schedule chats Organize team members’ schedules Organize differences in university schedules (e.g., spring breaks).

Benefits of the Model  Can be used across or within disciplines.  Allows student enrolled in different courses to work together, integrating topics.  Allows students at different points in their undergraduate careers to work together, thereby encouraging mentoring.  Improves undergraduate writing skills.  Measures communication patterns.

Superordinate Goals High appeal value to both teams Underlying hypothesis: Common goal(s) are established whereby achievement is possible only by working together as a team. Based on the assumption – Contact  Familiarity  Comfort  Tolerance/Liking Superordinate goals - Tangram paper, semester plan, research proposal, collaborative analysis paper Help to bind teams and give impetus to resolve conflict and distance.

1 1  Forming - Meeting, team logo, collaboration (tangram project) [3 weeks]  Storming - Task Clarification[4-8 weeks]  Norming -Duty/Role Clarification  Performing -“Work”  Adjourning - Settlement and Closure  Confusion, Anxiety,Trepidation!

Team PhasesFormingStormingNormingPerforming Instructors / Project Guides Leadership Direct & provide structure for the team, clarifies expectations about how to initiate team project & group process (select wtw data collector). Leader coaches the group by helping them focus on goals & expectations, managing process and conflict, generating ideas, and explaining decisions. Leader acts primarily as a facilitator providing encouragement, helping to build consensus, and giving feedback Leader still facilitates team process, but tasks and objectives are delegated. Leader oversees and identifies when the group is moving to a different stage Purpose & Goal clarity Members are discover relevant parameters of the purpose and goals. There is little agreement or commitment to team mission Options are generated and challenged as the group stretches parameters. There is increased clarity, yet some misconceptions linger. Agreement from most; genuine commitment is forming. The group is moving toward unity. The whole team shares a commitment to overarching goals; a tangible vision for the team is accepted.

Team Roles Task-Oriented Roles: These are roles that address the group's task. Each has a characteristic strength and weakness! Chair/Leader/Manager/ Self-confident, commands respect, good speaker, thinks positively, good at guiding the team. (Can be domineering) Evaluator Careful, makes good judgments, test ideas, evaluates proposals, helps team avoid mistakes. (Can become isolated, aloof, pessimistic, over- critical) Finisher Painstaking, conscientious, follows through and works hard to finish things properly. Meets deadlines; pays attention to detail. (Can be over-anxious and perfectionist) Maintenance Roles: These roles focus on how the group works together! Elaborator Clarifies and expands others' ideas through examples, illustrations, explanations. Encourager Friendly, warm, responsive to others, praises others and their ideas, agrees with and accepts the contribution of others. Follower Goes along with the group, somewhat passively accepts ideas of others, serves as audience during discussions. Non-Functional Roles: These are roles that detract from the group's efforts; try to avoid performing any of them! Aggressor Insults, criticizes, and blames others, showing jealousy and ill-will. Makes jokes at others' expense; tries to deflate the ego or status of others. Blocker Constantly objects to others' ideas and suggestions, insisting that nothing will work. Always complaining, never satisfied.