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Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students

Why? 

In the online environment, cooperation and collaboration are seen as critical components of the educational experience. Reciprocity and cooperation among students implies that students work together on tasks and communicate with one another to complete the tasks. Also implied is a degree of independence from the instructor. The instructor serves to structure the task or activity and then leaves the students to sort out details, assign specific tasks, and collaborate to create a group product.

Current tools feature a wide range of collaborative tools and new tools are being developed to enhance collaborative efforts. Collaboration can serve to build the social context absent in online learning and create opportunities for students to learn from one another. Online learning can be an isolating experience, if we do not intentionally design collaborative opportunities into the course.

Collaboration also supports a more active approach to learning while promoting creativity and critical thinking processes. Social interaction, rather than individual exploration, expands the student's view of the topic and what he or she thought they knew, allowing them to question previously held beliefs and explore new ones. It is important to remember, however, that collaboration does not just happen. The instructor plays a critical role in preparing students for collaborative work.

Implications for Teaching and Learning

When adding reciprocity and coperation elements, instructors must redesign course activities to encourage students to work together and exchange ideas. The instructor must attempt to develop a climate of learning that encourages communication, sharing, and trust. Certain elements must be planned into the course, such as making sure students get to know each other, accountability and structure for group work, and an atmosphere of respect for peers. The following resources will suggest methods ideas.

Resources

Bill Pelz, the 2003 Sloan-C award winner for Excellence on Online Teaching, is a firm believer in shaping the online environment and expectations for the course so that students are engaged in doing most of the work in the course. He admits that it has taken him a long time to move from being the center of the teaching to a facilitator of student learning. He favors student-led discussions and peer support (students helping students) as major ways to move the class to active online learning and to a more cooperative and collaborative environment. Read more about his philosophy at: http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/JALN/v8n3/v8n3_pelz.asp

The Ohio Learning Network discusses reciprocity and cooperation among students as part of their Innovative Teaching and Learning web pages at: http://www.oln.org/ILT/7_principles/cooperation.php

and includees a page of ideas for implementing the principle at: http://www.oln.org/ILT/7_principles/cooperationideas.php

See Manage Groups to learn how to create and manage groups in a distance course. You may also be interested in Collaboration and Groups, another Instructional Strategies resource.

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